Hi, I should preface this by saying that I have no real investment in the Predator movies. I enjoyed the first one, and that was about it. Otherwise, I watch most of the movies, but rarely do I get much out of them beyond superficial entertainment.
I didn't see Prey. I wanted to, but I really struggle to watch movies at home. And honestly, another story about a human fighting a predator that's hunting them isn't really that exciting to me.
This is something else.
While I don't particularly care about Predator, I do really like the lore and world building of the Alien movies. Even the movies I didn't particularly like (most of them beside to the first one tbh) had a lot to offer when it came to world building and establishing the circumstances that brought these Xenomorphs into our human lives. I also really like the synthetic characters. I find that aspect of the Alien movies fascinating.
So that brings us to Predator: Badlands.
First of all, I should let you know that this is definitely NOT a remake of the Terrence Mallick movie Badlands. Totally different movie.
Second, you'll get a lot more milage from this movie if you go into it thinking about some of the big sci-fi/fantasy movies of the 80s. The ones that took big swings with the production and budget, bringing actually good movies to kids. Goonies, Flight of the Navigator, Clash of the Titans, The Last Starfighter, Labyrinth. Movies that we watched as kids that didn't treat us like an 8 year old can't handle nuance and metaphor and poetry in film.
On the odd times I watch kids movies (which, honestly, isn't often) I usually preface my reviews with "This IS a kids a movie, so your milage may vary" because honestly, so many kids movies are condescending and sacrifice quality for dumbing down the finer points. It's like they think that for kids to understand something, it has to be reduced to its simplest elements.
Predator: Badlands doesn't do any of that. It's a really interesting, entertaining, and well-made film about trauma, found family, and overcoming the obstacles put in your way by life and circumstance.
I was genuinely shocked by this movie. Not because it was good — I mostly expected it to be — but because it was SO good. At no point was I bored or wondering if this was an appropriate slow time to go pee. I just sat there for the whole movie smiling.
A huge part of that is Elle Fanning as Thia, a bisected android helping Dek (played by a phenomenal Dimitrius Koloamatangi, a Yautja — what we're calling Predators now) on his journey to prove himself to his clan or face culling by his father. Thia is absolutely adorable while also being badass, capable, and awesome. A fantastic character played by an extremely likable and talented actress. And if that wasn't enough, Elle Fanning also plays Tessa, Thia's synthetic sister, who is not nearly as adorable but far more badass.
The setup is pretty straightforward, but the journey is action-packed and filled with humor, heart, and excitement. The performances are fun, the special effects (especially on Dek's face) were incredible, and I really, really hope this movie does well, because we need more movies like this. Fun, thoughtful, well-made movies that just about anyone can enjoy. Just a good story about interesting characters doing fun stuff.
Also, take note, Marvel. The Alien movies and the Predator movies are doing it right. They're meticulously building a shared universe with care. They aren't just carpet-bombing everyone with content, hoping that some of it sticks and ignoring what doesn't.
Sure, the Alien and Predator movies have had their missteps, but how they're doing it now is working. It's good. It's fun. It's what I want.
So, after watching Frankenstein and thinking a lot about Guillermo del Toro and the trajectory of his career, I had the idea of creating a companion piece to the portraits he has in his house of HP Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe. Michael Deas did them, and I've been enamored with these paintings since I first saw a photo of them hanging in Bleakhouse.
So I thought I'd try and draw GDT in the same style, if I could manage. Mine is much sloppier, but that's just my style. Maybe I'll go back and work on it some more and see if I can't tighten it up a bit, but I am pretty happy with how it came out. So Maybe I'll just call it a day.
Anyway, that's all I've got for now. Thanks!