Predator 2 (1990) - Movie Review & Discussion

Predator 2 Review

Sean Chandler lands firmly on the disappointed side of Predator 2’s divisive reputation, giving it 5/10 for entertainment. He wants to like the film, thanks to its cast, era, and Predator premise, but feels its execution lets its good ideas down.

What Works

Chandler praises the sequel for avoiding a copy of the original. Rather than another jungle hunt with macho commandos, it moves the action to a crime-ridden Los Angeles and follows Danny Glover as a more ordinary, hard-driving cop.

He also likes how the story expands the Predator mythology. The government knows about the creatures, and small details near the end hint at their history and honor code. To Chandler, the urban setting and cop-drama angle offer a fresh way to explore the franchise.

What Doesn’t

Chandler thinks the film mostly becomes a generic late-’80s/early-’90s action-cop story, with the Predator added to the usual tough-cop clichés. He jokes that the cast feels “cherry-picked” from other action films and notes how dated the Jamaican voodoo drug-lord plot feels.

He also dislikes the government storyline involving Gary Busey’s character, calls Bill Paxton’s performance strange, and says some of the late special effects look plainly bad rather than merely dated.

Final Thoughts

Chandler invites fans who enjoy the film to make the case for it, since he’d like to appreciate it more.

Personality featured: Sean Chandler