After Prey, I couldn't help but want to see more Predator stories take place in different time periods. Predator: Killer of Killers delivers on that premise with all the blood, guts, and adrenaline-pumping action fans could ask for.
Predator Killer of Killers Review
In 2022, director Dan Trachtenberg brought the Predator franchise back from the dead with Prey, the best Predator movie since the original. Sure it followed the blueprint of an alien hunting humans for sport, but it felt fresh thanks to the fact that it was set hundreds of years ago. Naru didn't have the benefit of knowing what sci-fi is or access to high powered weapons. She only had her handmade gear and knowledge to save her. It was exciting, different, and made Predator fans clamor for more stories like this. Fortunately, Trachtenberg was ready for that response and the result is the animated, anthology movie Predator: Killer of Killers. Not only does it dive into the concept Prey introduced with gleeful abandon but it also ensures that no one else can take Trachtenberg's original idea and make a knockoff.
Predator: Killer of Killers is a gloriously violent, fast-paced sci-fi monster flick that delivers all the goods with no filler. You won't find lengthy expositions or rehashing of the Predator's capabilities anywhere near this project. Trachtenberg, co-director Josh Wassung, and writer Micho Robert Rutare assume the audience knows what they are in for and go right for the throat. From the moment it starts to the second it ends (with a great nod to Prey), Killer of Killers is a non-stop, adrenaline-pumping ride that also exercises some restraint, allowing the story to come together in a meaningful albeit quick way. The result gets viewers invested in the humans while being equally enthralled by the blood-soaked spectacle.
Killer of Killers is divided into 4 chapters. The first tells the story of a Viking warrior. Ursa (Lindsay LaVanchy) and by default her son Anders (Damien Haas), are on a quest for revenge. Her plans get interrupted when a Predator decides she is a worthy opponent. Chapter 2 takes us to feudal Japan, where brothers Kenji and Kiyoshi (Louis Ozawa) are fighting, with one eventually rising to rule the region. That is before he too is targeted by a different Yuatja. The third, follows an aspiring WWII pilot, John Torres (Rick Gonzalez), who dreams of becoming a hero. When his squadron is taken out one-by-one thanks to another Yuatja, Torres, like the Ursa and Kiyoshi before him, battles the creature. And like the others, also gets captured by the ultimate predators.
The final chapter is too good to spoil with details but it brings all the warriors' stories together for one satisfying finish. I will admit it does tease a sequel, which hopefully materializes sooner rather than later. But that's not all chapter 4 hints at. It also happens to give us more insight into the Yautja than we've seen before. Although, Trachtenberg is careful not to tell us too much, which honestly is a great thing. It makes his upcoming live-action film, Predator: Badlands, which is likely to reveal more about their hierarchy and society even more exciting. Trachtenberg's vision for the Predator franchise is sharp and detailed, putting the emotions and the action of this animated outing right up there with its live-action counterparts.
Killer of Killers' animation most closely resembles Netflix's Arcane and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, being a mix of both 2D and 3D styles. Wassung's animation studio, The Third Floor (a visual effects company founded by ex-ILM employees), makes sure every hit, decapitation, and general carnage is felt and seen in vivid detail. Each environment is richly crafted, with the feudal Japan setting being my personal favorite. But this isn't some mindless slaughter-fest that loses your interest halfway through. No, each maiming, each kill, each time a head rolls, it all serves a purpose that exists beyond pure spectacle. Just like the humor and the beating heart moments are meticulously placed throughout the brisk runtime, everything is in service to the overall story – humans fighting to survive against an apex predator.
Verdict
Predator: Killer of Killers delivers top tier Predator brutality centered around 3 different humans and their fight for survival. It is a gloriously violent, fast-paced sci-fi monster flick that delivers all the goods with no filler. The animation, score, and solid story deliver something unique, visually splendid, and a whole lot of fun. If you weren't sold on Tractenberg helming the franchise after Prey, Killer of Killers makes it abundantly clear that the Predator franchise is in the best hands.
Predator: Killer of Killers is now streaming on Hulu. It is rated R for strong bloody violence, some gore and language with a runtime of 85 minutes
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