Predator 2

"Predator 2" is ultimately a fairly satisfying action film from director Stephen Hopkins... "Director Stephen Hopkins", that should give you your first indication of how different this film is from its predecessor. Unlike McTiernan, the no-nonsense, straightforward action director who directed the first installment, Hopkins is famed for less straightforward films, such as "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers". The first few minutes of the film willserve to solidify the fact that this film is entirely different from its predecessor, with the exception of the title character. Aside from Kevin Peter Hall, who returns to play the Predator, the cast is entirely different from that of the original.

This film is set in 1997 in L.A. where rival gangs have turned the streets into a war zone and where the Predator is loose and off killing/skinning people... But the story doesn't really matter. The good news about this film is that this L.A. feels more like Gotham city than the real Los Angeles, and the comic book atmosphere really does work here. All the characters are overblown and cartoonish and the cast is fun to watch, especially Glover and Paxton.

However, the film's quality is diminished by a very uneven script, a pretty bad score, and some questionable directorial choices. But it's still an enjoyable action romp and the Predator itself is a bit more interesting here in terms of its movement and weaponry.

"Predator 2" is one of the few sequels that truly separates itself from its predecessor. However, in going for the atmosphere it goes for, "Predator 2" earns comparison to those films that are similar to it, and in that sense is merely a pleasant, good film. Compared to the original it lacks the suspense or excitement of its predecessor. This is a good film, but maybe it should be forgotten as part of the Predator franchise, as it negates "Predator"'s fearsome nature by replacing it with cartoonish violence and broad characterizations.

6/10

A Predator comes to earth and presumably after hearing about one of it's colleagues' demise at the hands of Dutch Schaffer in the South American jungle, opts for a jungle of a different sort: Los Angeles in 1997, which is a violent place, cops and gangbangers battling it out on the streets. There, he runs into a hard-nosed cop (Danny Glover's Lieutenant Mike Harrigan) who sniffs a cover-up after a suspicious killing of some gangbangers and a sketchy federal agent (Gary Busey's Peter Keys; Busey does sketchy better than most, if you ask me) who is involved in the cover-up. Of the Predator, no less.

I enjoyed Predator 2 and thought Glover did a great job. He must have known that stepping into the Governator's shoes was going to be tough going. He nonetheless puts in a great performance, hunting down the alien game hunter basically all by himself.

Some great action sequences and other memorable scenes - the finale showdown is as spectacular as you would imagine. It's hard to follow in the footsteps of a film as iconic as "Predator" was, but "Predator 2" is, I feel, unfairly maligned.

Underrated, interesting sequel to the Arnold Schwarzenegger hit has Danny Glover trading in his user friendly Roger persona to play a rougher, tougher, more kick ass cop who fears heights and goes one on one with a new Predator, who has some new tricks to share with the world when he lands in LA during a wave of both crime and heat.

Danny Glover may not be Schwarzenegger but he is quite good in his role as the cop.

The action is well mounted and the big difference of having the Predator in a city VS the jungle makes for some very interesting atmospheric moments and what not. There's also some SEX! Something that was sadly missing from the first film. The first film is better but this is still a worthy action film in its own right.

"Seems he has a taste for beef."

"I didn't think he was a vegetarian."

Yes, you may not agree with me but I think that Predator 2 was as good as Predator and it even had something the first movie lacked: more screen time for the Predator. The Predator movies are a fan boy's dream come true as the Predator is arguably the best alien on film. The Alien movies and The Thing nonwithstanding. It's not Citizen Kane or anything but the film has plenty of action, decent performances and plenty of the Predator, including the showing off of a few new gadgets of his. I always liked the fact that Predator 2 is set in an urban environment, the jungle is too remote. Not enough prey you see. Although Los Angeles 1997 doesn't look like that then or now,(most parts anyway), the movie does a good job of putting the Predator in what I like to call a target rich environment. Danny Glover isn't Arnold but he does a good job as the lead anyway. Arnold didn't make the first movie good, the Predator did. I think a lot of you miss that. The late Kevin Peter Hall does as well as you can ask from a character with no lines or facial expressions to speak of. Bottom Line: A decent follow-up to Predator. If you haven't seen it yet check it out.

The entire 3rd act of this film is gold. Danny Glover is tired of this predator nonsense and he's going to do something about it. Haha. By the end Glover is in such horrendous condition you really have to laugh. Very underrated.