All ‘Predator' movies ranked from best to worst
Here's the truth about the 'Predator' series: It's wildly inconsistent. The highs are pretty darn high, but some of the lows are pitiful. While I'm significantly more partial to its (friendly) rival, the 'Alien' franchise, I still have a soft spot for all things 'Predator.' So, after watching the franchise in its entirety several times over the years, I'm here to rank every single movie from best to worst.
With the latest installment in the franchise, 'Predator: Killer of Killers,' landing on Hulu this week (Friday, June 6), now is the perfect time to return to the series and make a definitive call on where each one falls in the ranking.
Here are all the 'Predator' movies ranked from the highs of 2022's phenomenal 'Prey' to the crushing lows of 2018's painfully poor 'The Predator.'
I don't say this lightly, but 'The Predator' is offensively bad. That's not a hyperbolic statement; I was actually offended by this movie. I can't get into its biggest sin without spoilers, but beyond its jaw-droppingly insulting climax, 'The Predator' is just wretched in almost every way.
The biggest disappointment is that, on paper, there were promising signs. Shane Black returns to the franchise in the director's chair this time, after a supporting role in the original, and it was touted pre-release as the start of a new era for the 'Predator' franchise.
The 2018 flop has all the signs of intense studio meddling with a chopped-up narrative, erratic pacing and a bizarre ending (the final scene was reportedly altered last minute to remove an 'Alien' reference).
The especially poor CGI and the highly unlikely cast of characters are just the rotten cherry on top of this hugely underbaked cake. It's a straight-up disaster.
Watch "The Predator" on Hulu now (if you must!)
I've never been wholly sold on 'Alien vs. Predator' as a concept.
Granted, I'm pretty biased as 'Alien' is my favorite film franchise of all time, but the former has genuine sci-fi prestige, and while I have a fondness for 'Predator,' I'm well aware it's a little more shlocky in tone. In my opinion, the two series are better separated.
Still, at least the first 'Alien vs. Predator' has its moments (but we'll get to that), whereas the truly terrible 'Requiem' very much doesn't. It plays out with all the grace of a young child smashing two action figures together, and don't get me started on the abomination that is the 'Predalien,' a Predator/Xenomorph hybrid that proves to be as dumb in practice as it sounds on paper.
The lighting is also so dark that figuring out what is happening half the time is a real struggle, but considering 'Requiem' is a front-to-back mess, perhaps that's a saving grace.
Watch "Alien vs. Predator: Requiem" on Hulu now
'Predator 2' was met with unfavorable reviews upon release in 1990, but over time, its reputation has improved, and it now stands as something of a cult favorite. Still, I rank it pretty low overall, with its central setting being one of my biggest points of criticism.
Switching from the jungles of Central America to sunny, urban Los Angeles, 'Predator 2' is a bit of a mismatch. It almost feels like two different movies stitched together as the eponymous hunter finds himself in the middle of a turf war between two rival drug cartels.
Danny Glover's leading performance as an LAPD officer has been much praised over the years, and his compelling character is the standout reason to give 'Predator 2' a chance. Still, this first sequel is one for franchise completionists rather than essential viewing.
Watch "Predator 2" on Hulu now
'Alien vs. Predator' was a long-requested flick following the two titans of the sci-fi landscape first facing off in comic book form in the '90s. The big-screen result was less impressive than the concept sounds in theory, but it's still got a few memorable scenes.
Perhaps, I'm overly kind to this movie. It served as my introduction to both 'Alien' and 'Predator' in my youth, so I guess you could say I have a liking for the first 'AVP.' I can acknowledge that the characters are thinly-sketched and the decision to turn the 'Predator' into ostensibly the hero of the piece feels ill-judged.
But putting all its many flaws aside, when the Predators start squaring off against a pack of ferocious Xenomorphs, it's undeniably novel. That is when you can actually make out what is happening on screen; several action scenes are poorly constructed and hard to decipher.
Watch "Alien vs. Predator" on Hulu now
2010's 'Predators' is the point where I can start recommending movies in the franchise without a lengthy string of caveats. This attempted reboot of the franchise is pretty underrated in my eyes.
It kicks off with a bang as Adrien Brody's Royce literally falls into unfamiliar territory, and from there, it's a cat-and-mouse game against the universe's most lethal hunter.
The cast list is also pleasantly stacked with Walton Goggins, Laurence Fishburne and Danny Trejo in supporting roles (and Topher Grace ...), and I like the way it takes a group of harder mercs and throws them into a situation where their bravado falls away to real fear.
The action is also some of the franchise's best to date, and things build to a suitably bombastic finale. It does have some of the less savory hallmarks of 2010s action sci-fi, but 'Predators' is a franchise reboot that manages to both honor the original and stay relatively fresh.
Watch "Predators" on Hulu now
It's hard to argue against the original 'Predator.' Obviously, as the franchise starter, it has the benefit of setting the standard and introducing us to a sci-fi creation that has become hugely iconic, but it's also a beefed-up '80s action movie with enough brains to supplement its hefty brawl.
Arnold Schwarzenegger's Dutch is one of the genre's great action heroes, and there are plenty of iconic moments and lines ('If it bleeds, we can kill it' remains just as badass as ever). Its sweltering setting of a Central American jungle adds a great deal to the sense of unease, and the characters, while not super memorable beyond Dutch, at least fit the tone.
'Predator' is also smartly restrained, giving us enough of the creature to be intrigued but not so much that it loses its fear-factor (later sequels would go overboard in this regard). It's a sci-fi classic for good reason, and for a long time, I thought it would never be topped.
Watch "Predator" on Hulu now
'Prey' absolutely blew me away. I didn't have the highest of expectations when it was announced due to the low quality of most 'Predator' movies after the original, but director Dan Trachtenberg delivered an action-horror that truly unlocks the hunter's potential.
The period setting proves to be a stroke of genius, and the showdown between a young Comanche warrior (Amber Midthunder) and the single Predator is spine-tinglingly awesome. The setup is simple: An aspiring Native American hunter gets more than she bargained for when she becomes the prey for the universe's most deadly killer. But it's this simplicity that makes the movie so engaging. Its singular focus is sharp and intense.
The movie is also available in a full Comanche language dub, which adds extra authenticity and is the best way to experience this showdown between two highly-skilled forces of nature.
While 'Prey' is more restrained than other 'Predator' movies, that works in its favor, and the build-up to the finale only makes the end results all the more impactful.
Watch "Prey" on Hulu now
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