The original Predator is widely considered to be one of the best ’80s action films, but the franchise had a difficult time reaching those heights after its premiere. Subsequent follow-ups and crossovers with the Alien franchise were widely panned, underperformed at the box office, or both, with 2018’s The Predator setting a new low in terms of critical reception (34% on Rotten Tomatoes) as it grossed just $51 million domestically. Things drastically changed for Predator when director Dan Trachtenberg’s acclaimed Prey became an instant hit on Hulu. Trachtenberg followed Prey up with the similarly well-received Predator: Killer of Killers, and now he’s back with another franchise installment in the form of Predator: Badlands. Fortunately, his hot streak has continued.
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As of this writing, Predator: Badlands has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 86% with 51 reviews counted. That makes it the third consecutive Predator movie to earn positive reviews. While the score isn’t quite as high as the two films that directly preceded it, Badlands is still roughly in the same ballpark as Prey (94%) and Killer of Killers (95%). It currently has the franchise’s third-highest Rotten Tomatoes score of all time.
What Critics Are Saying About Predator: Badlands
No Critics Consensus for Predator: Badlands has been revealed yet, but a glance over the published reviews is enough to highlight the pros and cons of the film. On the positive side, reviews have highlighted Trachtenberg’s unique vision that helps the franchise expand in unexpected ways. Much has been made about the fact that for the first time, the protagonist of a Predator movie is a Yautja, a gambit that appears to have paid off. Reviews note that main character Dek’s journey is human and relatable, allowing audiences to become invested in the story. And though there were concerns about Badlands‘ PG-13 rating, the action is still brutal, giving the set pieces that necessary punch.
Though most of the reviews so far are positive, not everyone is onboard with Trachtenberg’s approach. The negative write-ups question the effectiveness of expanding the franchise’s lore and mythology like this, feeling it strips the property of some of its original charm (revealing too much about where the Predator came from) or waters things down in an attempt to appeal to a wider audience. It will be interesting to see if more negative reviews crop up over the next few days. The Rotten Tomatoes score should fluctuate during the week as more critics weigh in. Prey had 289 reviews submitted, so we’ve only seen a fraction of Predator: Badlands reviews.
However, the first wave of reviews typically gives a clear indication on where the consensus will settle, so Badlands seems to be in good shape in that department. In some ways, the full reviews echo the sentiments expressed in the initial Badlands reactions that popped up on social media late last month. The feeling in those tweets was that Badlands was a good film, yet the weakest of Trachtenberg’s three Predator installments. With that in mind, it isn’t a shock to see it has the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score of the trio, though it’s still on pace to net a Certified Fresh mark when it’s all said and done.
It’s great that Predator: Badlands word of mouth is mostly positive. Trachtenberg has even more ideas he’d like to explore, but whether or not those come to fruition will likely depend on how Badlands is received. The film has passed its first test by doing well with critics. The more important hurdle comes as it opens in theaters this week. There hasn’t been a new Predator movie on the big screen in seven years, so it remains to be seen if the franchise can draw in moviegoers. On the heels of an incredibly lackluster October, Badlands seems to be arriving at just the right time, however, and the reviews will hopefully encourage people to check it out.
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Image Courtesy of HBO
