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In Scandinavia in 841 AD, Viking warrior Ursa (Lindsay LaVanchy) leads an expedition to destroy the rival Krivich clan to avenge the murder of her father. Accompanying Ursa is her son, Anders (Damien Haas), whom she is determined to protect. However, after the battle, a towering Predator warrior ambushes Ursa's group, sparking a desperate fight for survival. Hundreds of years later, in feudal Japan, a wandering shenobi named Kenji (Louis Ozawa) returns to his former home to face his brother, Kiyoshi (also voiced by Ozawa), after the death of their warlord father. A Predator also interrupts this conflict, with Kenji soon fighting for his life against the alien warrior. The third and final story takes place in the 1940s, when young mechanic Torres (Rick Gonzalez) is forced to leave his Florida home to fight for the United States during World War II. His squadron encounters a Predator spacecraft above the Atlantic Ocean, which is far more technologically advanced than the U.S. Navy fighter planes. The Predators abduct the survivor of each conflict as they search for a worthy opponent to face a Warlord Predator in an offworld arena.
Predator: Killer of Killers clocks in at a scant 86 minutes and consists of four sections as the movie introduces each primary character before placing them together in the arena on the Predator homeworld. With little time to waste, the segments dive straight into the nitty-gritty, efficiently developing the characters before a vicious Predator behemoth enters the equation, leading to a violent showdown. Showing the Predators in distinctly different environments and time periods gives the feature some much-appreciated variety, particularly with the third segment showing a Predator attacking planes amid a World War II dogfight. The production's anthology nature means there is no central protagonist, nor is there enough time to develop each character in a substantial way with meaningful arcs. However, the movie allows them sufficient development to ensure investment, with Ursa trying to protect her son, Kenji facing his brother in combat, and Torres working as a mechanic before being drafted into the U.S. Navy. It simply works.
The decision to execute Predator: Killer of Killers as an animated movie may seem unusual at first, but Trachtenberg and Wassung justify the approach with appropriately stylised, unique visuals. Motion is jerky at times, but the striking painterly quality of the animation ensures that every frame looks gorgeous. Additionally, whereas budget animation typically appears constrained, the deliberate stylisation here is a tremendous asset because it does not merely resemble a failed, cheap attempt at photorealistic animation. Another strength is the sense of authenticity for each era, down to the wise decision to allow Vikings to speak in Old Norse and the samurai to speak in Japanese. Those who dislike reading subtitles might take issue with this, but the creative decision benefits the movie because it makes it easier to believe the characters are real. Accompanying the animation is the thrilling score by Benjamin Wallfisch (Alien: Romulus), which also incorporates recognisable motifs from Alan Silvestri's original Predator score to terrific effect.
Even though Predator: Killer of Killers is an animated movie, it is not suitable for children. Trachtenberg and Wassung maintain the franchise's R-rated edge, filling the picture with visceral, hard-hitting violence and never pulling any punches. The set pieces also show tremendous creativity, with Predators using their era-specific arsenal to kill and maim victims or bring down planes. Additionally, the animators demonstrate an impressive range of fight choreography, varying according to the combatants, with the Vikings appearing brutal and simplistic, while the samurai move with more grace. Cinematography is dynamic and imaginative, consistently moving around the characters throughout the action set pieces while ensuring that everything remains comprehensible and coherent. Particularly awe-inspiring is the aerial set piece that pits a heavily armed Predator ship against WWII fighter planes, during which the virtual camera swirls around to capture the action. Additionally, the characters do not rely solely on strength to defeat the Predators, as circumstances force them to adopt a more thoughtful approach.
Voice performances are strong all around, with the production understandably opting for lesser-known names who give enthusiastic life to their respective characters. The biggest name here is Michael Biehn, who plays a fighter pilot named Vandy with grizzled gravitas. Plus, with Biehn's participation here, the actor is now part of a rare club of those who have featured in the three big sci-fi franchises: Terminator, Alien, and now Predator. The resurrection of the Predator franchise after the dismal critical and financial failure of 2018's The Predator is as unexpected as it is encouraging. Indeed, Predator: Killer of Killers is a welcome course correction, further expanding the lore and leaving room for sequels to bring back any returning characters from the franchise, from Arnold Schwarzenegger's Dutch Schaefer to Danny Glover's Mike Harrigan. The only thing remotely unsatisfying about Killer of Killers is the open-ended ending, as the story closes on a cliffhanger to whet appetites for the next instalment. Nevertheless, the movie gets far more right than wrong, respectfully continuing the series with renewed creative vigour. The sequel cannot come soon enough.
8.3/10
