As A Short Dude, Predator: Badlands Spoke To Me A Lot More Than I Expected

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When I watch a movie, I usually just want to enjoy the story. But with the recent Predator: Badlands, I felt a real connection to the main character – it felt like the movie was seeing me, not the other way around.

I wasn’t feeling like a hunter on a challenging mission, trying to prove my worth. What I mean is, just like Dek – the predator we follow in the movie, and the one I said you’d like – I’m also seen as an underdog. Dek is considered small for his kind, and I’m smaller than the average American man – I’m 5’6″, while the average height is 5’9″.

I recently gave this movie a good review, but how did it actually make me feel? Here’s my take.

Oh, and spoilers up ahead.

As I Already Mentioned, Like Dek, I’m A Bit Of A Runt

I’ve seen every Predator movie, including Predator: Killer of Killers, and let me tell you, if a Predator clan shows up on Earth, we’re in serious trouble. They only send their most skilled hunters, so it’s not a good situation to be in!

The central idea of this movie revolves around a unique question: what if the Predator that lands on Earth isn’t a top hunter, but one considered flawed? Specifically, what if it’s smaller than expected and deemed inadequate? That’s exactly the situation with our main character, Dek. He’s proven himself capable – he once rescued his brother Kwei – but because of his size, he’s not respected. In fact, his own father, ashamed of his stature, even orders him to be killed.

I could definitely relate to what he was going through. Not the life-or-death part, but the feeling of not being good enough because of your physical appearance. It’s interesting – people are more careful about commenting on weight now, but height is still fair game. I’ve experienced this myself. People often refer to me as ‘the short one,’ and it’s just… how I’m identified.

It’s frustrating when people define you by one characteristic, like being the shortest person in the group, even if they don’t intend to be hurtful. But honestly, it’s a small problem when you consider it could be much worse – at least it’s not life-threatening, like something involving alien hunter rules. I’m thankful for that.

Also Like Dek, I Feel Like I Have To Prove Myself More Often Than Not Due To My Size

You’ve probably heard of the “Napoleon complex,” which suggests that short people who are quick to anger are acting that way to make up for being short. However, when people of average or above-average height are aggressive, we don’t usually attribute it to some kind of complex.

Okay, people call them aggressive, or maybe even jerks – and yeah, I know saying ‘jerk’ feels a bit outdated, but I’m a ’90s kid, so here we are! But honestly, they’re not that complicated. Actually, did you know Napoleon wasn’t even that short for his time? He was about my height, 5’6”, which was pretty average back then. Anyway, what really gets me is that I constantly feel like I need to prove myself, sometimes to my own disadvantage, and I’ll explain that more later.

Dek feels the same pressure to prove himself. When his brother challenges him to choose a hunt, Dek picks the most dangerous option: a planet with a seemingly invincible creature called the Kalisk. It’s a reckless decision – he couldn’t even beat his own brother, yet he’s aiming for an unkillable predator! But it makes sense. Dek is tired of being seen as the underdog, just like I sometimes am, and he needs to show everyone what he’s capable of.

Dek is always battling his own insecurities. He feels like he has to prove he’s just as capable and strong as anyone else, despite feeling smaller or weaker, and he’s determined to do so, even at great personal risk.

Sometimes, “Proving Myself” Means I’m Being Foolish, Just Like Dek

The original Predator film established the alien as a formidable hunter by pitting it against Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was considered the ultimate action hero at the time. As fans of his classic film, Commando, know, Schwarzenegger was incredibly physically fit – a former Mr. Universe! He was so strong that he likely could have defeated the Predator in hand-to-hand combat without even needing to use weapons or call for extraction.

Look, I’ve always been a huge Arnold fan – the guy was incredible. Honestly, when I’m working out, I sometimes pretend I am Arnold! It sounds silly, but if I see someone bigger than me lifting something heavy, I feel this need to try and keep up. More often than not, I can, but there were definitely times when I pushed myself too far and ended up injured. That was more back in the day, though. Now I mostly go to the gym to maintain my fitness, not to bulk up. But I think a lot of that competitive drive came from feeling insecure about my height, and I suspect my friend Dek feels the same way. It’s good to admit you have weaknesses, right?

Right away, the moment he lands on the dangerous planet Genna, he finds himself in a desperate situation. Everything – the plants and the animals – is trying to kill him, and he’s completely unprepared. He would have died immediately if it weren’t for Thia (Elle Fanning), an android who helps him survive.

Essentially, men who are shorter often feel they need to work harder to prove their worth, and sometimes they go about it in unwise ways, much like Dek does.

In The End Though, It’s All About Acceptance, Just Like With Dek In This Film

Dek doesn’t win the specific award he was hoping for, but he does receive some recognition. More importantly, he learns to fully accept himself. He wasn’t completely lacking self-acceptance at the start, but by the end of the film, he’s freed from feeling pressured to conform to the limited expectations of his community.

Honestly, what really got to me about the film was seeing him find his people – his own little community. It wasn’t about him becoming some grand hero, but about him changing and growing as a person, and that’s a powerful thing. It felt like the movie was saying you really have to embrace who you are, flaws and all, if you ever want to truly evolve.

While it’s a bit different, I see parallels between the film The Substance and stories about accepting yourself. Society often pressures us to fit a certain ideal, but it’s actually our differences – even things we might see as flaws – that make us special.

Wow, I was surprised to find that the new Predator movie, Badlands, actually has a really positive message about accepting different body types. Have you had a chance to watch it yet? I’d be curious to know what you thought!

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2025-11-10 21:13