Alright so continuing on with my Predator reviews, I will be reviewing the sequel to Predator. Predator 2.
So without further waffling onto the review. Oh and yeah this is pretty going be similar to my other Predator review where I go fairly in depth so just a mini spoiler warning. I don't know how worth while it is putting spoiler warnings on the beginning of a review for a film that came over twenty years ago now but anyway..... as I said without further waffling <_< onto the actual review >_>
So things pretty much get off the ground right from the start. We get a nice establishing shot as it zooms over some forrest area and then as it carries on we see a city and then the title card "Los Angeles 1997" Then some cool Predator like sounds come on and we get the really nice looking Predator two title above. Then we a get a nice thermal shot of the city. As we can hear gunfire and commotion. Then we are onto our opening action scene. So the film just gets off to the point right from the start. We are in the city not the jungle the Predator is watching the shootout between the police and a gang.
As the gang start cheering over I guess beating the police. We get a news cast/ report from a reporter named Tony Pope who goes around reporting throughout the film. We also have a number of other news stations making reports and it has that Robocop kind of vibe. Where censorship has totally gone out the window and different news groups pretty are competing to show as much of the carnage as they can. Nice bit of social commentary I guess about how media groups sometimes go as far as they can to get a "good story" and even though this was made in 1990 it is still relevant social commentary.
As the shootout looks like it might be going sideways we are introduced to Detective Mike Harrigan played by Danny Glover and two of the other detectives in the above picture. Who I guess are the supporting cast who aren't really as strong as the team from the first film but that is alright.
So Mike pretty comes and tries to change the outcome of the fight. And does a pretty good job of doing so. As the Predator watches him. Instead of waiting for a special unit to clear out a building of the rest of the gang. Mike being hot headed wants to ignore the order.
As the gang arm up they are taken by surprise as the Predator jumps through the glass roof to take them to their graves. Mike and his team go into the building. And He chases one gang member that looks pretty traumatized due to his encounter with the Predator.
After shooting him Mike sees the Predator cloaked. And just assumes he is hallucinating and is obviously a little spooked. Eh this feels a little bit misplaced Since the Predator just sort of suddenly disappears.
They look at the crime scene and realize that there is something strange going on. Well the fact a body is strung up 35 feet in the air yeah that is odd in the context of the crime scene. And one of the other detectives see the Predator briefly jump over the glass roof. The Predator does seem to be getting spotted quite bit. It could either be because he is a younger Predator in training or just that it is in the city.
So while Harrigan is getting shouted by his boss a helicopter lands and some guys in shades along with Special Agent Peter Keyes played by Gar Busey go into the building it is obvious these guys really know what is going on.
So Mike heads back to the police station and we are briefly introduced to Detective Jerry Lambert played by Bill Paxton who of course play Hudson in Aliens. I think it is pretty cool how he plays a part which is pretty much comedy relief in both an Alien and a Predator movie both of which are sequels.
Pete and Mike meet and they don't really get off on the right. I guess due to Harrigans hot headed nature and his investment in the case involving the Predator which Pete doesn't want him getting involved in.
So after some more scenes at the station that let us get to know the characters a bit.
So we see a tower block. There is a gang going between the Jamaican and the Colombian gangs. And the Jamaican gang break into this guys room hang him upside and as he stabs him we hear the Predator clicks. Then one of them gets taken out by a Plasma Caster shot.
We then get to see the first new weapon used in the Predators arsenal the Net Gun. Which is a very cool weapon pictured above.
We also set it use this projectile and the Spear or Combi Staff. This is a pretty good since its nice to see this films Predator do some damage. It also is a scene that expands upon the Predator due to the weapons shown. This is also the first scene we see him uncloak. So yeah I quite like this scene.
So Mike and the gang arrive at the scene. To find the Predators trademark. Skinned bodies um mm :)
One of the detectives spot the three pronged projectile. And then Pete and his boys show up to the "crime scene". Eh not much else to really comment on here just more scenes that are alright. But nothing of interest really. Pete and Mike have words again though.
Mikes friend and fellow detective Danny Archuleta is then killed off whilst retrieving the three pronged projectile. He is killed off screen but it is somewhat dramatic. And is a solid death scene for being off screen.
Mike wants to arrange a meeting with the infamous drug lord King Willie. Whilst we see Special Agent Peter and his guys set up an observation deck in the slaughter house district with weapons which they THINK will take down the Predator. Meanwhile Mike and Jerry find out that the three pronged projectile and find out that it "doesn't correspond to anything on the periodic table" go figure :p
So Mike is taken to the drug lord King Willie. And the Predator watches them. I just think the above shot looks really cool.
So Mike meets with the drug lord. He is really well played. And despite only appearing in this one scene he just seems really memorable. The actor (Calvin Lockhart) just does a really solid job as him. He gives a speech about how he thinks the Predator is from the spirit world "You can't see the eyes of the demon, until him come calling. This dread man...truly DREAD". I could pretty much quote all of his lines here but I will just let you watch the film or go find a clip of it on you tube :) Wonder if I am the only person who would buy a King Willie figure if NECA made one eh probably.
As Mike leaves the alley way The Predator jumps down cloaked into a puddle as his cloaking field is turned off we see the reflection of the Pred in the water this is a very effective and cool looking scene. Willie draws his blade and utters some "magic" words. And then we hear him scream and see the Predator holding his head.
We then cut to a scene of the Predator draining all the skin and whatnot to make his head into a skull trophy. We then see him stick it on a trophy wall. This again is slowly revealing and expanding more on the Predator.
So Harrigan goes to the graveyard to his mates grave. And the Predator seems to be spying on him. There is also an interesting that helps to give us yet more insight into how the Predator works. There is a boy seen playing with a toy gun. The Predator takes precautions as he scans the toy gun and realizes that the boy is not armed and not worthy prey. The boy then offers him some candy. This scene makes me laugh I guess that us what it is intended for as well :) The Predator also records him saying "Want some candy". Ha ha.
