Predator 2 (1990) Movie Review, Trailer and Poster

USA 1990
Director: Stephen Hopkins
Cast: Kevin Peter Hall, Danny Glover, Maria Conchita Alonso, Gary Busey, Bill Paxton, Rubén Blades
Rating: R
Release Date: 19 November 1990
Running Time: 1 hour 48 minutes

The Movie Review

There's almost zilch chance that a successful and well-received movie like Predator (1987) is not followed by a sequel, however there's also a huge chance that its sequel will suck.

Predator 2, of course as you can already tell by its name, is none other than the next entry in Predator franchise. Released in 1990, the movie still tells the story of a species of Alien who hunts human for pride and to take a part of their body as trophy, known as the Predator. These creatures has powerful abilities far beyond man's technology. In the first movie of Predator, Arnold Schwarzenegger has to fight them in a remote jungle in South America. In Predator 2, however, those Alien dudes invade the city of Los Angeles. Duh...


PREDATOR 2
Storyline:
Cast:
Ending:
Overall:

Danny Glover roles as Lieutenant Michael Harrigan who on one day, he and his team are fighting the drug dealers better known only as the Columbians. While the Columbians themselves are also at war with the Jamaicans. When the Jamaicans seem to have gain victory over Columbians by attacking their boss' house, an unseen myterious figure appears out of nowhere and simply starts to kill every one in sight. Harrigan rushes to the crime scene and later found a strange weapon, that according to a pathologist, is an alien-like weapon. Harrigan tries to connect a weird sight that he has ignored before with every strange coincidences. The time is ticking while Harrigan already starts to lose his long-time partner, Danny Archuleta (Ruben Blades).

Another problem arises when Special Agent Peter Keyes (Gary Busey) is appointed to solve the case, plus he seems to block Harrigan's investigation for having his own agenda. However, being helped by Harrigan's team members, Leona Cantrell (Maria Conchita Alonso) and the eccentric Jerry Lambert (Bill Paxton), Harrigan races with Keyes to find the creature and avenge his partner's death. Harrigan will soon learn, that he's not dealing with a normal man with normal weapon, but instead an extra-terresterial creature with cunning abilities and a long history of man-hunting.

I usually don't mind much about Monsters-coming-to-town flicks, but seeing a single Predator invading a gigantic city like L.A is downright weird. Frankly, it's like seeing a Ninja who has odd taste for costume and is lost like a kitten (only with a great deal of fangs!) and doesn't know what to do except for killing people. Kill here, kill there, everywhere kill kill. Sigh...

And man...what's with the excessive gore stuff..? it feels like Predator 2 is on the brink of exploitation movie realm. Where a movie doesn't have a real strong story but only relies on blood or sex. This time, blood. Alright, there are some upsides too from this science fiction movie, such as the good acting of Daniel Glover and the rest of the cast, including the Jamaican gang leader King Willie (Calvin Lockhart), or the action and gun fight scenes that are quite intense. And the comic relief performance from Bill Paxton.

From the Jungle to the Metropolitan City, from shocking and intriguing to boring and yawn-inducing. Predator 2 suits only for the diehard fans or simply arguably to those who haven't seen the 1st Predator and fond of mindless sci-fi dish with action flavor.

© iwan pranowo of Movielogy.com