Predator Badlands: How do you kill the unkillable prey?

In this episode, Heather and Cory explore the Predator universe through reviews of 'Killer of Killers' and 'Badlands,' discuss upcoming movies like Spider-Man and Moana, and share their favorite movie connections and Bacon moments.

Links:

Predator: Badlands

Predator: Killer of Killers

Your Side of Bacon for this Episode:

Connect Tom Holland to Elle Fanning.

Transcript

Heather (00:08)
I'm Heather. And I'm Cory. And this is Movie Shelf, where we talk about movies, movie trivia, and just about anything related to pop culture. We're glad you're here. In today's episode, we're discussing a predator double feature with Killer of Killers and Badlands. We'll also talk about movies coming out, and of course, we'll enjoy a side of bacon.

Alright, so first let me dive into Killer of Killers. Okay, it's been a while since I've seen it. Yeah, so this is the animated Predator movie. It came out a couple of years ago, I think. so probably like in twenty twenty four or maybe early twenty twenty five. Can't quite remember.

this movie is the animated one and it focuses on the predators' need to be the best hunter. And so to do this, they seek out possible champions to collect. Specifically, they were looking at three different time periods in this movie. and they culminated into one final gladiator-like event, bringing together a Viking, a ninja,

and World War II pilot. Okay. ⁓ and so we're gonna fast forward to our other film of discussion, which is Badlands.

So Badland is a unique direction for predator, where the predator or the Yelte, I think is how they were pronouncing it. ⁓ or Yelte, do you remember exactly? ⁓ no. Okay. We'll go with Yelte.

Is far more than an intense killer. This story focuses on a young predator set out to earn his rights as part of the clan. With his eyes set on the highest, toughest opponent, he forms an unlikely relationship with a Wyland Yutani synthetic and a small quirky creature.

The story embraces the value of having a pack. The movie stars El Fanning as a highly sensitive synthetic. Like Killer of Killers, the movie is also directed by Dan Trachtenberg. So he did both. and I think one thing that's interesting, and we'll kind of start diving into this, but this movie, the Bad Lambs one, definitely, and even

Killer of Killers, they both give a different kind of side of the Predator. I think Killer of Killers is a little bit more typical of the Predator we're familiar with. And then this one definitely gives them different perspective. So let's dive into our likes and dislikes.

So with Badlands.

One thing I really liked about it is that it actually had some quirkiness. so Elle Fanning's synthetic, her character, is a little chipper. I was not expecting her to be chipper and a little snarky every so often. So again, it kinda added a little quirkiness that I was not expecting for this film. When you think Predator, you think big creature coming down. Very serious. Kill

Take trophy and leave. This one was not like that. First off, the the Predator himself, the Yafte. he was I guess you could say kind of like the runt of his Yeah, it wasn't so much that he was young, but yeah, he was the he was smaller. Yeah, smaller than normal in stature and normally his society would have deemed him

unworthy. Right. They probably would have killed him off very early. Yeah. So this this particular character is working really hard to prove himself worthy to be to have a place in the clan. By going out to the impossible prey. Right. The unkillable creature. Trophy. Yeah. Yes. so he goes to this planet, he comes across Thea, which is the L fanning synthetic. She's constantly chatting, explaining things.

And attempting to engage with this predator in conversation. So again, this is kind of quite juxtaposition from the stoic predator character we're accustomed to. So this story in a way or causes, you know, some empathy for the predator that you don't normally get. And which

Kind of goes into the idea of are we

making our usual villain are we being sympathetic to our usual villain or not, or are we just diving into the layers that are the predator? Well, I feel like we almost kinda got exposed to that a little bit before with alien versus predator, 'cause the predator kind of teamed up with that one human girl to help take out the other alien. So we kind of see them do that to a degree sometime before and, you know, kind of marks the girl as like, you know, you're like a member of our my pack now type of thing, you know? Right.

And I think also, even way back into Predators, so the Danny Glover Predator movie, you know, you kinda it culminates there with the end when Danny Glover succeeds in defending himself. We'll just go with that.

