Dan Trachtenberg’s Prey not only blew me away with how it revived the sci-fi action franchise, but also gave me endless hope for whatever the filmmaker did next with the series. When Predator: Killer of Killers was revealed to be in the works, I couldn’t have been more excited, as the prospect of everything from a Viking to samurai storylines set in the universe felt like a promising way to continue his success. Unfortunately, the movie shows both the best and worst parts of Trachtenberg making two separate Predator movies simultaneously.
Developed by Trachtenberg and writer Micho Robert Rutare, Predator: Killer of Killers is set across four different time periods, telling different stories of the тιтular alien race looking for the best warriors to hunt. Among them are a Viking woman leading her clan on a quest for vengeance, a ninja who clashes with his samurai brother as the latter rises to rule his feudal Japan region, and an aspiring pilot drafted into World War II. Along the way, they all find themselves hunted by different Yautja, with their own objectives for the trio.
Killer Of Killers Offers Intriguing Predator Lore, But A Messy Story
It Feels Like A Setup For A Far Better Movie
One of the best things Dan Trachtenberg did with Prey was not only take the Predator franchise back to its stripped-down roots, but also showcase how to make a story set in the past feel as gripping as a present-day one. With Killer of Killers, the filmmaker initially continued this trend with the various stories introduced in the film, particularly the Viking and ninja chapters, as they offer us unique fighting styles to take down the Predator, much like Naru’s Native skillset seen in Prey.
Unfortunately, where Trachtenberg and Rutare fail to capitalize on this is how the Predator: Killer of Killers stories all play out. As with any anthology, there is a frame narrative tying them all together, and the way it’s presented, the stakes in every installment feel low, given we essentially know how they’re going to turn out. That’s not to say there isn’t enough intrigue in the segments, as I was particularly captivated by the lack of dialogue in the Japan chapter, but given how each one is meant to carry emotional weight for their characters, I found myself more wanting the so-called “present day” story.
Not to mention its ending, and therefore the ending of the film, feels like a blatant setup for a sequel, and actively ruined much of my love for Prey.
Another issue with the film’s anthology structure is Predator: Killer of Killers‘ final act when the three storylines collide into one. It’s a concept that, without the prior frame narrative flashes, could have actually been a more effective one. Instead, it feels incredibly rushed as it tries to mash the themes of its prior stories together into a 30-minute sequence. Not to mention its ending, and therefore the ending of the film, is a blatant setup for a sequel, actively ruining much of my love for Prey.
Killer Of Killers’ Art Design Is Fantastic, But The Animation Not So Much
Random Drops In Frame Rates Feel Less Stylish, More Cheap
Another element I was super excited to see was the movie’s animation, which looked to utilize a similar mix of 2D and 3D styles in the vein of Netflix’s Arcane. From the movie’s opening segment with the Viking leader, the art design certainly lived up to expectations. Everything from sprawling snowy landscapes to stray hairs in an otherwise тιԍнт hairstyle shows a dedication to even the smallest details. I was also enamored by the way the movie depicts its feudal Japan setting, with the falling leaves and architecture looking like it was pulled right from an art book.
Admittedly, though, I was disappointed in the movie’s actual animation, which was produced by The Third Floor Inc., known for everything from their Emmy-winning work on Game of Thrones to multiple Marvel Cinematic Universe and Monsterverse movies. In numerous sequences, I was taken out by the stuttery animation, with one fight scene in the Viking chapter, in particular, feeling as though the frame rate was turned down so low I was actively watching a frame-by-frame play of the scene.
But when those low-frame-rate motions happen alongside some perfectly smooth moments, it quickly becomes distracting.
That’s not to say that I expect perfectly smooth animation in every such тιтle, but a little more consistency would have been nice. For the majority of Killer of Killers, Third Floor does bring a similar feel to their motion as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem or the Spider-Verse movies. It’s more like a motion comic than a freshly animated project, and it does work. But when those low-frame-rate motions happen alongside some perfectly smooth moments, it quickly becomes distracting.
Overall, given how well Trachtenberg did with Prey, it’s really disappointing how much of a mess Predator: Killer of Killers is by comparison. It’s a directionless way to continue the franchise and tide audiences over while they wait for Badlands‘ release. It’s a cliffhanger ending that not only begs for a sequel but also practically dares 20th Century Studios to not produce Prey 2. It’s something I was once excited about, but am now feeling conflicted over whether I want it.
Predator: Killer of Killers begins streaming on Hulu on June 6.
