THE BAD BATCH (2017) Netflix Review

The Bad Batch is no particular Netflix gem. Yet, within this convoluted, violent story lies a subtle, intriguing lesson. Intrigue keeps bringing me back to it. Curiosity seems to be its running theme.

Set in a dystopian future, The Bad Batch is a patch of uninhabited desert located in Texas where criminals are sealed off from society. Convicts are thrown behind a fence with nothing more than a sandwich and a jug of water. Expected to fend for themselves with no guards and no laws to protect them. Life becomes a terrifying game of survival of the fittest, and the weak are eaten alive - literally.

Arlen becomes a victim of cannibalism like many other newcomers. She loses an arm and a leg. In spite of her captivity, she survives and escapes to a more civilized community called Comfort. While the people of comfort don't eat each other, they become burnt out druggies. Arlen may have protection there, but she is not satisfied. She searches for meaning and a real connection.

Thus, she wanders outside of Comfort's walls to the open, empty desert. It is the one place in the Bad Batch where she finds true comfort. It is also where she meets Miami Man and his daughter Honey, two of the cannibals responsible for her attack. She should hate them, just as the vast empty desert should frighten her. Instead, she finds the connection she craves.

Many residents of the Bad Batch find contentment in their hopeless situations. They do what they must to survive and cope. Comfort accommodates all of Arlen's needs. She receives free housing, food, clothes, and a gun. That should be more than enough. Yet, a grander purpose calls her. Most people see the desert as a death trap. She sees beauty. That is the only place where she finds real comfort and love.