And and you see that kind of level of respect, I guess, you get from the clan, and they leave alone, things like that. Or, you know, so it they already kind of, yes, opened up that there's more to their mind than just a straight killing machine. Different than the alien itself. So like Alien, the xenomorph, definitely this parasitic

We're gonna kill everything. Yeah, we we have not seen any we have no emotion. Any sign of of anybody negotiating with them. Yes. The predator definitely has emotion. To a degree. Yes. Real Definitely feels pain too.

this also was a creative use of the surroundings. So when you're watching the film, I thought it was actually a bit reminiscent to Schwarzenegger in the original Predator movie, when he's kind of just trying to use the environment, like using the mud and using creating these traps. And so in this film, in the Badlands film, this predator is learning his environment, learning what he could use as a potential weapon, or like he finds.

These little bugs that explode or something like that. He's like, hmm, let's use these. he also starts learning that he doesn't have to be the lone wolf. and he can have a pack, which it seemed like on his home planet they they exist in packs, but normally they'll prove themselves in a solo type of thing. Right. He he just learns to make his pack.

Early. Right. Yeah. Well, and he he definitely goes from the mentality of I don't need anyone's help to Yeah, let's maybe yes, work together. Or maybe I can help save your life too. It doesn't have to be all about me. I also thought it was a great, nice connection again to the alien universe with the Weyland Utani Corporation serving as the villain, of course.

again, kind of makes the corporation the villain versus like an actual character, but still it all works. Plus you have El Fanning playing two different villain, even if even from alien alien. That darn mother. That darn corporation needs their weapon, you know. El Fanning actually plays two characters in this film. She plays Thea, and I forgot the name of the other one, but they're identical synthetics, but

Definitely different personalities. Same model, but yeah, different programming and yeah. Objectives. So I think Thea is definitely the more learning about the environment to see again, it's all based on the weapon, like how the can they use this as a weapon.

So going back to Killer of Killers, again, this is the animated movie. And one cool thing about it is it also at the very end had a connection to the previous Predator movie that was called Prey, which kind of took place in like early American history with you know, a a Native American tribe, that type of thing. And you had this girl who survived. So

And we'll just think of her as one of their champions now. So I liked the fact that in Killer of Killers, it had that short story concept. So again, we were diving into the Viking. We were diving into the ninja. We're diving into the pilot. Yeah, they kind of start out with a series of short stories that kind of culminated together in that gladiator-like event. And it had amazing fighting scenes.

and you definitely would not want to mess with that Viking mom. She you don't want to mess with her. And I appreciated the variations of the predator. We had like a hulking predator, we had a more agile predator, and then we had like a pirate like predator.

with each of the different competitors. So that was ⁓ I thought very interesting. So again, adding those layers to the predator as this actual species with emotion and ⁓ levels of command and you know clans and all sorts of things like that.

It it doesn't give you a lot of rationale and background. So for those individuals who are already really into the Predator fan base, this is a I think a great flick. for anyone who's still stuck with Schwarzenegger and Predator, might not be as it's like, what's going on here? Like why are what there's different predators? What's going on? And I also I think I liked the American connection with the revolver, which that's the connection to Predator Predator.

Prey. Yeah. ⁓ and so and Predator 2, because you see that revolver at the end of the Danny Glover Predator movie. All right, so going back to Badlands, because that's our primary topic of the moment, does it make the movie shelf or not?

Alright, so I'm gonna start. And because I see your face, and it's like, I know it's been a little a little bit since you last watched this film. But I'm actually gonna say, yes, it does make the movie shelf for me. But you already know I like creature horror, I like the predator movies, and so I think this is a nice addition to the Predator Alien.

franchise and so it makes the movie shelf for me at first and it and at first I was really surprised by the quirky factor. I wasn't sure what was where I was gonna go with that, but it eventually fully I fully embraced it and I was there for it. So ⁓ I'm actually wanting to keep that story going 'cause I feel like the end of the movie definitely had that opportunity. So what about you?

