The Gonzo Wolf

Predator was one of those eighties films that blew my young mind when it released. My mom brought it home from her job at the drug store, which also housed the towns only video rental store and comic book rack. I purchased a dozen or so of the original Marvel Transformers comics from there. See? Spending a lot of time hanging around a drug store wasn’t such a bad thing, Nancy!

‘Tism bonus: there were active railroad tracks and a small switching yard in the back.

Memories. I was in heaven.

Let’s see what the fine folks at Wikipedia have to say about this film (please donate something to them if you can):

Predator: Badlands is a 2025 American science fiction action film directed by Dan Trachtenberg and written by Patrick Aison from a story by Trachtenberg and Aison. The seventh installment in the Predator franchise, and set after the events of The Predator (2018), it stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi in leading roles. The story follows Dek, a young exiled Yautja, who crash-lands on a hostile planet and must prove himself worthy of the hunt by killing an apex predator, leading him to form an alliance with Thia, a Weyland-Yutani Corporation android.

Predator: Badlands premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre on November 3, 2025, and was released in the United States on November 7, by 20th Century Studios. The film received generally positive reviews from critics and grossed $185 million worldwide.

The Rev-iew:

It’s no secret that Disney tarnished the reputation of both the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises since their acquisition. When it comes to 20th Century Fox properties, it’s been the opposite. So far.

“Prey”, a Hulu/Disney + streaming only prequel to the original “Predator” film, was one of my favorite movies released during the pandemic. Both the film “Alien: Romulus” and the streaming series “Alien: Earth” were fantastic additions to the Weyland-Yutani mythos.

What’s the difference between Star Wars and Alien/Predator? Star Wars implodes when Disney bends the IP rules for plot device, and the new characters being shoved down our collective throats had no personality or purpose. They made it all up as they went along, film to film, until the final curtain fell atop a tattered mess of gen-x skinned knees and sand diapers.

Alien/Predator? The washout writers who couldn’t find a seat on Jabba’s Sail Barge must’ve done some shrooms, listened to “The End” on repeat thirteen times, had an orgy, and collaborated on massive amounts of Alien/Predator background lore. If you’re a fan of the original Alien and Predator movies, then you can’t go wrong with Prey, Romulus, or Earth. All are currently streaming on Disney +. We’re talking Bladerunner levels of sci-fi goodness.

Predator: Badlands strays far away from what we’ve been given before, though. If you’re expecting a bunch of humans running for their lives from a bad-ass alien with cool weapons, think again. This adds lore, relationships, and customs to Predator canon, and successfully changes NOTHING of what came before, at least not to my knowledge. It’s a brutal and unforgiving existence; putting both Klingons and Mandalorians to shame.

The fights are beautifully choreographed, although I felt there was a bit too much CGI toward the beginning. The prior Predator films were heavy with traditional special effects, grounding the creature in realism. In other words, it was always a dude in a suit. Disney tends to turn most things into Avengers or one of the “Pirates” sequels if you don’t take away their cool toys every now and then.

Are we sure Michael Bay hasn’t secretly infiltrated the house of mouse?

Luckily, the film slows down and introduces us to an unexpected bit of heart. The Weyland Yutani synthetic Thia is a breath of fresh air strapped to our Predator’s back, who we now know are called the Yautja race. She seems to know a thing or two about the Predator’s choice of planet, and our traditional antagonist turned redeemed hero needs all the help he can get. I would’ve liked to know more of how Weyland Yutani knew so much about the Yautja, but perhaps they’re saving that for future offerings.

One of the most pleasing things was how diverse the plants and creatures were on the alien planet. Everything was out to kill you in the most creative ways. Old-time fans of the Alien franchise will also get to see a more fine-tuned version of the Weyland Yutani corporation, as well as a glimpse into how it operates. Still as ruthless as ever, with the same rock-solid mission as before.

There were even times when this movie felt a bit like a dark comedy, and all the jokes seemed to hit their mark. Luckily, they were spaced out enough not to spoil the testosterone levels of some good old alien on alien combat, but I did literally laugh out loud several times.

I wasn’t prepared for how much I enjoyed this film. The 80’s IP revolution is circling the drain, with only some of the more obscure properties still coming to light. Voltron and Highlander, both ironically starring Henry Cavill, are two examples. Honestly, it’s about time. Let the past die. Kill it if you must.

As science fiction films go, even though this IP has been pooped upon in the past, this is one to be enjoyed on the biggest screen you can find with the best sound system. You’ll get to know so much more than ever before about the “Predators” , but in the end, you’ll still know nothing. That’s why I’ve always loved them. We know squat. I would gladly line up for a sequel.

Bonus: the soundtrack is excellent with a quality sub! Your neighbors will hate you. One less Christmas card to buy.

4/5, the only flaw being overuse of CGI in a few scenes.