The Predator franchise is one of the smaller series compared to some other modern action, or horror franchises but still manages to stand on its own in terms of being recognizable and unique. Especially considering the fact that the series has some of the coolest creature characters ever, being the infamous 'Predators' themselves.
The franchise started off at a high but has gradually been losing steam, but that was until the recent release of Prey. The film has been met with a ton of praise and the wide majority of audiences and predator fans seem to love it. In the light of Prey's new release, let's see how it compares to the rest of the franchise according to their ratings on IMDB.
The Predator (2018) - 5.3/10
The Predator tells the story of a group of PTSD-afflicted soldiers, along with a scientist that has to band together in order to save the son (Jacob Tremblay) of one of the soldiers (Boyd Holbrook) as well as stop the evil plans of a pair of Predators that has made their way to earth. The film was directed by Shane Black, known for directing a couple of great action films like The Nice Guys (2016) and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) as well as actually starring in the original Predator. Although he has a promising track record, this film is a deficient addition to this franchise, being a very offensive and poorly made film.
The reason this film sits at the bottom spot of this list is that is often regarded as the worst Predator film because of its nonsensical story and boring tone. However, the main problem with the film is its awful portrayal of a range of differently-abled people. The film treats these people's disabilities as a joke and most of the time they are used to fuel the plot or strike a moment of comedy instead of being properly developed characters.
Predator 2 (1990) - 6.3/10
The second predator film tells the story of one of the alien creatures that finds its way into the gang-infested concrete jungle of Los Angeles. The film follows a witty police officer who investigates the peculiar crime scenes caused by the predator's antics.
Despite having some really satisfying moments, Predator 2 is probably the most forgettable out of the whole franchise. It doesn't really have much going for it in terms of tone, plot and engagement, as all it is, is a typical 90s cop flick with a little spice of alien action. The film also suffers from the inability to live up to the original, and kind of sits in its shadow being the direct sequel to the one everybody knows and loves.
Predators (2010) - 6.4/10
Predators is the third film in the franchise, coming out exactly 20 years after the second. As this film is somewhat of a reboot, it tells a pretty similar story to the first film and doesn't fail to reference and call back to it. The film follows a group of bandits that are mysteriously placed on an alien planet, and have to fight to survive as once hunters, are now being hunted. The film replicates the first by taking place in a dense jungle, and following a crew of mostly soldiers.
Despite trying to ride on the success of the original, the film does have a few things holding it back, such as the very bland characters and muddled plot. There are also a number of offensive aspects within the movie that certainly don't hold up. However, compared to the previous films on the list, this one still shines in having some pretty cool visuals and great designs for the new roster of predators.
Prey (2022) - 7.2/10
Although Prey is the newest film within the Predator franchise, it's quite literally the best addition since the original. The film feels very much like its own thing as it deviates quite a lot from the typical 'Predator' style. The film takes place far in the past in 1719 and follows a girl from a Native American Comanche tribe who attempts to track down a mysterious beast that has been leaving an unrecognizable trail. But of course, the unknown creature she's stalking turns out to be a predator.
A big part of the film's success is its unique setting, were used to seeing jungles and streets in predator films but the setting of a wide prairie landscape whilst following a Native American tribe is very interesting. Pairing a highly technological threat against an indigenous hunter made for an exciting dynamic. For anybody that is going to check it out, it's worth noting to watch it in the Comanche dub for a more authentic experience.
Predator (1987) - 7.8/10
It makes perfect sense that the original Predator is the one held in the highest regard, being the one that started it all. This film kicked off the franchise as a fun action flick about a military rescue team on a mission in a Central American jungle that discovers that they are being hunted down by a deadly predator.
This film works really well as a blend of multiple genres, it's an entertaining action, with fun and comedic characters, and even at points a thrilling horror film. The film has some great action scenes paired together with some amazing practical gore and creature effects. All in all the film is a highly satisfying adventure that fans of action and horror alike can enjoy.