A young outcast Predator named Dek finds himself stranded on an unfamiliar planet, and must band together with android Thia in order to face some new threats and survive.

Predator: Badlands proves that for some franchises, the standalone spinoff method can certainly hold better than trying to directly recapture the essence of the original. Badlands starts off a bit rocky, with the stunts team’s work impressing but the characterization of the Yautja feeling too distant to connect with Dek as a protagonist. Once Elle Fanning’s character is introduced to the mix in the first act, we’re finally able to feel for what’s going on, thanks to her bond with Dek, and Fanning’s wonderful performance as not one but two androids.

The action ranges from forgettable earlier on in the runtime to exciting later. Thankfully, the story and fights get better and better as the film goes along and not the other way around, and manages to stay interesting with relatively low stakes. Maybe the Predator himself makes for a cooler villain than hero, but this story works well because of Fanning and the intricate stunt performances and visual look.