Predator: Badlands is out now in theaters, and I’ve got thoughts.
If you play video games—or love video games—you’ll probably enjoy this film. It’s built for that crowd. But I don’t play video games, and for me, this movie was an over-the-top, effects-heavy roller coaster that forgot to include a story. Sure, they wanted you to think there was a story, but it’s basically all action with a few half-hearted attempts at depth and some cheesy jokes sprinkled in.
And look, I love action films. I’m all for explosions and chaos when it’s done right. But this one? It missed the mark. There was no human connection, no character development, and no one to root for. In the original Predator, the characters were wildly different and played off each other brilliantly—that dynamic made it special. Here, I didn’t care about anyone.
A lot of the creatures and effects felt like déjà vu—like I’d seen them in a dozen other movies. It all came off as predictable, and at times, almost a mashup of recycled ideas.
What really annoyed me was how obviously this film was designed to set up a sequel. The story crawls along in baby steps, never progressing enough to feel satisfying. By the end, it’s painfully clear there’s a part two coming.
Now, this isn’t really a spoiler, but let’s talk about the Predator’s cloaking ability—the coolest part of the character, right? The stealth, the invisibility, that “is he in the trees or not” tension. You get maybe two seconds of that here. They completely wasted one of the franchise’s best elements.
And to top it off, this Predator is so over-the-top with his powers that it’s borderline ridiculous. Some of it is downright cartoonish. The movie leans heavily into a futuristic vibe, which I actually liked—it takes the story out of an earthly setting and into something new. But again, without any characters to care about, it all falls flat.
By the end, I was rooting for no one. Not the humans, not the Predator. No one.
I’m giving Predator: Badlands 2.5 out of 5 stars. That extra half-star? It’s all for the love of the Predator franchise itself. I’ve always been a fan of the concept—it’s right up there with Alien in the sci-fi hall of fame. But this one felt lackluster, predictable, and way too safe.
The critics may love it, and maybe the gaming crowd will too. But I wasn’t the audience for this one—and that’s fine.
Go check it out if you want a flashy, futuristic action flick with no strings attached. Otherwise, you might want to wait for part two… because this one feels like half a movie.
