Here’s the thing. If you’re excited about upcoming sci-fi flicks, then you have a lot to look forward to, including movies about aliens, and movies about predators.
As an old-school fan who mostly likes the “classics,” I think it’s safe to say that a majority of people would agree that the Alien series is a better franchise than the Predator series. In fact, in our list of the 35 best sci-fi movies of all time, two Alien movies made the list. Do you want to know how many Predator movies made the list? ZERO.
That said, even though I’d probably slot certain Alien movies higher than the where I’d rank the Predator movies when it comes to overall quality, I still prefer the latter when all is said and done. Here’s why.
First Off, The Predator Series Is More Fun Than The Alien Series
You know a word I would never associate with the Alien franchise? Fun. I mean, even the Alien vs. Predator movies, which were supposed to be more action-packed than the base Alien films, still felt too dark for my liking. Compare it to something like 2003’s Freddy vs. Jason, which was deliberately silly, and I think you can see where I’m coming from. In every way, the Alien series is not known for being enjoyable. Tense? yes. Scary? You betcha. Fun? Nope!
And, it’s not supposed to be! The funny thing about the first two Alien films, is that not only did they make our list of the best sci-fi films. They also made our best horror movies list! In every way, the fear factor runs deep in the Alien series’ DNA, as all of the movies are supposed to make you feel uncomfortable.
Not so with the Predator series, which has always been kind of camp. Arnold Schwarzenegger is no Sigourney Weaver, and a majority of his acting in the first film was one part muscles, and two parts catchphrases (“Get to the choppa!”).
And, that’s the thing, all of the Predator movies (well, save for the abysmal Alien vs. Predator: Requiem) are meant to be fun action flicks.
Now, granted, some of them are more fun than others (I personally love Predator 2, Prey, and of course the 1987 original), but I find all of them to be way more enjoyable than the Alien series, and that’s saying something, given how good most of the Alien movies are.
They Also Have A Lot Less To Live Up To, Meaning They Can Take More Creative Risks
I mentioned earlier how Alien and Aliens are two of the greatest sci-fi/horror movies of all time, and that’s a lot to live up to! So much so that when the most recent Alien movie, 2024’s Alien: Romulus came out (which we called the third best Alien movie in our review), one thing that some people liked about it was that it felt like a return to form.
Movies like Alien 3, Alien Resurrection, and Prometheus all felt different from the first two movies, but aside from Prometheus, I feel like a majority of people probably wish they hadn’t felt so different.
And, that’s probably because the first two movies set impossibly high standards. Not so with the first Predator, though, which while fun, was not something that couldn’t be altered or even improved upon.
Even the first Predator sequel, Predator 2, changed up the setting dramatically, putting it in L.A. Predators, meanwhile, was like a back to basics Predator movie set on a different planet. And then, The Predator was all over the place (though, maybe not in a good way). This was followed up by the excellent Prey, which was a period piece.
Which is the beauty of the Predator franchise! Since it doesn’t have one (Or two!) of the greatest movies of all time in its series, it can pretty much take as many risks as possible. The Alien series…not so much, since any new movie will always be compared to the first two films, which is kind of a bummer.
I Also Like How The Predator Movies Have Almost Always Felt More Character-Focused Than The Alien Movies
I’m going to say something controversial: Aside from Sigourney Weaver, Bill Paxton, and Michael Biehn, I’d say that a majority of the other actors in the Alien movies are pretty forgettable.
I know, I know, who could forget Ian Holm as an android, or Michael Fassbender as, er, another android? Yes, some characters certainly do stand out, but I think we can all agree that besides Sigourney Weaver, the real stars of the Alien movies are probably the Xenomorphs.
Which again, cool. Xenomorphs are some of the most iconic creatures in all of sci-fi. That said…I always felt like aside from the first few Alien movies, most of the characters, besides Sigourney Weaver, felt like they were just there to be killed by the Xenomorphs.
This is the exact opposite of the Predator movies, with the Alien vs. Predator films being the exception, rather than the rule when it comes to not providing interesting human characters.
Because honestly, what is a Predator movie if not a story about a human going up against an alien? Yes, both the Xenomorphs and the Predators are alien races that hunt their prey, but the Alien films often seem like they’re more focused on the monsters (and the chilling atmosphere) rather than the characters, while the Predator movies are almost always centered on a human character (Like Dutch, Mike Harrigan, Royce, Naru, etc) facing off against an alien threat. I love that aspect of the Predator films, and I find that human element lacking in most of the Alien flicks.
As Somebody Who Can Get Claustrophobic At Times, I Also Prefer The Wide-Open Settings In The Predator Films
I’ve already written about horror movies that I’m too scared to watch, but I have managed to watch every single Alien movie. That said, some of them have been really tough to sit through, since I’m a bit claustrophobic, and the Alien movies thrive on this fear.
Aliens crawling through tight spaces, the extremely close corridors of space ships, the feeling of being stuck out in space. It all really just gets under my skin time and time again, making all of the Alien films feel extremely visceral, and like I said earlier, uncomfortable. And, all of this is intentional.
It’s a hallmark of the series, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Even so, I still much prefer the wide-open areas of the Predator series. There’s a certain scariness of being that out in the open, what with the Predator camouflaging itself with its surroundings. Even so, I never feel squished or tight watching a Predator movie.
Au contraire, it all feels very spaced out, which I can take a lot more of than what we get with the Alien franchise.
For instance, I sometimes like to do Predator marathons, but I wouldn’t dare do that with the Alien series. I can only do one Alien movie per day, as I couldn’t take those close corners for more than a single movie. I wouldn’t be able to breathe!
Lastly, I’ve Just Always Found Predators To Be Cooler Than Xenomorphs
Finally, I know the Xenomorphs are scarier, but I’ve always just thought the Predators were cooler.
For instance, I like that they’re constantly seeking out the strongest people for the joy of the hunt. This has always seemed like a really cool concept to me, since I love stories where it’s ultimately one-on-one. And, while we’ve gotten stories with multiple Predators, I’ve always enjoyed the element of that final showdown, which we’ve gotten in some of the Alien movies, though not to the same extent or build up.
I also really like the different kinds of Predators. Yes, there are different kinds of Xenomorphs, but I just like the different designs of the Predators even more. And when we got the AvP movies, I always rooted for the Predators. They seem more scrappy, which I approve of.
In every way, I’m more of a Predator dude than a Xenomorph guy. So, even though we’re possibly getting a new Ridley Scott Alien movie, I’m much more excited for Predator: Badlands (which is making “a wild change” by making a Predator the protagonist, but I’m willing to give it a chance!).
But, what do you think? Are you a more of a Predator fan, or a Xenomorph stan? Either way, you can’t go wrong!