With Prey releasing and delivering one of Hulu’s biggest hits of all time, many fans are happy to see the sci-fi horror franchise starring the titular and brutal Yautja Hunters return, but just how great is- this scary compared to the rest? Predator movies have always been a mix of several genres, but at their core they are horror movies.
Starting with Predator and expanding with Prey, which makes seven films in this series, including the crossover films. Some films in the Predator franchise have continued to retain horror elements, while others have more or less leaned more and more down the action-packed blockbuster route.
seven The Predator (2018)
There’s nothing scary about 2018 The predator, a film that was heavily edited and remade by the studio. It is because of The predator removing all the horror elements the franchise had from the start and replacing them with unnecessary humor.
So, from start to finish, The predator may have the blood and gore that earns it an R rating, but the tone and style make it closer to dead Pool one Predator film. Each character in The predator feels and acts like a Hawkins analogue from the first Predator, and the humor wears off after the first fifteen minutes.
6 Alien vs. Predator (2004)
It’s odd that two of the most iconic R-rated monster movies in movie history had a crossover film that resorted to a PG-13 rating when the many Aliens vs Predator games and comics have fully embraced maturity. That, combined with the fact that it was more of an action movie, resulted in Alien vs. Predator being a watered down version of the two horror icons.
However, this does not exactly mean that AVP is without merit. The titular Aliens and Predators both played with fun action sequences, but the lack of bloodshed with humans is disappointing. There are also many attempts to create a spooky atmosphere with the impressive sets and murders, even if the film ends up being a popcorn movie at the end.
5 Alien vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
It looks like 20th Century Studios has listened to complaints about AVP being PG-13, so the horror was increased for the sequel titled Alien vs. Predator: Requiem. It certainly delivers on the horror aspects with a plethora of gory, bloody kills for aliens, predators, and humans alike.
On the one hand, it’s technically more horrible, but on the other, AVP: R probably goes a little too far in some sequences to the point that it seems tasteless. In addition to all that, Alien vs. Predator: Requiem would have been scarier if viewers could actually see the sci-fi horror; the sadly poor lighting with forgettable characters makes the whole of the second and third acts impossible to watch.
4 Predator 2 (1990)
The immediate sequel to Predator took a very different direction and was more thriller than action-horror like the original. There are plenty of gruesome scenes with the new City Hunter offering more candy carnage compared to his Jungle Hunter counterpart.
This hunter even plays a twisted game of cat and mouse with Mike Harrigan, one of the best characters in Predator franchise. However, the majority of Predator 2 is more of a tense thriller with a procedural detective story and lots of dark humor mixed in.
3 Predators (2010)
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Returning to the roots of the franchise, Predators returned to the gritty action-horror style of the original film. This time, fans were introduced to the Super Predators, who were even more vicious than the Yautja Hunter fans were used to.
Instead of a group of loyal soldiers who are friends, the characters are all murderers of some sort. Not only are they killed in gruesome ways, but they are capable of providing more brutal methods to kill predators. Combined with elements like the alien dogs and multiple Predators instead of one, Predators is closer to the original but even more action-packed.
2 Predator (1987)
The original Predator, which still holds up today, is undoubtedly an action movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutchman delivering plenty of one-liners and explosions in the first act. However, once the Predator becomes the main antagonist, Predator evolves into a survival horror with the titular monster overtaking Dutch’s team.
The kills are brutal and the mysterious Jungle Hunter is a truly menacing villain. When Dutch is on his own and has to fight this alien monster, he embraces the horror even more, allowing Predator to cement itself as a near-perfect blend of genres.
1 Prey (2022)
The most recent Predator movie is another homecoming while embracing something new. Where most Predator movies take a more traditional action movie style, Prey embraces suspenseful survival horror. This is due to focusing on a Comanche tribe in the 18th century without access to powerful firearms.
Main character Naru has access to at most a tomahawk, a bow, and a flintlock pistol. The vicious and advanced Feral Hunter in a more primitive era makes the Predator a much scarier villain since very little can hurt him; especially when equipped with brutal weapons that slaughter humans in seconds. This makes Prey the most gruesome film in the franchise.
