Badlands is a romp through a vividly realized alien world filled with danger. It’s also a film with heart.
Hollywood pumps out so much disappointing content, especially in the age of streaming, that it’s easy to become disillusioned with movies altogether.
But every once in a while there’s a film that reminds you how much fun movies can be, hitting all the right emotional notes while taking you completely out of this world for two blissful hours.
Predator: Badlands is that kind of movie. Unexpectedly funny and poignant, it also delivers the kind of action audiences have come to expect from the Predator franchise — and then some.
The biggest change here is that, for the first time, a Yautja (the alien species we call the Predators) is the protagonist.
Njohrr is a Yautja clan leader who believes Dek is not strong enough to earn his place in the clan.
Dek isn’t just any Yautja. He’s a youngster who is horribly wronged in the opening minutes of the film and sent to Genna, a place his species calls the “death planet” because virtually every form of life there is monstrous and spectacularly lethal.
His own death is a foregone conclusion on the brutal world until he meets two unlikely allies: Thia, a damaged synthetic (android) built by the notorious Weyland-Yutani corporation, and Bud.
Bud steals the show, but I wouldn’t dream of robbing anyone of the pleasure of experiencing Bud the way writer/director Dan Trachtenberg intended, so I will say no more.
Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi play Thia and Dek, respectively. Fanning adds a human element as she and Dek team up initially for survival, then out of loyalty to each other.
Badlands has a lot of heart and a script that knows just when to slice the tension. In one quiet scene after surviving an encounter with a particularly nasty creature, Thia (an energetic Elle Fanning) raves about the experience and the excitement of accompanying Dek and Bud on a hunt.
“The Dynamic Trio! Remember when we went down the tree? That monster’s mouth? I mean… Uggh. Didn’t smell great, didn’t smell great, but we got him. We got him! Thank you, seriously, for that experience. Truly amazing. Thrilling! Truly thrilling.
“What was your favorite part?” she asks the young Yautja.
“When my sword pierced the creature’s skull and its blood ran down my face,” Dek deadpans.
Dek is not invincible, and he’s without the vast majority of his arsenal, with only his trusty heat sword to defend against the hyper-aggressive fauna of Genna.
This is Trachtenberg’s second Predator film, and Badlands exists because he proved there was life still left in the franchise with 2022’s Prey.
That movie was unfortunately streamed direct to Hulu without a theatrical release, as were several big time films that year, because of a resurgent COVID wave. (Remember the Delta variant?)
But critics and audiences, including your humble Buddesian correspondents, found a lot to like in the story of Naru (Amber Midthunder), a young Comanche woman living on the Great Plains in 1719. After encountering a Yautja, Naru warns her tribe that a mysterious and dangerous creature is stalking their lands, but they laugh at her and accuse her of telling tall tales — until they see the Yautja for themselves, at which point they don’t find it amusing anymore.
Midthunder was fantastic, and Prey balanced its historical setting with stunning action sequences and quiet character moments.
Amber Midthunder as Naru in 2022’s Prey.
In earlier installments, including Prey, the Yautja were always the antagonists. We knew they were a warrior culture, that they followed an honor code and possessed fantastically advanced technology, but for the most part the Yautja remained a blank slate aside from some non-canonical media (mostly novelizations, comics and games) that attempted to expand the universe.
Badlands demystifies the Yautja somewhat out of necessity, which is always a dangerous gamble (just ask the xenomorph of Alien fame, which lost its mystique half a dozen sequels ago), but significantly raises the emotional stakes.
Dek isn’t invincible. Circumstances have robbed him of most of his arsenal, he’s thrown into a perilous and unfamiliar world, and he’s haunted by the fresh memories of the tragedy that sets off the events of the film.
That makes it easy for the audience to identify with and root for Dek, despite the difficulty of conveying emotions with alien facial features. Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi deserves credit not only for imbuing Dek with physicality, but also for getting the most he can out of the Yautja youngster’s brooding body language, howls of frustration and slowly dawning realization that he can choose his own path in life.
It may take a planet teeming with horrors to make an underdog of a Yautja, but Badlands succeeds on that count.
