Dek is the Greatest Yautja!

Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) leaps into the hunt.

Source: 20th Century Studios

Overall: 8.7/10

Story 7.9/10

Dek is the runt. He must prove himself worthy to a father who believes he should be culled. Dek’s brother, Kwei, disagrees with his father and pays dearly for it. 

Meanwhile, Dek must hunt the unkillable Kallisk that has savaged all others, who have come before, to make a trophy of it. And he must go to a most inhospitable planet Genna to do it.

Predator Badlands is the most unique Predator movie to date. It places a Yautja as the main character and protagonist.

Dan Trachtenberg takes a Yautja outcast and makes him a sympathetic figure. Through the found family trope, he turns the runt into a hero.

He also does something that this viewer has wanted the Predator franchise to do for quite some time. He takes a deep dive into the Predator lore and culture.

 Audiences get a look at Yautja language, society and social customs. But he does it in a way that doesn’t slow pacing or take away from the story. Instead, it drives story and reveals exciting, complex characters. 

Thia (Elle Fanning) hangs in sleep mode.

Source: 20th Century Studios

Characters 9.5/10

Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi/Dek

Dek initially wants nothing other than to prove himself worthy to his father and his clan. And he wants to make his older brother proud as well. But some of these priorities change as the story progresses.

What Dek experiences on his hunt challenges his rigid way of thinking. He learns to use his imagination and to work within the circumstances he is given and not against them.  

Elle Fanning/Thia

Thia is Dek’s reflection character. She is considered to be weak and broken. As a Synth she is supposed to be cold and calculating just as 99.9% of every other Synth in the Predator/Alien universe.

But Thia has emotions. And she chooses to be empathetic. That allows her to find connection with other living beings. She has a profound influence on Dek. She challenges him to think differently as she comes realize some things about herself.

Michael Homik/Kwei

Kwei sees the potential in his brother. He wants Dek to see the potential in himself. He wants Dek to be fluid in his thinking.

Because Dek is different, he can't afford to think as other Yautja. He has to forge his own path. But he can't do that standing in his father's shadow.

Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi (Voice)/Njohrr

Njohrr is Dek’s father. And he is head of the clan. Njohrr has a rigid way of thinking. He believes all weakness must be cut out of every Yautja and thus out of the clan. Because Dek is different, Njohrr thinks he is a weakling. It would be dishonorable to let him live.

Elle Fanning/Tessa

Tessa chooses to use her emotions to exploit others. She exists only to serve Mother. She only wants to complete her mission.

Things like familial ties are unnecessary in her estimation. They only serve to interfere with the mission.

Tessa sees Thia’s attempts at such things to be an indication of her defectiveness. A defective machine is a weak machine. And defective machines must be eliminated.

Thia and Dek scout their enemies.

Source: 20th Century Studios

Final Thoughts

Predator: Badlands makes for an incredible installment in the Predator/Alien universe. Dek might be the greatest Yautja. And this viewer can’t wait to see what Trachtenberg has in store for him moving forward.