Predator 2 (1990) – Nostalgia Central

This sequel to Arnie Schwarzenegger’s 1987 hit takes place in 1997, with the setting changed from the jungles of South America to the urban jungles of Los Angeles.

The ozone layer has been further depleted, the smog is thicker than ever, and LA is in the midst of its worst heatwave in history. And as if environmental concerns weren’t enough, the drug lords have taken over the streets, turning the city into a war zone.

The opening sequence sets the action tone, with cars and buildings blowing up, everyone running around shooting off guns, and the unseen Predator watching the proceedings from above with his heat-sensitive vision.

Amie has said, “Hasta la vista, baby”, and is not around this time to give the alien monster a run for his money.

Instead, old anemone-chops must face tough detective Danny (Lethal Weapon) Glover and his elite group of LA cops.

The screenplay for the film is every bit as silly as it was for the original, though at least there are none of Arnie’s corny one-line asides to contend with.

Glover does okay in the lead, though he lacks the big man’s charisma and box-office pulling power.

Thankfully, the monster itself (created by Stan Winston and played by Kevin Peter Hall) is bigger and better than ever, even if it is a little too reminiscent of Alien (as a joke reference, the predator has an Alien’s head on its trophy wall).

To compensate for Arnie’s absence, director Stephen Hopkins (Nightmare on Elm Street V) fills the screen with as many spectacular stunts and explosions as he can, rushing around in all directions with his steadicam.

Sometimes this is too much of a good thing – as in the exhausting opening scene, where we don’t know the characters yet to know or care who is being blown up.

But it certainly pays off in the tense finale where Glover and the creature slug it out one-to-one at the top of a futuristic high-rise.

When it was released, Predator 2 was the worst Predator film ever made. That is clearly no longer the case!

Predator
Kevin Peter Hall
Lieutenant Mike Harrigan
Danny Glover
Peter Keyes
Gary Busey
Danny Archuleta
Rubén Blades
Leona Cantrell
Maria Conchita Alonso
Jerry Lambert
Bill Paxton
Captain Phil Heinemann
Robert Davi
Garber
Adam Baldwin
Captain B. Pilgrim
Kent McCord
Tony Pope
Morton Downey Jr.
King Willie
Calvin Lockhart
Sergeant
Steve Kahan
El Scorpio
Henry Kingi
Ramon Vega
Corey Rand
Anna
Elpidia Carrillo
Irene Edwards
Lilyan Chauvin
Gold Tooth
Michael Mark Edmondson
Charlie
Charles Haugk
Ruth
Sylvia Kauders
Juan Beltran
Julian Reyes
Jerome
Ron Moss
Brian
Brian Levinson
Leona’s Friend
Harri James

Director
Stephen Hopkins