Two peas in a pod - "Predator: Badlands" goes against the grain of the franchise

Leathery skin, no nose, huge canines - the alien Yautja people won't win any beauty contests, but they feel like a superior race in which only the strongest survive.

Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) is considered a weakling in his clan. His father wants to kill him, but instead, his brother, who defends him, dies. Burdened by this profound trauma, Dek sets out to hunt the monster Kalisk and impress his family with the trophy.

Killer vines, exploding caterpillars, deadly cacti – the monster's home planet makes James Cameron's Pandora seem like a petting zoo.

And then suddenly there's Elle Fanning as a humanoid robot whose lower body has temporarily disappeared. The alpha male and the sensitive, humorous robot woman form a surprisingly entertaining duo who learn to fight for survival together.

With the android, to whom Fanning lends all her dazzling charm, the “Predator” innovator Dan Trachtenberg (two films so far on Disney+) playfully subverts the hyper-masculine maxims of the franchise in “Predator: Badlands” without neglecting the action needs of the fans.

What initially appears to be another thunderous spectacle in video game format gradually develops into a meaningful fantasy parable in which chosen family, emotional intelligence, and collective action are placed above Darwinian blood ties.

“Predator: Badlands”, directed by Dan Trachtenberg, starring Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, 107 minutes, rated 16 (in cinemas from November 6th)