PREDATOR KILLER OF KILLERS
Starring: Michael Biehn, Doug Cockle, Rick Gonzalez, Damien Haas, and Lauren Holt
Directors: Dan Trachtenberg and Joshua Wassung
NICK
Not that the Predator franchise was dead (Prey, the most recent entry, is fantastic), but Killer of Killers sets a blueprint for how to rejuvenate dormant IP. In taking the animated route, there's an opportunity for new stories on a grander scale without needing the bloated budget so many of these projects require. Personally, I'm not much of an anime fan, but I understand the appeal, and fans of that genre should eat this thing up. Even if you aren’t, though, it’s still a good time watching Predators travel the globe, and based on the epilogue, there may be more to come.
AMARÚ
After Prey, we asked director Dan Trachtenberg to give us Predators fighting different warriors across time, and alongside co-director Josh Wassung, that is exactly what they did – to great success too because Killer of Killers is awesome. Its fight choreography is stunning, even with an animation style I initially found to be stilted, but the graphic look created a depth of movement that made the action epic, especially in conjunction with the film’s amazing sound. Add in an anthology plot line with no weak links that comes together in a satisfying and intriguing fashion, and we have got an absolute winner on our hands.
QUENTIN
After successfully showing us Predator v. the Comanche in Prey, director Dan Trachtenberg is giving people more of that same goodness by having Predators square off against vikings, ninjas, and WWII fighter pilots in three surprisingly complete short stories. While I wish it was live action, don’t be deterred by it being animated because it's as action-packed and blood-soaked as any entry in the franchise. Plus, the animation is vibrantly done, demonstrating levels of dimension usually not seen outside of Pixar. I’d honestly watch a dozen more of these. Give me Predators fighting Mongols, Roman gladiators, medieval knights, the Spartans, mob enforcers… The possibilities are endless.
KATIE
I’m not a massive Predator fan in general, but Predator: Killer of Killers is an incredibly entertaining anthology that works for both fans of the franchise and anyone interested in action-packed animation. Speaking of… the animation style initially threw me; it looked borderline murky at times, and I needed to get used to the odd frame rate. However, this became a non-issue with the thrilling fight choreography, well-developed and interesting characters, and gripping stories that come together in a way that does each narrative justice. It’s not perfect, but it delivers exactly what you’d want in the next installment of this franchise.
