Predator: Killer of Killers Movie Review

Released: 6th June 2025 (Disney+)

Length: 90 Minutes

Certificate: 18

Director: Dan Trachtenburg

Starring: Lindsay Lavanchy, Lauren Hoult, Doug Cockle, Louis Ozawa Changchien, Rick Gonzalez and Michael Biehn

After many years of stagnation, the Predator returned to prominence with 2022’s Prey; thanks to inspired ideas and going back to basics, it successfully triggered a wider resurgence. Before a big screen follow-up in November, we’re getting a set of side-stories with Predator: Killer of Killers. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable effort that embraces the wider history of the series.

Building on the foundations of Predator 2 and Prey, this animated outing takes us to three different time periods as the titular aliens challenge humans throughout history. Each small thread is around twenty minutes each as we’re taken to the frozen wastes of Norway, the hills of feudal Japan and the US air force in World War Two. Each follows an individual character who comes face-to-face with the monster from the old war maiden Ursa (voiced by Lindsay LaVanchy) to the young mechanic Torres (Rick Gonzalez). All of them struggle to come out on top as their stories are gradually woven together. At ninety minutes in total, the three tales are delivered well with just enough material to get you invested in the main leads. Looking beyond that, Killer of Killers marks the biggest expansion to the wider world since Predator 2; without giving anything away, the final act reveals so much about the Yautja, their hunter culture and how they operate. Simultaneously, it also plants some seeds that are sure to be expanded in future entries. There’s no doubt that director Dan Trachtenberg and his team have a solid roadmap ahead and fans will be very excited to see how it pans out.

The voice cast is very small and every actor embodies their role, fleshing out their individual backstories. Ursa’s violent past fuels her quest for vengeance and Kenji and Kyoshi (both voiced by Louis Ozawa Changchien) convey so much without dialogue. When we inch forward into more modern times, Torres stands out as the only weak link. He is well voiced by Rick Gonzalez, but his dialogue has a more clichéd carefree bend that doesn’t really fit the story. He’s much less of a warrior and more of a useful resource that comes into play at the climax, though his aspirations of being a pilot are well presented. Michael Biehn also lends his voice, but his role is too brief to make an impact. If this entry does get a sequel, the side characters could be expanded further.

The stylised action of Killer of Killers comes to life with some beautiful animation; the frame rate may take some time to get used to, but the art style and wider presentation are both superb. The Predator designs look awesome, taking different shapes and sizes with each time period; in the same way the lore expands, their tools and weaponry also evolve throughout the film. In turn, this leads to a range of intense set pieces which all use a common formula. The Predators observe great warriors in action before joining the fray themselves. Vikings battle in a village, two brothers trade blows in a Samurai castle and Spitfires enter a dogfight over the Atlantic; all of it is incredibly brutal, showing off the ferocity of both man and monster. Some forms of combat haven’t been seen in the franchise before, though you will have to suspend your disbelief for the latter. The music combines older themes with notes from each setting; it always provides a strong backdrop.

Predator: Killer of Killers is a case of going further and wider on many fronts. It drastically expands the lore and sets the franchise up for even more development. Not every piece lands successfully, but this small-scale production will be a fine trophy for the fanbase.

Rating: 4/5 Stars (Great)