Predator: Badlands set a record for the franchise with a $40 million opening weekend, and pulled in $184 million total at the box office. It was made available for streaming this week. With the financial success, and the positive reviews from critics and fans alike, it’s possible we’ll see Dek, Thia and Bud continue their adventures in a sequel.
The dragons of the Game of Thrones universe are so well-designed, with such attention to detail and writing that imbues them with their own personalities, that they feel like real creatures. They’re a sight to behold.
The Budster was just a kitten when the fourth season of Game of Thrones premiered, and I vividly recall trying to tire the little guy out with extra play time on Sunday nights so I could watch my favorite show in peace.
The effort was mostly in vain with such an energetic, curious and chatty kitten, but eventually Bud would settle down in my lap and watch with me.
Enamored as I was with the tiny animal in my care, I found myself especially appreciative of the fact that the dragons of the Game of Thrones universe are so lovingly, realistically rendered and given such unique personalities that they feel like real animals. A lot of thought and care went into their design, from their anatomies to the biomechanics of how they move and fly, to their chittering, calls and roars.
If you look closely when they open their mouths menacingly, you can even see the glands that secrete the accelerant allowing them to breathe fire.
Both shows — the original Game of Thrones and its prequel, House of the Dragon — have done such a good job developing the dragons as characters that I’ve found myself more disturbed by the unfortunate deaths of a few of the majestic beasts than I was by the grisly fates of some human characters. That’s saying a lot for a fictional universe infamous for shocking, emotionally manipulative, gut-wrenching deaths, a universe that immediately established no one is safe after killing off its main character — played by its highest-profile actor — before the first season was over.
The willingness to do what no other TV show has done in 60-plus years of television is part of what makes Game of Thrones and its spinoff such compelling drama. No one is safe. Heroes can die agonizing, undignified deaths. Villains can triumph, infuriatingly. But just when you think you know where the narrative will go next, it subverts your expectations yet again.
Now that we’re a few episodes into the second season of the prequel, House of the Dragon, and I’ve taken to trying to get my cat to respond to commands in High Valyrian as if he were a dragon himself, I compiled this official Buddy-approved list of our favorite dragons in both series:
Syrax
Syrax is golden and regal.
The beautiful golden-scaled Syrax is protagonist Rhaenyra Targaryen’s dragon, so it’s fitting that she’s the first of the eponymous creatures we see in House of the Dragon, soaring across the skies over King’s Landing in the first scene of the first episode.
Teenage Rhaenyra Targaryen with Syrax after a flight over the Westerosi capital city, King’s Landing.
As was tradition with Targaryen children, Syrax’s egg was place in infant Rhaenyra’s crib, with child and dragon raised together to create their indelible bond. The show makes it clear why that bond is so important in the third episode, when Rhaenyra arrives dramatically atop Syrax to defuse a confrontation among her uncle and the king’s men that was on the verge of bloodshed.
“Take care not to startle Syrax, my lords,” Rhaenyra says as she dismounts, pulling off her riding gloves. “She’s very protective of me.”
Syrax is a young and growing dragon at the time of HotD’s first episode, when Rhaenyra is just 15 years old.
Vermax
Nom-noms for Vermax?!
Vermax is a juvenile when we meet him for the first time in House of the Dragon, in a scene showing Princess Rhaenyra’s young son, Jacaerys Velaryon, learning to bond with his dragon. (A time skip in the first season moves the action forward some 15 years.)
Vermax is young and wants all the snacks. Note the accelerant gland in his mouth, visible on the right side. When the dragons of the Song of Ice and Fire universe breathe fire, a natural accelerant is secreted from the gland, mixing with the dragon’s breath to create flame hot enough to turn men to dust in their plate armor.
It’s the first time since the early seasons of Game of Thrones that we see a sub-adult dragon, and Vermax almost looks like a fire-breathing velociraptor as we watch him roast his own dinner at Jace’s command.
We also get to see the dragon keepers instruct the young prince on how to “call [his] dragon to heel,” issuing commands in High Valyrian like “dohaeris” (serve), “umbās” (wait or hold) and the most famous command, “dracarys,” which instructs the beasts to spit fire.
