Predator: Killer of Killers (2025)
Directed by: Dan Trachtenberg and Joshua Wassung
Premise: An animated anthology film. The alien hunters from the Predator films engage with human beings in various circumstances set centuries apart.
What Works: Killer of Killers is one of the more ambitious entries in the Predator series. The stories of this anthology span across several centuries and the wraparound story that connects these segments offers a look at the Predator culture on what might be their home world. There is a ruthless efficiency to the filmmaking. Each segment moves along quickly and the amount of thematic material jammed into the movie is impressive. The Predator series has revolved around dramatizing and sometimes satirizing macho warrior culture. The three stories of Killer of Killers reflect that idea. Each segment is about characters living in a warrior culture: a Viking, a samurai, and a fighter pilot. Apart from their interactions with the alien hunter, each human character faces matters of honor and revenge. This is done most interestingly in the first segment in which a Viking leads a mission to destroy a rival clan. Killer of Killers is an animated film and the picture showcases a unique style. The visuals have a vivid visual texture and the fight scenes have the mass and weight we associate with live action but take advantage of the formalistic qualities afforded by animation. It’s visceral in a way that suits the themes and subject matter.
What Doesn’t: The segments of Killer of Killers are set centuries apart with very different human protagonists and yet the pieces feel a bit repetitive. Much like several of the live action Predator films, each story in Killer of Killers is about a group of warriors hunted by an extraterrestrial until only one remains. In this case, the survivor is ultimately abducted by the aliens. The setting and characters are different but each overall story is fundamentally the same. The abductions refute the triumph and heroism of each protagonist’s story. Killer of Killers ends inconclusively. The three protagonists are brought together but the film doesn’t give them the space to get to know each other or to have meaningful character moments. Compare the final act of Killer of Killers to the characterization in 2010’s Predators and the deficit becomes clear. The end of Killer of Killers feels incomplete. The film just stops instead of coming to a conclusion. It may be intended to set up a sequel but as it is, this is an unsatisfying ending.
Disc extras: Available on Hulu.
Bottom Line: Predator: Killer of Killers impresses more in its parts than as a whole. There is a lot in the movie to admire and if this is the first part of a longer story, it’s a promising beginning. On its own, Killer of Killers is a little too pared down for its own good.
Episode: #1052 (June 15, 2025)