‘Predator: Killer of Killers’ Review
The anthology film can sometimes feel like a mixed bag, especially with multiple creatives taking turns at the helm and occasionally feeling too loosely connected to justify its presentation. However, when there’s a clear focus on how each individual story coalesces into a greater vision, the strength of the anthology lies in whether that vision is interesting enough. Fortunately, Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator: Killer of Killers is impressive for exactly the reasons that anthology films tend to fail. A singular vision of violence spurred on by competition, honour, and survival, Trachtenberg’s umbrella of stories connected by one of the most fearsome alien creatures in the universe is a satisfying lore-building exercise and further proof that Trachtenberg is the best director to be playing in the Predator sandbox.
There are a lot of variables initially working against the latest entry in the Predator franchise, but almost every directorial decision justifies itself soon after its introduction. The decision to pursue an anthology format covering three distinct historical periods and the warriors that predominantly fought during those times - viking raider, ninjas and samurais, and military, respectively - could have left behind stories with little time to explore both the setting and its characters, while also tying those into a greater mythology. However, Micho Robert Rutare’s screenplay centers on strong characters and warriors that are threatened by an ominous presence lurking in the shadows, hellbent on making them their prey.
Not all three stories are as emotionally resonant as the others, though, with the Viking story serving as an initial burst of violence married to a fairly generic story of revenge that does get interesting by its conclusion but suggests a more uneven film ahead. However, that is short-lived, and Predator: Killer of Killers cements itself as one of the best films in the franchise once it switches its focus to feudal Japan and a rivalry between brothers that plays out with almost no dialogue amidst tremendous action sequences. And while the dialogue becomes zippier and more generic throughout the third short, it remains a blast of adrenaline supported by endearing characters and a different kind of action than the previous two shorts.
The benefit of Predator: Killer of Killers is that it’s able to build something larger out of its universe in a short time. Covering three different time periods and then bringing them all together under a single conceit (what if the Predator was always present during history’s most violent conflicts?), Trachtenberg establishes that the Predator universe may have a lore worth exploring far more than it initially seemed. While the alien species from those films have had their time in the spotlight, the franchise has always felt more variable in quality than some of its contemporaries, while also being seemingly afraid to build its lore beyond a character hellbent on violence as a sport. That is, until Trachtenberg’s Prey, where his film explored a different time period with a strong lead character, much like Killer of Killers does, but in a single feature-length narrative.
Despite some initial reservations with its animation style, Predator: Killer of Killers does eventually smooth out any concerns shortly into its runtime. There’s no denying that the film simply wouldn’t exist in the way it does if it wasn’t animated, but the decision will likely ruffle some feathers of fans of the franchise who may see the film as a cheaper approach to a franchise where visceral violence in a live-action format has always been part of its appeal. However, the scale with which the film is able to operate and the variety in action support the decision, and the animation serves that in ways that live-action couldn’t sustain.
Trachtenberg has had a tremendous track record when it comes to walking into universes and translating them to smart genre exercises, but the one-two punch of Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers solidifies the fact that he’s found an excellent sandbox to play in. 20th Century Fox seems to agree as well with Killer of Killers being one of two films in the Predator universe that Trachtenberg is directing in 2025. However, even as a standalone film, Killer of Killers isn’t just one of the best Predator films ever made, but also an efficient exercise in universe-building bolstered by an impressive array of violent action and smart character work.