So I I'm gonna diverge just a bit and just say that in the time we've been doing this podcast, I think my

understanding of what is on the shelf has altered a little bit. Well yes, you have to remember we it doesn't have to be physical. Yeah, 'cause how that's how it started. Would would I go out and buy this movie and put it on my shelf? Which it's probably been quite some time since I have bought a physical movie. Especially since we can't even watch a physical movie at the moment. Actually we can if we attached it to our laptop. But we don't have a

a convenient disc player at the time to use for our movies. So then it kind of altered to well what I buy this digitally? Well now we have so many streaming services like the well even that has kind of gone away to a point because most of the things we want to watch

is normally available on a streaming service. So I think my evolution of what's on the shelf comes to if I'm on the couch and bored and I'm channel surfing and this movie is on, would I turn to it? Yeah, I think of it as what will you intentionally want to watch, intentionally want to recommend, that that kind of makes the movie shelf for me.

So then would this be something you intentionally want to watch?

Yeah, definitely. Th this had enough entertainment value to where if it was on, yeah, I I'll I'll definitely flip to it. Yeah, effects were great. ⁓ the environment was really cool. The dramatic elements of the family dynamic for the Predator and his brother and his dad. And then of course meeting the new characters on the planet, I think worked really well. But

Sadly, I I think over time my bar h has maybe come down a little bit on what makes the shelf. Mm. Because, you know, it it's gone to what would I go out and purposely buy to put on the shelf to what would I flip to if I was bored. You know, so that that's a little bit of the lower on the bar, but yeah, for the purpose of this podcast I I think that's where the bar currently is at.

Well, and I think you know, think of it l a little less of like w what to flip to when you're bored, 'cause you flip to all sorts of things when you're bored, even things that are not on the shelf. ⁓ but Well that's the point, 'cause so, you know But that's by what standard am I am I equating to be worthy of my thumbs up, I guess is what I'm saying. But I say like if it's intentional, like or like I wanna make sure that when we introduce our kiddo to the entire Predator franchise, this will be part of it. ⁓ yeah.

So again, intentional. Yes. Alright, so do you remember enough of the Killer of Killers on whether it made the movie shelf for you? I do, and I'll I'll say that would also make it useful. Yes. It makes the movie shelf for me too. Again, it is a nice element. It ties well with

some of the previous Predator movies, particularly if you go back to Prey and then Predators. And then it gives a different element, or feel to the the species that are the

Predators. And I'm sure I mentioned this before when we did our review of Prey, but yeah, thinking about Prey now, I still have issues with that movie. ⁓ just how good she was with that dagger or something like that. Well yeah, the axe on a rope, okay. It it behaves like mule narrow, okay? It behaves like magic. I mean that that defies phys

physics in in her use of it and the fact that ⁓ on Earth there's a magic flower that if you just eat it just kills your body temperature and keeps you alive. Okay, yeah, we all know what that what that flower is. I'm sure that's been discovered since the time period of this movie. So at least in this movie, Badlands they're in a totally different Yeah, so everything's Earth, but not Earth. They're in a totally different planet environment. So you can have the exploding bugs and things like that or flowers, whatever they were.

okay

Okay, so we're gonna talk just about a couple maybe movies that are coming out and one of them I know you are super duper duper duper excited for Spider-Man brand new day new day so tell me about this one. Well I haven't seen it yet. Yeah, but what what's going on in the previews? Tell me, why should we go see it? Why are you excited for it aside from the fact that it is Spider-Man?

Well, it looks good. I mean, but from the previews. But yeah, this so this is picking up to where the world has been zapped ⁓ remembering so from anybody remembering that Spider Man is Picker Park Parker. So he has no friends.

Supposedly. Although I I I'm d taking there are some loopholes of some people that may be still remembering or something like that. But or just forming new relationships again. Yeah. Or they remember their relationship with Spider Man but they've just forgotten that Spider Man is Peter Parker. Well now, was it that they don't even remember Spider Man's Peter Parker or they don't even remember Peter Parker? Well yeah. But it seems like someone will remember their interactions with Spider Man, but they've just forgotten that Spider Man was their friend possibly. Possibly so

Okay. Yeah. Plus we're incorporating a whole bunch of other MCU elements, so we got Hulk in there, we got Punisher in there and so forth. What do you think about the I guess what appears to be Gene Grey as the ⁓ spoiler. Okay. What do you mean spoiler? That's in the previews. no.

