Predator: Badlands Rotten Tomatoes Score Debuts Strong at 89%

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The new Predator movie, Predator: Badlands, has received positive reviews, earning an 89% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on the first 75 critic reviews.

The audience rating will be available after the movie is released in more theaters. This places Dan Trachtenberg’s new film, a sequel to Prey, in a strong position for the series.

For comparison:

  • Prey — 94%
  • Predator (1987) — 65%
  • Predator 2 — 36%
  • The Predator (2018) — 34%

Badlands offers a fresh take on the series, focusing the story on the Yautja and exploring their world with both action and emotional depth. The film features Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi in leading roles.

Check out what the reviews say below.

What the reviews say

The Positive:

Reviewers are impressed with Predator: Badlands, calling it a creative and successful reinvention of the Predator franchise. The film blends action and striking visuals with heart and humor, offering a surprising buddy-adventure feel. Director Dan Trachtenberg is praised for his confident vision, which meaningfully expands the Predator universe while maintaining thrilling spectacle and adding emotional resonance. Elle Fanning’s performance and the film’s creature effects are also receiving high marks, with some calling it the strongest Predator film since the original or Prey.

As RogerEbert.com put it, a valuable lesson for everyone, everywhere is this: chasing after things you desire can actually hold you back, and true freedom comes from recognizing when those desires aren’t worth the effort.

FILMINK praised the story as fast-paced and surprisingly emotional, calling it a thrilling science fiction and fantasy adventure filled with exciting action and impressive imagery.

Film critic Perri Nemiroff was pleasantly surprised by the latest Predator movie, calling it an unexpectedly refreshing take on the franchise. She found it particularly interesting that the film turned into a story about an alien and a robot becoming friends – something she doesn’t think she’ll ever forget.

BlackFilmandTV.com calls Predator: Badlands a thrilling and intense addition to the Predator series. They praise director Dan Trachtenberg’s strong work on this third installment, noting that he’s building on the story in interesting ways and delivering impressive action with great visual effects. Be prepared for a tough watch – it doesn’t hold back!

Variety called the new film the best “Predator” movie since the original 1987 film, with the exception of director Trachtenberg’s previous film, “Prey.”

The Negative:

Many viewers feel that Predator: Badlands doesn’t capture the original Predator‘s intensity, becoming too lighthearted and family-friendly. Critics believe the focus on visual effects and comedic pairings weakens the suspense and mystery. They’ve also criticized the dialogue as overly simplistic and the world-building as distracting. Ultimately, the film is seen as losing the raw fear and danger that made the first movie so impactful, resulting in a less frightening and memorable experience.

Dan Trachtenberg’s new film, Predator: Badlands, revisits the Predator franchise with a decent take on a compelling idea, though it’s hampered by dialogue that feels overly simplistic and patronizing, according to But Why Tho? A Geek Community.

“While there’s plenty of CGI-packed action, there’s no real tension.” – Polygon

According to the AV Club, the power of the Predator character lies in its mystery. Once you start trying to explain its origins and nature too much, the character loses its impact.

As a longtime fan of the Predator franchise, I was really disappointed with ‘Badlands.’ It felt like they took this incredibly powerful and terrifying creature and completely toned it down. They also added some characters that felt really out of place, and the movie relied way too much on special effects. Honestly, it just didn’t feel like a Predator movie at all – it felt like a watered-down version made for a younger audience. THN really hit the nail on the head when they said it felt ‘Disneyfied.’

According to Deadline, the action sequences don’t really excite, and the creature, previously a terrifying and relentless hunter, has become surprisingly unthreatening. The whole thing feels a little bit ridiculous.

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2025-11-05 15:32