Just got done watching Predator: Killer of Killers on Hulu, and man, what a wild ride! This animated anthology, directed by Dan Trachtenberg and Joshua Wassung, throws the Yautja hunters into three different historical eras with all the bloody, action-packed chaos you’d expect from the Predator franchise. It’s not perfect, but if you’re into the series’ mix of gore and clever combat, this one’s a total blast. Here’s my take on why it mostly slays.
The Setup: Three Warriors, Three Eras, One Predator Problem
The movie’s split into three stories, each pitting a tough human warrior against a Predator in a different time period. “The Shield” is set in Viking-era Scandinavia around 841 AD, where Ursa (voiced by Lindsay LaVanchy) and her son Anders hunt a tyrant who killed her dad. “The Sword” jumps to feudal Japan, following ninja Kenji (Louis Ozawa) in a brutal sibling rivalry that gets crashed by a sneaky Yautja. Then, “The Bullet” lands in World War II, with scrappy pilot Torres (Rick Gonzalez) facing a Predator in a dogfight over the Atlantic. These stories tie together in a crazy final act that I won’t spoil too much.
The anthology format is awesome, letting us see Predators wreak havoc across history. Each segment has its own vibe—Viking brutality, ninja stealth, and aerial chaos—and the way they connect at the end is surprisingly clever. That said, the stories are pretty straightforward, leaning hard on action over deep character development. If you’re here for the Predator formula (humans vs. alien hunter mayhem), you’re golden, but don’t expect a super complex plot.
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The Action: Bloody, Brutal, and So Much Fun
The action is where Killer of Killers really delivers. Each segment has over-the-top, gory set pieces that had me glued to the screen. The Viking part is a standout—Ursa gets creative with shields, and the Predator’s sonic cannon arm is just wild. “The Sword” is almost dialogue-free, with a ninja vs. samurai vs. Predator fight on castle rooftops that’s like a bloody dance. “The Bullet” takes a bit to rev up, but once Torres is dodging alien harpoons in the sky, it’s pure adrenaline. The action’s been compared to Blue Eye Samurai for its fast, brutal style, and I totally see why—it’s intense and gorgeous.
The animation, handled by The Third Floor using Unreal Engine, mixes 3D depth with 2D textures, giving it a painterly feel like Arcane or Spider-Verse. It’s not always perfect—some low-frame-rate moments look a bit choppy—but the blood-soaked visuals and creative choreography make up for it. We’re talking heads flying, limbs chopped, and green alien blood everywhere. This is a hard R-rated cartoon, and it fully embraces the gore, which I was all about, though it might be too intense for some.
The Characters: Cool but Not Too Deep
The human leads—Ursa, Kenji, and Torres—are all awesome in their own way, but they’re more archetypes than super fleshed-out characters. Ursa’s a fierce mama bear, Kenji’s a conflicted ninja, and Torres is a cocky underdog. The voice acting is great (Lindsay LaVanchy and Louis Ozawa especially stand out), but the short runtime means we don’t get too attached. The Predators, though, steal the show. Each one’s got a unique flavor—a beefy brawler, a stealthy shinobi-killer, and a space-pirate pilot with a cybernetic eyepatch. They’re legit terrifying, and I was geeking out over their new weapons.
The final act pulls the humans together in a way that’s epic and a little ridiculous. Without spoiling, it gets very sci-fi and leans into teamwork themes that are a bit basic but still work. There’s also a nod to Prey’s Naru at the end that had me grinning like a total nerd. The ending might feel a bit chaotic for some, but I thought it was a bold way to wrap things up.
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The Vibe: A Love Letter to Predator Fans
Dan Trachtenberg, who knocked it out of the park with Prey, clearly knows what makes Predator tick: it’s all about hunters vs. the ultimate hunter, with a side of insane violence. This movie feels like a treat for fans, packed with nods to the lore (like the Yautja codex) and fresh ideas, like Predators hunting in different eras. The animation lets them go nuts with stuff that’d cost a fortune in live-action, like spaceships and giant alien beasts. That said, the story’s more about cool moments than a deep narrative, which might leave some wanting more.
The visuals are a huge win, with foggy Viking fjords, shadowy Japanese castles, and blazing WWII skies. The soundtrack’s pulsing, and the sound design—especially the Predator’s growls—gave me chills. My main gripes are the pacing and animation. The first half of each segment spends a lot of time on setup, which can drag, and the final act rushes to tie everything together, making it feel a bit hectic. Also, the “watercolor” animation style can blur details, which bugged me a bit.
Final Thoughts: A Must-Watch for Predator Fans
Predator: Killer of Killers is a bloody, stylish blast that proves the franchise still has plenty of fight left. It’s not as tight as Prey, and the simple stories and occasional animation hiccups keep it from being a classic. But the action’s insane, the Predators are terrifying, and the anthology format is a fresh spin. If you love Predator or just want a quick, violent animated flick, stream it on Hulu now (dropped June 6, 2025). I’m already pumped for Badlands in November.
My Rating: 4/5
It’s a gnarly, action-packed love letter to Predator fans, with killer fights and a cool anthology vibe, even if the story’s a bit light. Get ready to cheer for the carnage!