Predator 2 (1990)

For once Hollywood comes through.

I thought they'd drop the ball like they do on almost every sequel.
Not the case with P2.
They made the movie in the city which was WAY better than doing a remake of the first one which is in the jungle.
The Voodoo street gang is generic and stereotypical, but who cares.
It's all about the Predator baby!!!
The acting is ok, the directing is ok.
All in all, it's not nearly as good as the original but I praise Hollywood for having the restraint/common sense to stop after two.
It's a worthy follow up to the original and worth checking out.
June 24, 2008

GREAT CREATURE! & GOOD IDEA! & POOR SCRIPT = OK SEQUEL!

It's a shame that the makers of this movie didn't finish this promising , but incoherent script. I liked the original 'Predator' film and a sequel could have been interesting and fun. Unfortunately, the film doesn't know what it wants to be, it's serious one minute and then it's a satire? This throws off the balance of the entire film. Between plot holes and contrived situations it just feels rushed. With a few tweaks here and there this could have been very good.

It's OK popcorn fair, but it will never come close to the original. Once again a great creature design and some new cool weapons are introduced, but this film ultimately leaves you dissatisfied. The 2 disc DVD transfer looks very good and there are more than enough extras on the set. June 6, 2008

Rumble in the concrete jungle

I remember when I first saw Predator 2 I was blown away. Not many sequels can be as great as their predecessors but Predator 2 was just as exciting as the first one.

Premise: Predator stalks it's prey in Los Angeles right in the middle of a gang war between a Hispanic gang and a Jamaican gang. Lt. Harrigan(Danny Glover) investigate the bizarre murders of these gang members while a special agent named Keyes(Gary Busey) plans to capture the Predator to study it.

Opinion: Predator 2 is an action packed ride with a few flaws. The only person you get to know is the hot-headed Harrigan. Everybody else in the movie comes and goes. Danny's anger is over the top sometimes. But the the storyline is decent and Harrigan stood his ground and fought Predator to a standstill like Dutch did without getting a royal buttkicking like Dutch got. The best scene would have to be where Predator wreaks havoc in the subway train. Predator 2 was trying to be its own story not copy of the original. And for those of you bashed it because of Roger Ebert lets not forget that he gave Rocky And Bullwinkle, Blair Witch Project, Indecent Proposal, Cheaper By The Dozen 2, Conan The Destroyer, Spun and hold your breath Speed 2 and Home Alone 3 thumbs up! Think about that next time you blindly accept his opinion at face value. At any rate, if you are looking for a great sequel Predator 2 will not dissapoint. May 27, 2008

Not a great effort!

This was not a great effort at trying to reproduce the same feel of the first Predator. Danny Glover makes a good cop but not a good action hero.

April 6, 2008

Hokey, poorly written and acted, but enjoyable enough

Predator 2 is basically a remake of Predator, only set in Los Angeles. The two films follow the same exact story structure, with the Predator killing people without them knowing, and with one guy finally catching on and defeating the Predator in a climactic one-on-one battle.

Stephen Hopkin's direction, while not on par with McTiernan's, is intense and exciting enough to keep the viewer interested. Unfortunately, the script by the Thomas Brothers is...terrible. Not as terrible as AvP Requiem's, but bad enough to induce some cringing at the dialogue. Danny Glover gives a decent performance as the unlikely hero, Lt. Harrigan, but everyone else is just reading off of note cards (not that they had much to work with anyway). Many of the characters, like Tony Pope and Jerry Lambert, are just plain dumb and obnoxious.

Thankfully, the effects work by Stan Winston, is, as usual, fantastic. The Predator itself looks great, and Kevin Peter Hall gives a very different performance from the first film. While the first Predator was smart and stealthy, this Predator is arrogant, showy, and pretty much out of control. When Harrigan finally defeats it using its own weapons, you can't help but applaud.

In short, Predator 2 is great for fans and okay for everyone else. It's not original, innovative, clever, or even all that GOOD, but it's more enjoyable than most sci-fi action movies. March 27, 2008

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