Now Showing | Predator: Badlands

Predator: Badlands | The planet designed to kill you.

This week on Forgotten Cinema: Now Showing, the Mikes trek into the deadly world of Genna in Predator: Badlands, the latest entry in the Yautja franchise that dares to flip the script by putting the alien hunter front and center.

Both of us had a fun time with this one. The action delivers, the world-building feels fresh, and giving the Predator a protagonist role is a bold swing that, surprisingly, mostly pays off. The film’s dusty, post-apocalyptic aesthetic feels like a natural evolution for the franchise and Elle Fanning’s dual performance as Thia and Tessa gives the story emotional weight, even as things get a little wild.

When the Hunt Turns Playable

As Butler points out in the episode, Badlands often feels like a movie that really wants to be a video game—and a very good one at that. The action is engaging, the creature design is solid, and the pacing never lets up. But by the end, you’re left with that odd feeling of having watched something you’d rather be playing.

It’s fast, fun, and undeniably entertaining in the moment… but not one that’s going to haunt your thoughts, or your trophy case, once the credits roll.

Time to Bring Back the Classic?

We both appreciate that Predator: Badlands takes risks, trying to keep this decades-old franchise fresh. But maybe it’s time to return to what made the original Predator iconic the primal fear, the jungle setting, and that classic creature design. There’s only so much innovation you can stack before you start missing the simplicity of the hunt.

Listen to our full discussion on Forgotten Cinema: Now Showing, available wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube.

Another solid hunt, but not one that’ll stay in your head, or spinefor long.

Welcome to Genna! The planet designed to kill you.

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