Director Dan Trachtenberg came out with Prey in 2022 and it was adored by fans of the Predator franchise. With its interesting time period, charismatic protagonist, and its impressive Yautja, aka a Predator. Now, three years on, Trachtenberg has returned to the Predator franchise with Predator: Killer of Killers.
Predator: Killer of Killers is an animated anthology film with a striking animation style broken up into three chapters. Each portion of the film tells a unique story set at a different location in the world, in three separate periods of time. It’s a bold choice to go with an animated film instead of another live-action iteration. I love the choice as it allows for much more bombastic action set pieces. The action on show in each chapter of the film is distinct, engaging, and utterly bonkers.
Predator: Killer of Killers – Each chapter tells a unique tale
My favourite chapter in Predator: Killer of Killers would have to be The Sword. This section is set in 17th-century Japan and follows a lone warrior as he infiltrates a local lord’s castle. The action is top-notch, the use of visual storytelling over dialogue is well-realised, and the film doesn’t rely on the Yautja to sell each story. The Yautja is pretty much the cherry on top of each of these stories. While we follow each protagonist’s personal journey and are interested in each resolution, the Yautja in each story is dropped into the story like a nuke. Once the Yautja arrives, every story is uprooted from the norm of its era, and it is brilliant.
Also, Predator: Killer of Killers is just as brutal and bloody as every other entry in the franchise. And unlike its live-action siblings, it can go above and beyond the call of duty to give truly memorable kills without having to worry about dodgy CGI.
Predator: Killer of Killers also has a killer pace; the film moves steadily but briskly. This allows just enough time for you to care about the characters, but doesn’t get lost in the weeds of each chapter. If there was a chapter that lulled, it was The Bullet. Being set in America, it felt the most play-by-numbers; this might just be because the two other eras had not been explored before. Thankfully, there are some impressive aerial scenes and the lead character Torres is a charming character, which makes the chapter still feel fun.
With its impressive animation, a further glimpse into the world of the Yautja, Predator: Killer of Killers, and a promise for more to come, I can’t recommend this film enough.
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