Meleys
We don’t meet Meleys until late in HotD’s first season, but the wait is worth it. Known as the Red Queen, Meleys is massive, terrifying and already has a storied history by the time we set eyes on her.
She stars in arguably the most spectacular scene involving a dragon in HotD’s first season, prompting several characters to soil themselves as Meleys makes an unforgettable entrance and threatens them with a deafening roar.
The formidable Meleys. Here too you can see the fire glands in Meleys’ mouth as she roars.
While dragons like Syrax and Dreamfyre are graceful and sleek, Meleys is all menace and sharp edges, resembling the two most famous, most feared dragons in GoT lore — Drogon and Balerian the Black Dread, who were both the personal dragons of Targaryen conquerors.
Meleys is ridden by Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, styled as The Queen Who Never Was due to her strong and spurned claim to the Iron Throne. Rhaenys and her dragon, however, are a force to be reckoned with.
Caraxes
Caraxes is one of the most battle-hardened dragons, and his rider, Daemon Targaryen, is a lunatic. That makes the pair extraordinarily dangerous and unpredictable.
Known as the Blood Wyrm, Caraxes has an unmistakable serpent-like look to him, with a long neck, finned tail and dark red-black scales.
Just as humans can be born with deformities so can dragons, and Caraxes owes his strange anatomical features to an unidentified congenital condition. Caraxes is fierce, fearless and has seen more combat than almost any other living dragon in House of the Dragon.
At first it seems as if Caraxes is a different breed of dragon, perhaps from a sister taxa, but the fearsome fire-breather actually suffers from congenital deformations that somehow make him even more terrifying.
Caraxes is also notable for the man who rides him: The mercurial and often brutal Daemon Targaryen, brother of King Viserys. Daemon is an accomplished warrior and loose cannon, which makes him and his dragon unpredictable and very dangerous. He’s not above using Caraxes to intimidate, and Caraxes seems to enjoy his part.
Rhaegal
Rhaegal and his brothers, Viserion and Drogon, were born when Daenerys Targaryen, Mother of Dragons, carried their eggs into an inferno and emerged at sunrise with three baby dragons clinging to her.
We see him and his brothers grow from tiny and cute infants to living manifestations of absolute terror, destroying entire navies and razing castles with their dragonfire. At the time of their birth, dragons had been extinct from the world of Game of Thrones for centuries. (Game of Thrones takes place about 200 years after House of the Dragon, despite being the first of the two series adapted by HBO.)
Rhaegal is named for Daenerys’ late brother Rhaegar Targaryen, and his eventual rider is Jon Snow. Rhaegal participates in Daenerys’s toppling of the ruling class in one of the Slaver’s Bay cities, and he and Snow eventually participate in the most pivotal, existential battle in the show’s history. Rhaegal is a beautiful example of his species, with dark green scales, and like his brothers, he’s fiercely loyal to Daenerys.
Vhagar
Vhagar is absurdly huge and is the largest living dragon during the reign of King Viserys I in House of the Dragon.
Vhagar is old, ridiculously massive and — at the time of House of the Dragon — the most powerful and celebrated dragon alive.
Age is evident in every one of her features, from her broken teeth, worn scales and tattered wings, to her lugubrious gait as she’s risen from sleep during a key scene late in HotD’s first season.
The earth shakes as Vhagar lumbers forward, launching her colossal frame into the air.
But once she takes to the skies, there is no force in the show’s universe that can stop her. It’s astonishing to see a dragon the size of a damn aircraft carrier, and I can’t wait to see how Vhagar and her rider, Prince Aemond Targaryen, impact future events.
Drogon
Even if you’re unfamiliar with Game of Thrones, chances are you’ve seen ads, promotional clips or giant billboards in Times Square depicting a golden-haired woman atop a behemothic dragon with dark crimson and black scales.
The woman is Daenerys Targaryen and the beast is Drogon, who is said to be the reincarnation of Balerion the Black Dread, the largest and most powerful dragon in recorded history.
Drogon is the symbol of the rebirth of dragons almost two centuries after the last of the species died. He’s the most destructive force in the original Game of Thrones, but he’s also dearly loved by his mother, Daenerys, and he’s even had a few comical, light-hearted moments, like the death stare he fixes on Jon Snow when the latter kisses Daenerys.
