Predator Badlands – The Movie Would Work So Much Better If It Was Simply Called Badlands .

By: Dominic La-Viola

All Hollywood green lights anymore are sequels, reboots, and remakes. Something that is said and I hear all too much on the internet. 

Yet it seems as if no one ever mentions the movies that are original spec scripts or play out like one. That simply get renamed to make it more marketable.

Something that has been done plenty of times in Hollywood over the past 30 years or so, that I know of, and probably even longer than that. 

The film opens telling us pretty much what we already know. That the Predator hunts alone, has no friends, and there is a third line in which I don’t remember. Yet none of that is relevant because the film goes on to break every single one of those rules. 

From the opening shoot, something feels off. There’s something that doesn’t quite feel right.  Then they start talking and that suspicion is enhanced. 

Going into the movie, I was expecting a great “Predator” movie. Although that’s what I got. It doesn’t even feel like a “Predator” movie at all. 

That’s my biggest issue with this film and something that threw me off and kind of turned me off for the first few minutes of this movie. The culture shock of what I was watching. 

The movie throws out all the rules of what we have learned and know about the Predators, from the first film in which they were introduced. 

From this point on, it only gets more and more out of sync with what the film franchise has been built around. 

Once and if you can get past the thought that it is not to be seen  as a “Predator” film. But a standalone action film with a comedic undertone. The movie is actually really good. 

 The storyline works in the sense of a traditional three-act structure that doesn’t reinvent the wheel or try to be or create something it’s not. Even if it tries to make the Predator something he’s not. 

The dialog is witty and entertaining . Making the film feel light while remaining crisp and lean. It moves the story along, adding entertainment pieces in between the training sequences. Preparing our runt of the litter to become a true predator.

Which adds to the issue of this being called a “Predator” movie and kind of weakens the film as a whole. 

For if they dropped Predator from the title. The movie itself as a whole would work so much more and overall be a better movie. 

Simply because the action sequences are really good for the most part. With the exception of one of the ending fight scenes, which is almost completely lifted off of “Avatar.”  Which was yet another moment that took me out of the movie.

Having the Predator take on an artificial intelligence, combat specialists robot in hand-to-hand combat. Using only handheld weapons, would have made for a much more interesting and exciting experience. 

Although up to that moment, the movie offers these intense and fun moments watching our protagonist learn and overcome the challenges of this death planet. Harnessing his skills and abilities along the way. 

All of the characters we meet during the journey are fun and charming in their own ways, creating a connection making you care what actually happens to them.

In full, making you root for the character who up to this point has always been the antagonist, and it works. 

The film does redeem itself, with the final fight scene being not only good. Yet intense and emotionally satisfying enough to make you forget the previous, less enjoyable fight scene that came before. 

Overall, this would work so much better as a standalone film. Not connected to the Predator name or franchise. For even the Predator himself looks like a watered-down version of what he should be. 

If you haven’t seen the original Predator movies or only ever seen Prey. You will not be disappointed in this one, for it has everything going for it that you would want. All while having nothing you don’t. 

Overall Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars.