'Predator: Killer of Killers' Review: The Yautja Anthology We Need
The Predator franchise has had its ups and downs over the decades. The first movie was the embodiment of 80s action films that still hold in high regard for film fans—snobby or not. Recently, the story of humans versus the perfect hunter has experienced a resurgence, thanks to Dan Trachtenberg's Prey . The director is knee-deep in production on his highly anticipated next installment in the Predator series. Still, he decided to take a little detour with the animated movie Predator: Killer of Killers .
Thankfully, Trachtenberg continues to prove that he understands what works for these blood-soaked movies and even opens the door to new possibilities.
Predator: Killer of Killers unites Trachtenberg with visual artist Joshua Wassung in bringing the Yautja into the world of animation. The anthology story written by Micho Robert Rutare pits three different individuals from three different eras against the hunters. The first story, called 'The Shield,' is set in the Viking era, where a Viking raider guides her son on a blood-filled quest for revenge. Story two, titled 'The Sword,' features a ninja in feudal Japan who challenges his samurai brother in combat for control of their kingdom. Lastly, the final story, named 'The Bullet,' features a young World War II pilot trying to make sense of unexplained events in the sky.
One of the strongest aspects of Predator: Killer of Killers is its compelling story.
Most of the Predator movies are straightforward in their portrayal of survival and the kill-or-be-killed mentality. Rutare does something a bit different with Predator: Killer of Killers by adding layers to the story. The writer develops the themes of revenge, family, and identity to give the movie a more nuanced feel. Rutare uses 'The Shield' to depict the idea of revenge being a fiery and destructive force not only for the receiver but also for the one who dishes it out.
That notion allows the film to remain engaging throughout and helps converge all three stories into the third act intriguingly. The Yautja have been depicted in comics and other media as hunting people across various points in history. Predator: Killer of Killers takes that idea and uses it in ways that have not been explored in this medium. The hunters use the human victors, which allows certain characters to have a longer impact in the franchise. The film even takes it to the point where a character from past films makes a shocking appearance.
It honestly left my jaw on the floor during the last fifteen seconds of the film.
The combination of Trachtenberg's directing and Wassung's visual eye is the perfect mixture for Predator: Killer of Killers . The film employs specific colors, such as red, orange, and blue, to make each story stand out in its own way. A beautiful example of this is in the 'The Shield' story, where a wall of fire engulfs the background. It symbolizes the growing hatred in the Viking raider that would define her, and was truly astounding to see. Even the use of red in 'The Sword' is striking on-screen and lends the setting a truly artistic look.
The only complaint I would have with the movie is the 'The Bullet' story. The previous tales gave me a lot from the characters' arcs, but I believe the last story could've used a little more. The film shows a little bit of Torre's life, voiced by Rick Gonzalez, before setting him on his path against the alien hunter. This section of the movie could have benefited from a bit more background and motivation to connect with the character truly. It's not a massive hiccup in the film; however, it felt rushed to get Predator: Killer of Killers into the Third Act.
Fans of the Predator franchise, including myself, have been pining for a film where the alien game hunters battle humans at different points in time. Trachtenberg and Wassung have given that to use in Predator: Killer of Killers and did a damn excellent job. The director gets the material and understands what makes this franchise so entertaining. I think the Predator world is in good hands, and hopefully, we'll get the Alien VS. Predator movie we deserve. Grade: A
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
15 minutes ago
- Associated Press
U.S. Postal Service Issues Latest U.S. Flag Stamp
THREE OAKS, Mich., June 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Postal Service dedicated a new U.S. Flag stamp at a ceremony at the Vickers Theater in Three Oaks. 'An enduring emblem of freedom, national unity and patriotic spirit, the flag of the United States has flown proudly stateside, abroad and even on the surface of the moon,' said Donald Dombrow Jr., the Postal Service's Michigan 2 District manager, who spoke at the ceremony. Other speakers included photographer Doug Haight, whose artwork is featured on the stamp. The current American flag consists of 13 alternating horizontal stripes — seven red and six white — and 50 stars on a field of blue. The stripes represent the 13 Colonies that declared independence from Great Britain to become the nation's first states. The stars represent the present number of states. The stamp features an image of Old Glory, fluttering in a breeze, against a bright white background. The words 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA' are rendered in blue type above a horizontal red stripe. 'FOREVER/USA' appears along the bottom of the stamp in gray lettering. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp, which will be issued in booklets and panes of 20, and coils of 100, 3,000 and 10,000. As Forever stamps, they will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price. News of the stamps is being shared on social media with the hashtag #USFlagStamps. Postal Products Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon. Additional information on stamps, dedication ceremonies and stamp-inspired products can be found at Please Note: The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to nearly 169 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America, to modernize the postal network, restore long-term financial sustainability, dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories, and maintain the organization as one of America's most valued and trusted brands. The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. For USPS media resources, including broadcast-quality video and audio and photo stills, visit the USPS Newsroom. Follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter; Facebook; Instagram; Pinterest; Threads; and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the USPS YouTube Channel. For more information about the Postal Service, visit and National contact: Leisha Palmore-Drummond [email protected] Local contact: Elizabeth Najduch [email protected] View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE U.S. Postal Service
Forbes
42 minutes ago
- Forbes
Al Pacino Horror Movie ‘The Ritual' Splattered With 6% Critics Score
Al Pacino at the 96th Annual Oscars held at Dolby Theatre on March 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, ... More California. (Photo by Rich Polk/Variety via Getty Images) Oscar-winning actor Al Pacino is getting no love from Rotten Tomatoes critics for his new horror movie The Ritual. Pacino, of course, is the legendary star of such films as Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather Trilogy, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Scarface and Heat. Recently, Pacino — who has been nominated for nine Oscars and won for Best Actor for the 1992 drama Scent of a Woman — has recently starred in such acclaimed films as Martin Scorese's The Irishman and Ridley Scott's House of Gucci. Pacino's The Ritual — which opened in theaters on Friday — has critics not raving, but ripping the celebrated actor's exorcism film. The official summary for the film reads, 'The Ritual is based on the true story of Emma Schmidt's 1928 exorcism — one of the most terrifying in U.S. history. 'After years of disturbing behavior, she underwent a week-long ordeal in an Iowa convent led by Father Theophilus Riesinger (Pacino). Witnesses reported levitation, unearthly voices, and supernatural strength. Sanctioned by the Church, her case inspired decades of horror — and now, The Ritual brings the original story to life.' The Ritual also stars Dan Stevens, Ashley Greene, Patrick Fabian and Patricia Heaton. As of Saturday morning, Rotten Tomatoes critics have collectively given The Ritual a lowly 6% 'rotten' score based on 48 reviews. The RT Critics Consensus for The Ritual reads, 'The Ritual purportedly presents a real occult occurrence, but the most blasphemous thing about it may be wasting Al Pacino's talents on a clichéd story with uninspired execution.' Dennis Harvey of Variety is among the top critics on RT who gives The Ritual a 'Rotten' review, writing, 'It just isn't much fun, even as it lacks the gravitas needed to make a more deeply unsetting impression, as William Friedkin famously managed with The Exorcist 52 years ago,' while Glenn Kenney of the New York Times simply notes, 'Just watch The Exorcist again.' In addition, the Guardian's Leslie Felperin's 'rotten' RT summary reads, '[Al] Pacino doesn't seem to be taking any of it seriously as he phones in an uncharacteristically low-volume performance.' Meagan Navarro of the horror film site Bloody Disgusting also fails to find any thrills and chills in her RT summary, writing, 'The 'based on a true story' horror movie fails to evoke any emotion as it sleepwalks through a tired recreation of an exorcism movie's third act, committing the ultimate cardinal sin in cinema: it's boring.' The only 'fresh' review from RT's top critics comes from Thelma Adams of AARP Movies for Grown-Ups, who writes, 'There is much faith testing and holy water slinging, but not a single jump scare. Still, [Al] Pacino is oddly compelling to watch.' The Ritual, starring Al Pacino, is now playing in in theaters.
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
‘American Pie' star Jason Biggs admits digging through trash for cocaine during drug addiction
"American Pie" actor Jason Biggs is pulling back the curtain on the darkest days of his drug addiction—and the harrowing lengths he went to feed it. Biggs, now 47, revealed a startling glimpse into his past, as he opened up about his struggle with substance abuse in his 20s. At the height of his fame and addiction, Biggs admitted he once rummaged through his trash can just to get one more hit of cocaine. "Being 22 with money in the bank and coke in my pocket and no one saying no to me," Biggs shared on the "Well with Arielle Lorre," podcast earlier this week. "I lived in the gray area, but I have 'snorting dust off the floor' stories or similar to that," he recalled. "One of my craziest stories was, I was doing cocaine by myself in my house, and I did what I said was the last line." Bigg's candid confession shared how deep his addiction had taken hold. Alone in his house and desperate to extend the high, Biggs said what he thought would be his "last line" of cocaine quickly turned into something far more disturbing. The "Orange is the New Black" actor remembered it was 4 a.m. and his wife, Jenny Mollen, was asleep. While Biggs was restless, he attempted to stop himself from doing more drugs by throwing the cocaine into the trash can. "Within 15 minutes, as soon as my last bump is wearing off, I'm like, what am I doing? I go into my trash, and I take it out and I do a line." But the spiral didn't end there. "Before I took the Ambien, I was like, 'One more,'" Biggs continued. "I went outside and I climbed into the trash bin and got the bag of coke and went upstairs and did another line. I was like, 'What the f— am I doing? This is absolutely insane.'" In March 2024, Biggs opened up about his battle with alcoholism. "I'm going to therapy and 'working on things', but meanwhile, I'm leaving therapy, having just had a good session, and I'm going to the liquor store and buying a fifth of vodka, drinking it and then driving home," he shared on his wife Jenny Mollen's podcast. Biggs confessed at the time that he had hidden his alcoholism from his wife, but she had never noticed it. "I had it figured out to a T — to not get too drunk where I couldn't have a conversation with you," he remarked. The couple got married in 2008 and share two sons, Sid and Lazlo. In 2018, Biggs took to Instagram to share his sobriety journey. "I first tried to get sober over 5 years ago, when the weight of my obsession with booze and drugs became too heavy for me to handle. Turns out this s--- is hard. After some fits and starts, I've managed to put together one year of sobriety. I'm as proud of it as anything in my life. If you're struggling, know there's help. Don't be ashamed. We can do this."