It was that was in the rock star breakdown of it where he's making a guess. That's the guess. So again, what do you think about this possibility, which is w how I phrased things of Jean Gar Gray being the villain? Well yeah, it definitely breaks cannon because instead of her growing up in Xavier School, it seemed like she grew up in this government prison type thing. So it's definitely rewriting MCU history to a point. So I I got mixed feelings about that. Okay. So although watching the

⁓ preview and her jumping into different people's consciousness gave me ⁓ the f like a fallen vibe when the devil is popping into different people's con con consciousness. But it definitely seemed like like something that Xavier could do, which you know she has a lot of visibility, just maybe not as strong as his is. So what do you think about Punisher coming onto the scene? I look forward to it. I like Punisher. Yeah.

So I think we need to still catch up on some of the Jay Barenthal Punisher. Yeah, I think that I I I haven't even started ⁓ to watch the the the new reboot of the series done on on Disney. So but I do enjoy him. Yeah. Although it's amazing because he is so dark and Spider Man is not so dark. So we'll see how that collides. He could be getting darker. That's true. He he did look a little dark.

at the end there, but I don't know if she finally infiltrated him or not. And then we have Hulk. And Hulk is Hulkin. Yeah, Hulk is back as full blown Hulk. I think he gets taken over. Yeah. Takes off his bracelet. Probably gets mine altered a bit. Alright, so another movie coming out. I'm sure we will see it because we have a kid. And we but I'm I'm skeptical because A, I don't think they need it. B

The Rock is a great Maui in the animated, but he doesn't quite look like Maui in real life. Anyway, we have the live action Moana coming out pretty soon too. So w how are you feeling about that one? I I ⁓ I may watch it when it becomes for streaming. I bet you'll be at the theater anyway, because I may be dragged to it by family. So

Like the animated movie is so beautiful. Yes. And just almost perfect. And I just I I have my skeptical eyebrow raised. If I could raise one eyebrow. I am not as fancy as you, Cory. But and watching the preview w when you see Maui is like, that does not look like Maui. I know. The rock ⁓ doesn't I mean, he's a great Maui.

But he doesn't quite look like Maui. He's a great voice for it, but yeah, it's just totally wrong build. So we'll see. We're holding our cards close on that one, I guess. To be very cliche sounding, I think. Alright. It is now time for a side of bacon. Mmm, bacon.

So from our last movie that we talked about, which was Anaconda, we were connecting Steve Zahn to Kevin James.

I have it in three movies. I think I do as well. Ooh, do we have the same movies? I would doubt it. ⁓ interesting. Who should go first? Well, my Kevin James movie is Fifty First Days. What's yours? That is not mine. Okay. I don't even remember him in that one. Well he maybe he had the cameo. ⁓ My Kevin James movie is Hitch.

Okay, so Yeah, so I'll go and do my thing. So Kevin James to Sean Ashton in Fifty First Dates. Sean Ashton to Viggo Mortensen in Pick Your Lord of the Rings movie. Okay. And then Viggo Mortenson Steve Zahn in Huh? Crimson Tide. not mine. Go ahead. No, go ahead. ⁓ wait. no no no, go ahead. that works too, doesn't it? I'm pretty sure. I actually like that one better, yeah. He wasn't there, right? Steve Zahn? Yeah he was. Okay.

So yeah, that's my bacon. Well, what was gonna be your other one? I'm not even gonna say now because that just works out so much better. Well now I have to think about what that was. Okay. I have Kevin James to Will Smith in Hitch. Will Smith to Jack Black in one of your favorite movies, Enemy of the State. yeah. And Jack Black to Steve Zahn in Anaconda. There you go. Do you have a bacon for this movie?

Which I can't imagine it's gonna be from the movie. We don't know any of that. Yeah. I mean Are you gonna do L?

gosh. I don't know. I may just pick two from our previews that we've ⁓ mentioned.

We talked about Moana and we talked about Spider Man.

Okay, I got mind book on his name. Peter. Tom Yeah. So so have we done Tom Holland? Holland. I don't think so. Okay. All right. Well I'll stick with L fanning then. Just Tom Holland to L fanning. Okay. There we go. Yeah, no automatic quick connection there. Nope. Not with our brains at the moment.

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And we will add some show notes to our page, so be sure to check that out so you can get bacon reminders and see some links of the movies and characters we talked about. We will catch you next time, you guys. Bye bye. Bye.