Predator: Killer of Killers

I understand that R-Rated movies don’t usually make a lot of money at the box office. I understand that an R-Rated animated film would probably make less money at the box office. Hell, I even understand that the Predator franchise has never been a smash hit at the box office. 

But even with all of that being said, I still think that it’s a damn shame that this movie wasn’t given a theatrical release. 

Predator: Killer of Killers is a beautifully animated film that features some incredibly gnarly action sequences. Action sequences that Predator fans have been begging to see for a long, long time. And these sequences are presented in a way that just would not be possible in a live-action feature. Yes, Killer of Killers fully utilizes its animation as effectively as possible, and it’s a shame that the animation can’t be appreciated on the biggest screen possible. Especially considering how beautiful the settings and some of the landscapes can be. 

So, for those who don’t know: Killer of Killers is an anthological film that follows a Viking raider, a ninja in feudal Japan, and a World War II pilot, as they each encounter fierce intergalactic hunters.

Which is totally awesome! I always wanted to see Predator stories set in different points in human history. But instead of exploring one single point in time, this movie happens to explore three different timeframes. Technically four. 

Because, as you probably could’ve expected, all three stories do share some thematic connectivity. But what you may not know - or at least, what I didn’t realize - is that the film does connect these stories narratively as well. 

That’s right, after all three stories are told, the final part of the film acts as a surprising crossover of sorts. One where the Viking, the ninja, and the World War II pilot are able to share some screen time.  

And while I did enjoy the action that was present in this segment, I have to admit that this was also the weakest part of the movie for me. Because I didn’t really need to see the stories connect in any way; I would’ve been fine if they acted as individual standalone segments. 

After all, the individual segments do feel grounded in some sense of realism, but the finale feels more like a silly Avengers-style crossover. So, that shift in tone felt oddly jarring to me. 

But while I may have some issues with the finale, I can’t deny that it did a solid job of setting up a potential sequel. And I would definitely love to see a sequel to this movie, especially if it could take us to different points in human history. That would be exciting! Especially if director Dan Trachtenberg was still involved. 

I absolutely love the direction that Trachtenberg has taken this franchise in. I may not have loved Killer of Killers or Prey, but I still believe that they’re the best two entries within the Predator franchise. Which may sound like a controversial statement to some Predator fans, but that’s just my opinion on the matter. 

I was never a big Predator fan growing up. I like the original movies just fine - and I remember having fun playing the Concrete Jungle video game - but the franchise never really did anything for me. That is, until Trachtenberg decided to do something interesting with it. 

Both Prey and Killer of Killers have unique identities of their own; and the same can be said for the look of the Yautja’s themselves. 

I absolutely love that they have different designs, because those designs allow them to have unique personalities. Personalities that can be easily identified by the viewer. 

I can’t differentiate any of the Yautja’s from Predator to Predators, but I can definitely differentiate the ones from Prey and Killer of Killers.

So I really respect Trachtenberg’s work on these two films. And I’m glad that Disney is finally starting to respect his work too, since they’ve actually decided to give Predator: Badlands a theatrical release later on this year. 

But getting back to the movie at hand, Killer of Killers is a solid film that features a cool concept, a beautiful animation style, and some incredibly awesome violence. Sure, the story itself is a bit predictable - especially as it enters into the finale - but that doesn’t stop the movie from being wildly entertaining. 

So even though I didn’t love the film as much as I wanted to, I can’t deny that I still managed to thoroughly enjoy it. 

I can’t wait to see what Trachtenberg has in store for the future of this franchise; which means that Predator: Killer of Killers would definitely get a recommendation from me.