Predator: Badlands & Frankenstein (what to expect)

Double Scorecard & New Pod Drop

Nov 07, 2025

We aren’t really in the business of discounts here at Sweet & Condensed, but this week we are doing a two-for-one special. For the low price of one email subcription, you get two movie score cards. Don’t say we never do anything for our favorite folks 💅

Here’s what we have for you this week:

Concession Stand Scorecard: Predator: Badlands
Double Feature Scorecard: Frankenstein
New Pod Drop: Drafting horror movies to make our own

We go to the movies every week to let you know if the latest films are worth the price of admission and what you can expect. Always spoiler free.

This week’s movie - Predator: Badlands

Letterboxd Description:

First hunt. Last chance.
Cast out from his clan, a young Predator finds an unlikely ally in a damaged android and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.

Best Watched With

Family and friends who were told they can’t, and they do anyway

End Credit Thoughts

Dan Trachtenberg directs this latest Predator installation and spares no expense, giving us yet another lovable movie that further explores the world of the Yautja (the Predator species). One does not necessarily have to watch prior Predator movies to enjoy this one, but it won’t hurt if you have (unless you’ve only seen Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, Alien vs. Predator, Predator 2, and The Predator).

Predator: Badlands dives further into the culture and worldview of the Predator. The home of the Yautja is a desolate one, showcasing the individuality and hardened-hearted way of life for the Predators. The Predator is known to be the ultimate killer, having only preyed on others and being preyed upon by none. Strength alone is held as the highest value. The young and outcast Yautja, the story follows, leaves his homeland as a part of tradition. If he succeeds, he'll be accepted. Failure means death. Within ten minutes of the movie, we know how high the stakes are, and we’re given plenty of reason to care about the Predator pariah. Immediate investment in the story.

Genna, the world the Yautja travels to for his hunt, contrasts with his desolate homeworld while keeping a similar trait: kill or be killed. Genna is dense and filled with vegetation and creatures that breed death to whomever wanders into the wrong places and catches them off guard. It’s a massive world that pulled us in, both wondering about the creativity given to the life that takes it from others, and keeping us anxious throughout.

The main characters are as fun as they are murderous, all while displaying real depth. The native New Zealander, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, captures the intensity, the hurt, and the desire to bring honor, not shame, to his clan as the outcast Yautja. Elle Fanning plays the legless and unlikely companion of the Yautja, Thia, and she is fantastic. She is the catalyst for the comedic relief in this blood-filled and almost non-stop action movie, garnishing the theater with way more laughs than we expected. But she isn’t just there for humor; the movie uses humor to cloak the hurt and the humanity we experience, while also dignifying others.

A badass score supports the action sequences. The rumbling in the theater is felt and immerses us into the murderous chaos. The scenes don’t feel reused despite paying homage to the predecessors, as expected for a franchise movie. Predator: Badlands is thrilling, exciting, and emotional, making it a well-rounded and fun as hell watch, especially on a giant IMAX screen.

Watch this one in theaters.

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