I Just Watched - Predator: Killer of Killers

I only noticed the new Predator: Badlands movie was on its way because an ad jumped me in the wild. That sent me to check it out where I found they’d also shadow-dropped an animated film, Killer of Killers, just a few months back. As an enjoyer of the entire franchise, and yes, that includes the one where you couldn't see a damn thing on that rooftop (AVP: Requiem), or that absolute garbage that was the 2018 movie (Ok, I didn't actually enjoy that at all). I had to watch it.

Fresh out of the kill-zone, I can tell you it’s a pretty fun, action-packed ride that’s perfect for switching your brain off. It sticks to the classic Predator formula, so don’t go in expecting a deep reinvention of the wheel. It knows what it is: a showcase for brutal, gory animated violence.

The film is split into three shorts. The first story, starring a Viking warrior, makes the whole ‘brain-off’ thing a challenge. The action is ludicrously over-the-top, selectively applying physics and realism only when it’s dramatically convenient and ignoring them completely for the next impossible stunt.

The second story, however, is the clear standout. Bookended by only a few lines of dialogue, it tells a compelling tale of two brothers relying purely on environmental storytelling, sharp character expressions, and brutal, slick action. The third segment falls into more familiar, cliche territory but is still a fun ride, complete with a perfectly timed "Ah shit, here we go again" moment that lands exactly as it should.

Each of the Predators has a distinctive design and hunting style which is great to see, though a couple of them are handed the idiot-ball just to move the plot along. The animation itself is solid, carrying some genuinely cool and well-choreographed fight sequences.

Make sure you stick around for the finale, as it’s a huge deal for franchise fans and really builds on the lore, especially if you watch the version with the extended ending scene.