RE: Movies)

G'day Brian,

 >If this is the case, then they would also, likely, have
 >much less endurance.

Yep.

 >Ambush hunters (as opposed to tracker/stalker hunters)
 >ususally do not have the ability or will to conduct a
 >protracted battle against near equals.

..or even lesser beings who managed to string them along long enough...

 >Usually if the trap fails to catch or disable the prey in the first
 >moments of conflict, the prey will escape and the
 >ambush hunters will set the trap for another victim.

Maybe after a lengthy delay. Though pack based "semi-ambush" predators 
usually have multiple traps set in the first place. That's why they'll 
encircle and hide, so if the target gets away from the "alpha strike" it

runs bang into the "beta strike" on the other side of the attack area.

 >I guess the reverse could be just as valid. That once
 >they commit to battle, it takes a great effort to
 >disengage (even if spent). Such philosophy could come
 >from an environment with strong, tough, or scarce
 >prey. If you don't get this Hexamamoth, the next may
 >not come for days or weeks. Think what if the only
 >prey for humans was tigers.

They'd pick on something smaller or learn to target from further away or
be 
nomadic and follow the Hexamamoth on its travels ;)
Ambush predators don't turn up in situations where bringing down the
prey 
is prolonged (because the prey are very tough or have immense endurance)

unless they're so good at it they can usually cut the prey down in the 
first moments or call it off. If they can't then you get "endurance 
predators" like what they think the Neanderthal's did - apparently they 
used to run down their prey over long distances (think English deer
chase 
hunt, but everybody is on foot).

Existing predators on Earth all like to sneak up at least some way on
their 
prey (or let the prey come to them) and then strike fast in the end.
Much 
less waste of your energy then - metabolic costs mean that you'll only
get 
about 10% of the potential energy stored/consumed by the prey when you
eat 
it. So the less wasted in the hunt, the better.

Now I should probably give you all a well earned break from ecology 101 
lessons and go cook dinner ;)