The Most Surprising Part Of Predator: Badlands May Shock Longtime Fans

The "Predator" films have struggled a bit over the years to find their own distinctive identity. To be sure, there have been many constant themes and elements that every entry in the series has explored, no matter how different each cast of characters and setting may be. The films have always involved strong men and women learning to use their strength and cunning to outsmart and survive the Yautja. This alien race is routinely portrayed as being obsessed with the thrill of the hunt, and while they aren't completely trustworthy, they nonetheless conform to their own code of honor. The Yautja, or Predators as they're colloquially called, also make use of a seemingly endless variety of deadly weapons in order to maim, catch, and kill their prey.

But it's difficult to say what a "Predator" movie actually is or isn't. This is largely due to the original 1987 film being a hybrid movie all its own, blending together sci-fi horror, man vs. nature survivalism, and bullets & 'splosions action. That latter element, along with its director John McTiernan and its star Arnold Schwarzenegger, led to the film's reputation as an '80s action classic. Though the sequels have always allowed the series to keep one foot in the action genre, their variety has stretched and expanded the franchise with each installment. Director Dan Trachtenberg has seemingly made it his mission to further push the boundaries of the franchise with "Prey," "Killer of Killers," and this month's "Predator: Badlands," with the latter being the most extreme development yet. "Badlands" is a genuinely funny, heartwarming, and even adorable movie, something which may shock longtime fans of the films who only see them as immature action vehicles. "Badlands" proves that what the "Predator" series is really about is each installment carving its own path.

The most common complaints seen from fans so far is that a PG-13, more adventure-minded "Predator" film somehow betrays the franchise's roots, along with the idea that an action film must be both violent and gritty. When it comes to that first point, one only need to look a little closer at the "Predator" movies to realize that the series has never been about some juvenile idea of a "badass," but has instead sought to critique that archetype with every film. Every "Predator" movie involves some group who ends up getting their guts handed to them figuratively (and literally). Such posturing is distinguished from genuine fortitude and courage, which the series routinely celebrates. These latter qualities are on full display in "Badlands," as the Yautja, Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) and the Weyland-Yutani synthetic, Thia (Elle Fanning), find the strength within themselves to follow their own path. And while the film is admittedly light on red blood and four-letter words, it's got no dearth of intensity.

This feeds into the idea that a true action film must be R-rated, explicit, and generally brooding or dour, a huge misconception. Some of the greatest action films of all time have been PG-13 (the "Mission: Impossible" and "Bourne" series, for starters), and the battles in "Badlands" are not neutered in any way. When it comes to another misconception that action films can't be lighthearted and even heartwarming, there are numerous examples to the contrary. The "Fast & Furious" and "Lethal Weapon" series are remarkably affectionate films. Hell, who's more wholesome than Jackie Chan, one of the greatest action legends of all time? In its combination of goopy monster action and '80s sci-fi-tinged heart, "Badlands" feels like a less gory "Turbo Kid," which proves the versatility of the genre.

None of the themes in "Badlands" are brand new to the series; they're just reconfigured. Where the prior movies feature the Yautja as antagonists, this film has one as a protagonist. Where the other films generally involve a team of characters whittled down to one warrior survivor, "Badlands" sees Dek start solo and then build a team around himself. It's a subversion that allows the movie to feel distinctive and yet of a piece with the series as a whole. During a recent interview with IGN, the director flat out said his main reason to make "Badlands" was because it wasn't just a repeat of the rest of the "Predator" series:

"[...] It really felt like, man, I don't think people really need another version of just that movie, that story, that structure as it was. It really felt like, boy, it'd be nice to have something refreshing and new in the franchise, but then also in science fiction movies in general. [...] It's going to be brutal, filled with spine rips and beheadings and limbs coming off, and also have some heart and make you feel things. That way it can be a full meal."

That last comparison is the most apt. Truly, the past couple decades of the proliferation of franchises and IP have trained audiences to expect little more than reheated leftovers, and it's high time we start getting full meals in our genre series again. In that spirit, "Predator: Badlands" is a veritable feast.