When Dan Trachtenberg took the reins of the Predator franchise with his 2022 prequel Prey, fans were delighted, after thinking that 2018’s dismal film The Predator would be the last nail in the sci-fi horror franchise’s coffin.
Prey was a massive success, not just critically, either. At the time of its release, the film received Hulu’s record for most-watched movie or TV show after just three days. The movie was praised for its period-piece, historical-fictional setting of a Yautja hunter (the alien race in the Predator series) battling a tribe of Comanches, and all-around great fight scenes, storytelling, and music.
It didn’t take long for fans to start theorizing different battles between the Yautja and other hardcore warriors in human history. Ever since the Yakuza fight in Predators (2010), a Japanese warrior vs. Yautja story has been craved, and before the trailer for Trachtenberg’s sequel to Prey, Predator: Badlands released, fans thought it was coming.
While this doesn’t seem to be the case with Badlands, which will release later this year, we all got a surprise treat from Trachtenberg and The Third Floor’s Joshua Wassung: an animated, connecting anthological film titled Predator: Killer of Killers.
The film follows three tenacious warriors from across time, introducing them in the middle of their own historical battles. In “The Shield,” the first warrior shown is Ursa, a Norse warrior leading a revenge charge against a tribe of Krivich Slavs in Viking-era Scandinavia. In “The Sword,” second is Kenji, the Japanese son of a warlord during feudal Japan, who runs away as a child after refusing to fight his brother for succession, only to return later and finish the fight. Lastly, in “The Bullet,” Torres, a plane mechanic for the U.S. Navy during World War II, is forced to join a naval battle. During all three stories, a Yautja appears before each of them, deciding they’re worthy of a hunt.
While I won’t go into any further storyline for spoiler reasons, Predator: Killer of Killers shows more about the Yautjas’ weapons, battle customs, and culture than any previous Predator film. The final act ties the story together brilliantly, creating a dream come true for Predator fans who have been waiting years (decades?) for more historical battles between humans and Yautja. There was also an unexpected amount of emotion woven into each tale, which only made the overall story stronger.
Related: ‘Prey’ Review: An Indigenous Thriller that Rivals the Original ‘Predator’
The animation from Third Floor is incredible, using a style that’s becoming more and more popular with the releases of films like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem and Into the Spider-Verse. The special effects company is no stranger to success, though, doing the work behind hits like Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, and Prey.
Be prepared for all the blood and guts that typically come with the Predator franchise. Killer of Killers brings out all kinds of both new and early-stage versions of the Yautja weapons we’ve come to love over the years. From razor nets to harpoon-axes, there is no shortage of decapitations, disemboweled body parts, and severed limbs flying. One of the coolest and most interesting segments of the film features an aerial battle, finally moving away from the on-ground, hunter vs. hunter action in all the other films.
Per usual, another fantastic musical score for a Predator movie. Benjamin Wallfisch, who has already made a name for himself in the horror and sci-fi genres with Blade Runner 2049, IT, The Invisible Man, and Alien: Romulus, came out swinging with an adrenaline-pumping score that perfectly blends thematic vibes from the histories and locations that the characters come from.
Related: ‘Prey’ Was Inspired by Sonny Landham’s ‘Predator’ Character
Dan Trachtenberg had already outdone himself with Prey, making it probably the most well-put-together Predator movie at the time, excluding the nostalgia we all feel for the Arnold Schwarzenegger original.) Well, he’s outdone himself again; Predator: Killer of Killers is hands-down the best film of the Predator franchise, and a must-see not just for fans of the series, but anyone who loves excellent action, sci-fi, horror, and animation.
At this point, my expectations for Predator: Badlands are sky high. Predator: Killer of Killers is now available to stream on Hulu.
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