Predator: Killer of Killers

Voices of: Michael Bien, Doug Cockle, Rick Gonzalez, Damien C. Haas, Lauren Holt, Lindsay LaVanchy, Jeff Leach
Directed by: Dan Trachtenberg, Joshua Wassung
Rating: R
Genre: Animation, Action, Science Fiction
2025

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Predators come to Earth at three different time periods to hunt the bravest warriors.

Review:

Tim: Thanks to Dan Trachtenberg, the Predator franchise is finally seeing a resurgence. Prey was the best movie in decades for the franchise, and then, unexpectedly, he follows it up with an animated movie that's as good as anything else in the franchise. Predator: Killer of Killers surprised me- it's very much adult animation, but it tells a powerful, engaging story that feels perfectly attuned to the medium. This film is exciting, memorable, and entertaining. We're finally seeing what this franchise was always capable of achieving.

The film takes a novel approach to this story- it's really split into three, each chapter mirroring the others. A Predator comes to Earth to hunt a warrior. We see this happen to Vikings in Scandinavia, Samurai in Japan, and U.S. pilots during World War II. This is a brilliant approach, as we get introduced to characters from 841, 1609, and 1942. They are each unique, but manage to at least hold their own against these intergalactic killing machines. This approach breaks the movie into three smaller segments, which actually feels perfect. We never overstay our welcome- we learn about the characters, the time period, and then it's pure action and a battle for survival. The film has a fourth segment that ties everything together. It's a novel approach for this franchise, and it works. Rather than investing everything in one character or group of characters, this bite-sized approach feels perfect. There's enough time for us to learn the basics of the character, and very little downtime for us to get bored. The movie barrels forward at a strong clip- it's only 1 hour, 25 minutes, so there never feels like a wasted moment.

The animation is wonderfully done. Everything feels like it has a razor sharp edge to it. The way the characters are depicted, as well as the world around them is so compelling- the film would be beautiful if it wasn't drenched in blood. The action sequences are especially well-done. Animation has proven an ideal medium to depict action to this scale, and the quick cuts and brutal violence are so entertaining to watch. I was enthralled by the action sequences, set perfectly against the backdrop of the time period. That's one of the more impressive aspects of this film- we see the ice of Scandinavia, the beauty of feudal Japan, and the majesty of war above the clouds, over Northern Africa. Each period feels so unique that we're transfixed by a Predator battle set in that period. Trachtenberg approaches this all with immense confidence- one example is that the second story, The Sword (set in Japan) has so little dialogue. That's a big swing, to tell a powerful story, introduce a memorable character, and yet have almost no dialogue. It works, though, holding our attention throughout (it also happens to be my favorite of the three).

The fourth segment is the critical one, because it ties everything together. I don't want to spoil much, but I will say that it was essential to the film, amazingly cool to see as a viewer, and yet, felt somewhat lackluster. There were moments I thoroughly loved about it, but it feels a bit too short, a bit rushed. The ending wasn't as satisfying as it should have been. It seems like it sets things up for a sequel (which I'd absolutely watch), but I wish it had a more definitive closure or wrap-up. That doesn't hurt the movie immensely, but I did ding it a bit.

Regardless of that, Trachtenberg's secret movie set in the Predator is a major success. The beauty of the animation, the tremendous action and fighting sequences- Predator: Killer of Killers is a wonderfully entertaining film. Prior to this, I'd never considered how perfect this franchise would be for an animated film, but I've been converted. Side note- I also loved Trachtenberg's small tie between this film and Prey. I'm not sure where the franchise is going from here- I know Trachtenberg has the next film set for November of this year, but we'll see how that goes. I can say that for the first time in a long time, I have a great deal of confidence and excitement about this franchise. If he can deliver on the next film, this run will feel incredibly special. Already, the franchise has never seen back-to-back movies this good. There's much to celebrate here.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Prey, Predator, Predator 2, Predators, The Predator, Castlevania