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Thanks to filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg, the Predator franchise is enjoying a new lease of life.

Published on November 7

The American director first launched the captivating Preyin 2022, which, like the other films in the series, tells the story of humans hunted by the famous creature. His animated film, Predator – Killer of Killersreleased earlier this year, adds to the mythology by going further back in time.

For this part, Predator – Badlands offers for the first time the point of view of a Yautja, name of the alien species with mandibles and long dreads. His name is Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) and his father considers him the weak link in his clan.

To change his mind, Dek flies to the planet Genna to bring back the head of a Kalisk, an enormous beast considered invincible. The place proves to be very hostile, but Dek impresses with his skill and his survival instinct. However, he finds himself stuck in a field of paralyzing plants.

It is at this moment that Thia (Elle Fanning), an automaton sent from Earth by the Weyland-Yutani company, is revealed – further proof that the Predator universe and that of Alien are one. She lost her legs while exploring the dangerous planet. She offers to help Dek find the Kalisk if he will accompany her to her base camp to repair himself.

A number of pitfalls will arise before the improbable duo, who will develop an amusing complicity, while the taciturn Yautja will gradually tame the sparkling verbomotor automaton.

If Dek and Thia's adventure is hazardous, Dan Trachtenberg's production is rather conventional. Badlands is not boring though. The action is gripping, the environments are spectacular and Elle Fanning (The Neon Demon, A Complete Unknown, The Great) is absolutely charming. The screenplay by Patrick Aison and Brian Duffield has a few surprises, but nothing unimaginable.

The only real risk is to reveal one of the most mysterious characters in cinema. In the Predator from 1987, the creature created by Stan Winston is only revealed in the final moments. In later films, Yautja are usually masked. Here, Dek is barefaced. We can thus admire the details of the costume designed by Alec Gillis, apprentice of the legendary Stan Winston.

We also learn about Yautja culture. We even invented a real language for them. The bond that Dek and Thia form humanizes the ferocious creatures, but they are not distorted. They remain formidable hunters who proudly display their feeling of superiority.

Having a Predator as a protagonist was a daring gamble. The result is conclusive and opens the door to a meeting – official, this time – between Yautjas and other well-known extraterrestrials.

In the room

Science-fiction

Predator – Badlands (V.F. : Predator – Badlands)

Then Trachtenberg

With Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, Elle Fanning, Mike Homik

1 h 47

7/10