Predator: Killer of Killers (Movie Review)

Despite a string of entries and crossovers of varying or downright questionable quality, the Predator franchise has remained quite resilient over the years. But for many fans, it didn't really enjoy the resurgence it deserved until its brilliant 2022 entry, Prey. So when it was revealed that we would be getting two new Predator movies in 2025, the hope was that those movies wouldn't end up squandering that goodwill. But is the first of those two movies, Predator: Killer of Killers, a worthy follow-up to Prey, or is it merely a stopgap before the main event that is Predator: Badlands?

The film has Dan Trachtenberg returning to direct what is effectively an animated anthology. Set across three distinct time periods, each story introduces a new protagonist and their experiences as they come face to face with the Hunters of the Yautja (or Predators as they are more popularly known). But like any good anthology, there is an overarching narrative that ties all three stories together, all while also tying into the world and narrative as already established in the prior films of the larger Predator franchise.

The first thing that stood out about Predator: Killer of Killers is its unique animation style. Reminiscent of Arcane, it occupies that same space between CG and hand-painted, giving the characters an expressive quality and their actions a cinematic flair. The reduced framerate did lend the animation a choppy feel, though, except I quickly became accustomed to this, and it ultimately never got in the way of my enjoyment of the movie.

This is because I was immediately invested in each character and engrossed by the narrative of their story. My favorite by far is the one with two brothers with a score to settle. It delivers all the beats and spectacle one would expect from a Predator film, set against the backdrop of feudal Japan, during the age of ninjas and samurai. And as I would imagine, it should satisfy the hunger of all those fans that have been clamoring for just such a setting following the one seen in Prey. 

One of the advantages of animation over live action is how it allows the filmmakers to truly push the boundaries, and Predator: Killer of Killers definitely made good use of that fact. The action scenes were spectacularly staged, with over-the-top stunts that strictly adhere to the rule of cool and nothing else, from the copious amounts of blood and gore to the implausible setpieces themselves. Thankfully, none of it felt too gratuitous, despite what the trailers had led me to believe.  

The only truly critical thing I can point out about Predator: Killer of Killers is its relative brevity. The film is about an hour and thirty minutes long, which is pretty standard for a film of this kind and the franchise in general. But considering it explores three stories that felt like they could've been fleshed out into full movies in their own right, that time doesn't seem nearly long enough to spend with the characters and their worlds. But I guess this itself is a testament to just how great the stories were, the fact that I didn't want them to end so soon. 

Predator: Killer of Killers is all shades of awesome. The movie lives up to the high bar set by Prey, even managing to surpass it in certain regards. It is clear, now more than ever, that Dan Trachtenberg understands the appeal of these Predator movies, and his take on the IP continues to breathe new life into it. So while it remains to be seen whether or not Predator: Badlands would be able to keep the momentum going, I can at least say that I am now even more excited for that movie than I was heading into this one.