“That’s my mom, dude,” Drogon seems to say. “Be respectful or I’ll burn you to a crisp and make a light snack of you.”
This GIF is taken from that very moment, when Jon locks lips with Dany, senses the dragon’s eyes on him, and looks up to see Drogon staring intently at him:
When Drogon and his brothers are born, the people of Westeros and Essos can hardly believe it. For the first time in two centuries dragons lay claim to the sky, their calls echoing for miles across mountains, plains and open water. They also have voracious appetites, helping themselves to thousands of farm animals, wild prey and enemy soldiers as they grow.
Drogon and the boys have a big part to play in the events of the series, but like all animals, they’re born virtually defenseless. The last time we see Drogon he rivals the biggest dragons in history, but the first time we see him he’s the size of a kitten, squealing as he rides his mother’s shoulder.
Daenerys with Drogon (shoulder), Viseryon and Rhaegal in Qarth, the mythical eastern-most city of Essos.
Drogon as an adorable baby dragon, roasting his first nom noms.
Drogon, his brothers and Daenerys were never more vulnerable than they were in those early days, and a succession of ill-intentioned characters try to take or kill them. Drogon, more than any of his kind, proves that “owning” a dragon and getting him to do what you want are two different things, not unlike cats.
Arrax
Who’s a good boy? Arrax is! As the bonded dragon of Princess Rhynaera’s second son, 14-year-old Lucerys (Luke) Targaryen, Arrax is the baby of the group.
We don’t see much of him, but he’s a good-looking little guy with gray-purple scales and a darker purple ridge along his spine. As a young dragon, Arrax is spooked by flying during a storm and needs to be calmed by Luke, bravely taking off and navigating winds, lashing rain and lightning.
Vermithor
We see Vermithor only once in HotD’s first season when Prince Daemon approaches him, singing an old Valyrian tune to calm the ancient dragon, who hasn’t had a visitor in some time.
Vermithor doesn’t look too pleased to be bothered and lets loose a mighty roar and enough dragonfire to waste a small city. Indeed, it’s been years since a human rode the old dragon, who is second only to Vhagar in size and age.
But Vermithor recognizes Daemon as a Targaryen, sees that Daemon is not afraid of him, and doesn’t do him any harm. Vermithor will undoubtedly have a big role to play going forward in HotD as a war of succession rages across Westeros in the wake of King Viserys the Peaceful’s passing.
Balerion the Black Dread
Balerion is the largest dragon in history, the last living creature to see the glory of Old Valyria — the empire that once ruled almost every corner of Game of Thrones’ fictional universe — before its fall.
Balerion is long dead by the events of House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones, so the only real indication we get of his majesty is in the Red Keep, where the legendary beast’s skull remains on display in a shrine to his power and significance:
Balerion’s skull as it appears in scenes from HotD and GoT.
Only a handful of families survived the end of the Valyrian empire, and the most famous of them was led by Aegon Targaryen, also known as Aegon the Conqueror, the man who invaded Westeros with a few dragons and a small army, conquering everything in his path and uniting seven kingdoms under one banner and one rule.
That was only possible with the power of dragons, and Aegon accomplished the feat atop Balerion’s back. When Aegon and Balerion reduced Harrenhal — considered the most impregnable of all castles — to melted rubble and marched north, the lords of the north wisely opted to bend the knee to Aegon and his dragons rather than face the likely extinction of their families.
The most prominent of the northern lords, the Stark family, were rewarded by Aegon Targaryen, who named them the Wardens of the North and gave them dominion over the vast, icy expanses of their realm. As such, they were beholden to the crown, but enjoyed a limited sovereignty that no other house could claim.
Artist Lindsey Burcar’s vision of Balerion.
We’ve left out Sea Smoke, Ser Leanor Valaryon’s dragon, Viseryon, brother to Drogon and Rhaegal, Sunfyre — considered the most beautiful of all the dragons — and several dragons who haven’t been seen yet, like Moonfyre, Tyraxes and Silverwing. Sorry, guys! But the second season of House of the Dragon promises to reveal several dragons we haven’t yet seen, so perhaps we’ll include them in a follow-up.
Pain In The Bud 