I knew that when the premise for “Predator: Badlands” was first announced, along with the trailer, it would probably divide fans. Longtime followers of the franchise are used to gory kills and seeing the Predator on the other side of the fight, which is part of the franchise's recurring horror element. This time, however, the Predator is our protagonist, and the playing field feels completely different.

After 2018’s “The Predator,” it was clear the franchise needed a fresh direction, and Dan Trachtenberg stepped in with a significant creative role. Since then, we’ve had the incredible “Prey” (my personal favorite “Predator” movie) and “Killer of Killers,” and now “Predator: Badlands” joins his lineup of successful entries.

“Badlands” is certainly a departure from Trachtenberg’s other mov

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