Predator: Killer of Killers

Predator: Killer of Killers is pure visual storytelling. It is the result of a Predator movie stripped of all its frills and left with only a satisfying serving of thrills.

Killer of Killers is an anthology movie that is told in four chapters. The first three chapters span hundreds of years and starts in 831 A.D. with a Viking clan lead by Ursa (Lindsay LaVanchy) who is out to exact revenge on an adversarial clan leader that took her father’s life. Along with the clan, she is also accompanied by her young son. The movie then movies to feudal Japan in 1609 where we see the struggles of two brothers, Kenji and Kiyoshi (both voice by Louis Ozawa who makes a return to the Predator frachise, he was “yakuza” in the film Predators). After that we are in the midst of World War II in 1942 and we follow a pilot named Torres (Rick Gonzales). There is a fourth act that I won’t spoil.

The individual stories are just enough for us to understand and get acquainted with the main characters. It’s the action set pieces of each of the segments, which are all fantastically done, that propel the movie forward. These action sequences are visceral, energetic and kinetic sequences that are rendered in a sttriking visual style that reminds me a bit of the Spider-Verse animation and visual style.

Killer of Killers does not squander its R-rating and is the properly brutal gory violence that is deserving of a Predator movie. Heads and limbs are disembodied at an increasing rate when the action mayhem starts.

I love that composer Benjamin Wallfisch is able to the weave the Alan Silvestri Predator theme into the score. He also adds some of Sarah Schachner’s Prey theme into the score.

Killer of Kilers has two themes. The first is the one that all Predator movies have and that is that human ingenuity always wins over a technologically advanced enemy. Here we get to see it four times. The second is the theme of family, whether by blood or found family. The family theme is subtle and effective in Killer of Killers (unlike the in-your-face way that the Fast and Furious franchise attacks the theme).

I love the reference to Grendel, I am assuming they are referencing Grendel from the Old English poem, Beowulf. The Grendel reference is now part of the Predator lore – and I love how Prey and Killer of Killers (and I am assuming the upcoming film Predator: Badlands) are continuing to add interesting lore to this 40-year old film franchise and keeping the franchise fresh. Dan Trachtenberg is proving to be a great caretaker of the Predator franchise.

I thoroughly enjoyed Predator: Killer of Killers, it isn’t as good as Trachtenberg’s previous Predator film Prey, but this one squeezes a lot of bloody (both green and red) into a tight 90-minute package.

Streamed on Hulu.

Spoilers

The “Raphael Adolini 1715” pistol from Predator 2 and Prey makes a return. It’s a really great way of tying together the franchise.

I love that Naru makes a showing in this movie, giving us an answer to what happened to her after the short story snippet told in the paintings at the end of Prey – and opens the door for her return in future Predator films.