#rohinal narayan

W A T C H I N G

For the third time, Dan Trachtenberg proves that the key for a franchise to have longevity is to put it in the hands of someone who knows how to reinvent it without straying from its essence. Centering the story on an underdog Yautja feels like a breath of fresh air while also giving us the expected gory thrills. It's hard to know if it's due to Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi's performance or the CGI, but Dek's expressivity makes him an inherently likable lead. Elle Fanning is amazing in her dual role, too. The setting also allows for a wide variety of exciting creature designs. And since the movie is under two hours long, the whole adventure basically flies by. I hope Predator: Badlands is not the last we see of its trio of misfits, just like I hope Trachtenberg continues to surprise like this.