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 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.
To most, 1865 was an eye-opening year. The American Civil War was officially over and the soldiers fortunate enough to survive the bloody conflict returned home to collect the pieces of their former lives. To young Arizonan, Robert Jack, the fateful desert homecoming marked the end to all he once knew. Forgiveness is overrated. Death is final. Revenge, however, dances between the fine lines of mortality and eternity. Love always finds a way.
“Reading Jim Walker and the Redemption Hymn is equal parts quirky fun and riveting action. Cloud’s confident, entertaining voice draws the reader in like an old radio western: the perfect bite-sized story with a main character you’re ready to follow through every adventure he finds himself on. So, tune in next time…”
– Megan Stockton, author of Lovely, Dark & Deep
The history books would read that Jim Walker was brutally executed after the Battle of Goliad, but a few promises in the right ear blurred the contrast between blood and ink. Now an aging bounty hunter on the verge of retirement, his services are requested in the Northern Arizona Territory to solve the terrifying mystery of the Verde River Massacre. With guns from a local Deputy, courage from a saloon proprietor, and a deathbed confession from an all-too-familiar Medicine Woman, Jim sets off on what could be his final adventure. Will he lay the ghosts of his past to rest once and for all, or is he simply whistling his Redemption Hymn?
“Someone call DC and tell them this is how you write a female hero character!” – Lisa Lee Tone, Bibliophelia Templum
Angel Burns is a young firefighter with a shrouded history. During a routine night at work, she stumbles upon a demonic ceremony that brings her memories out of hiding – as well as her repressed supernatural powers. Angel soon learns her life was intended for things greater than extinguishing fires for mortals. Now on the payroll of the Vatican, Angel embarks upon an epic quest to protect the Gutenberg Bibles from evil. If successful, she will secure peace for generations. If she fails, the power of the ancient books will bestow an eternity of darkness upon all humanity!
Toby Liberman is nearing the end of his rope. After a fateful confrontation with his wife’s lover, he is chased into the woods only to be discovered by an unidentifiable creature. He is attacked and rendered unconscious. Upon waking at the scene of a gruesome triple homicide, Toby is arrested as the sole suspect and thrown into a jail cell with a strange man that knows way too much about his predicament. The stranger reveals to Toby that he now possesses the curse of the werewolf. Using his new-found strength to flee his captors, Toby begins to discover that things are not what they seem in the sleepy town of Twin Oaks, TX. Now hunted by law enforcement, as well as the town’s gun toting civilians, Toby seeks vengeance against his false accusers and embarks upon a quest to clear his name once and for all.
A Curse Beyond Comprehension. A Power Beyond Belief. A Girl Far From Home. Katie Liberman is your typical eighteen-year-old college student…or at least that’s what her family thinks. Picking up five years after the events of A Taste of Home, Katie has dropped out of school and embarked upon a dangerous quest to find Kurt Jimmerson, the New York City attorney responsible for her family’s werewolf curse. Unknown to her, the attorney’s grip on the ‘City That Never Sleeps’ is tighter than imagined and she’ll need any and all help available to be victorious. But… where do you find friends when you’re Far From Home?
Twin Oaks, Texas is at war! Taking place immediately after the Far From Home events in New York City, Katie Liberman has returned to rescue her birthplace from the clutches of her nemesis. As the paranormal battle of North vs. South rages in the shadows, the tiny town must decide to fight against the odds or become one with the darkness. Blood will be shed and only one will survive as the final battle of the Home Series concludes.
I know this is the part where I’m supposed to talk about the book, but I feel as though the synopsis needs its own preface to truly understand. 2023 was quite an eye-opening year! I began it by living my dream as a vintage steam locomotive fireman, but that dream was soon squashed thanks to my writing career. It won’t matter that you wrote your extreme horror offerings years ago and under a pen name. Also, it won’t matter that your publisher and author friends from days gone by express pleasantries and kind, nurturing words to your face, because they’ll clique-up and talk trash the minute you turn your back. F**k the biz, create. Create for art, not clicks. Click for love, not hate. Those are words true artists should have no issues living by, yet most seem to hide behind their keyboard shields, flinging ill-thought words of destruction toward once-trusted ears. Don’t pour something into everything; pour everything into something. Do it all by yourself if necessary. With any luck, 2024 will be the year of The Reverend. I’m not exactly sure what that means yet, but we’ll find out together. Anyway, here are a few short stories and poems I wrote as C. Derick Miller in 2023. I stole them from myself. Fair and square. Enjoy.
Poetry has always come naturally to me. Whether it is an expression of emotion toward someone I care about, or a display of humor pointed in the direction of those I loathe, it is my true outlet. Several of these works were written in a passenger seat while exploring the highways of the United States and somehow managed to survive “The Great Ex-Wife/Ex-Girlfriend Poetry Purge” of 2019. Others were penned during COVID-19 quarantine. Although it may not be the most epic poetry collection you’ve ever read, it all contains bits of blood and soul. You will feel something. Guaranteed.
“This profound collection of horror brings classic monsters into new light in the modern day” – B.L. Blankenship, God Walks The Dark Hills series.
The modern world is a crazy place. Worrying about childish politicians, empty grocery store shelves, and our pending membership to the “global disease of the week” club, it leaves very little time for the average reader to finish an entire novel. This is where Six from Five Seven: Short Stories from a Short Man comes in clutch! A story per day to keep the impending apocalypse away, with a single day left over to contemplate why you purchased this book in the first place. That sounds like an entertaining week when compared to the one you were destined to have regardless. What do a cursed husband, a privileged brat, a curious prostitute, a repressed savior, a vengeful son, and two hell-bound soldiers have in common? Their stories lie within the pages of this collection and invite you to tag along on their journeys of fate, redemption, and demise. When finished, you, dear reader, can hide this book inside your basement with the rest of those important documents you wished you’d never taken home. The FBI won’t be happy, but at least they’ll know you’re a cool person for owning a copy while conducting the raid. That must count for something, right? Let’s hope the judge thinks so!
Also, there’s a few other things not listed here that are floating around out there. Best of luck with the hunt.
Current Projects
Rev. Dare Cloud
Reverend · adjective. worthy of adoration or reverence. synonyms: sublime · sacred.
is a Dallas author, musician, and gonzo journalist. Some of his works include the controversial splatter-western Starving Zoe (written as C. Derick Miller), the Taste of Home trilogy, and the ongoing Jim Walker series. He is also the co-host of the American Justice Podcast and Senior Writer/Junior Producer for AtuA Productions LLC. His literary crushes are (of course) Hunter S. Thompson, J.D. Salinger, and Kevin Smith. Preach truths, toke jokes, and shoplift Amazon.
“You’ve got to press it on you You’ve just been thinking That’s what you do, baby Hold it down, Dare!” – Gorillaz
The Gonzo Wolf 
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