The next scene Jerry and Detective Leona Cantrell played by (María Conchita Alonso). Are catching the subway. And things escalate when thugs are causing trouble and pretty much everyone on the train is packing heat and guns are drawn. But things escalate even further when the Predator breaks into the subway car. Alot of this scene is hard to see since the lights in the cart keep flickering. Sometimes you can see the Preds point of view. He seems to attack the thugs mainly but maybe also takes down some of the civilians due to them being armed.
As Leona escorts people out of the carriage Jerry fires rounds at the Predator. And yeah is killed. The Predator plays the recording "Want some candy" too. Not sure why. For comical relief I guess. It makes me smile anyway :)
So the Predator is about to kill her as well. But then using his thermal vision realizes she is pregnant. Again another scene that does such a good job of expanding upon the Predator. The fact that even though she is a worthy hunt she is carrying an unborn baby. Out of all the scenes that expand upon the Predator this one probably helps paint a more neutral picture of him and that their codes and rules have being set with some values regarding others lives in mind. Despite the nature of what they do.
As Mike comes onto the scene he comes across the Predator as he is ripping Jerry's skull from his body (at least I think it is his) And Mike begins to chase right after him.
The Predator climbs up onto a high building and lightning strikes him as he raises his staff and holds his skull. This scene is just wonderfully shot and just fits the Predator perfectly, its kinda like he is getting ready for the last part of the hunt or something.
Harrigan is dragged into the observation deck set up by the feds. And Peter pretty much explains that the Predator is hunting and also references the events of the first film. Gary plays the role really well too. It is basically revealed that they want the Preds toys to play with. So basically they want to trap and freeze the Predator.
And yeah it will really doesn't well for em. A slaughterhouse is a rather appropriate place in this situation if you think about it.
So after that Harrigan gears up and finally takes on the Predator. He shoots him with quite a few rounds and manages to take the Predator down. He cautiously approaches his body and takes the Predators mask off. You have to admit he is brave for doing that and he is curious as well to see what the hell he is actually dealing with. This scene is just really intense. And it is a really different and unique way to give us the Predator reveal.
City Hunter opens his eyes again (City Hunter is the main name for this Predator) And whilst we are on the subject I am just going to take a minute about this Predators design. I think it has a spectacular design. Just overall I like how unique the armour is and the mask he has more of a bronze age look an almost more old style armour as opposed to the more tech looking armour of the original. I like the different contrast they went with. Oh and that face. It is just a work of art. I probably like the design of the City Hunter just a bit more than the Jungle Hunter from the first film. And again he is wonderfully portrayed by Kevin Peter Hall.
Just as the Predator is about to take Harirgan down. Peter jumps in badly burnt but not dead. So what does the Predator do? He takes a weapon pictured known as the smart disk. Throws as it cuts through multiple chunks of hanging meat (yeah take that vegans! :D ) And then it cuts straight through the guy. And you just blood ooze out like jelly. A glorious gore scene.
Harrigan seeks his chance and attempts a getaway by climbing on the rooftop. The Predator is shown briefly using a breathing mask which again is another piece of tech and shows that they do not breathe the same atmosphere as us or that it at least takes some adapting for them. Or he could be using to the fact he has sustained damage.
They both pretty much end up like this with the Predator hanging off the building. As City Hunter starts to type in the code for his bomb to go Mike manages to grab the disk out of the building and uses it to cut the Predators arm off. If the word epic was ever made for any situation this would be one of them :) As the Predator ends up scaling down the building he catches a drain pipe and ends up going through a wall in the building across the street.
We get to a very cool scene now since we actually see the Predator use the medic kit for his wound, he had one in the first film but it is great we get to see it in use this time. Unsurprisingly Predators don't use pain killers. But do cauterize stuff :)
So Harrigan eventually manages to follow the Predator to its ship. Yep that's right I said its ship.
And what a design too. This is the interior of it. It just looks utterly wonderful. Truly alien like. It pretty much looks like you would imagine a Predator craft to look like. It really does baffle when this design or designs similar to this have never being used in the AVP movies or in general really. Since you can tell how much work went into it. Take a moment to take it in I will wait......
And the icing on this cake is the trophy wall.
This really does just establish that the Predators do not only hunt humans but so many other species too. And what a fitting way to show it with the trophies of them. And yep of course I really do not even have to mention the Xenomorph skull there. This is the first and really only time we see that they co exist together apart from the movies when they do.
And then before we know we it the Predator strikes back at Harrigan as they both use melee the Predator its wrist blade and Harrigan the disk.
It really is good fight scene pretty vicious like it should be. Until finally Mike drives the disk through the Predators stomach. And after alot of roaring in pain the Predator goes down. And after all this would you believe me if it got better? F!ck yeah it does.
Just as our cop is about to take a breath a whole group of Predators uncloak and surround him. Here are just a couple of pics of em
That is the whole gang. They are known as the "Lost Tribe" Each one has a nickname coined. And I love Mikes reaction to seeing them he says "Okay on who's next?" what a hard-ass ha. I just love seeing all these Predators together like this on screen and any Predator fan should really. It just tickles the Predator fan inside me (<_< damn that sounded wrong >_>) But yeah Just this entire sequence adds so much to the Predator and how they work. We now know that they hunt in clans. Just..yeah.
And what does the Elder Predator do also known as Greyback do (the one above) He gives Danny boy a trophy, as flintlock pistol from 1715. Again we also have an idea that their lifespan is much longer than ours Elder also utters the words "Take it" as he walks off. Now if I have got this straight it is debated as to weather Predators can actually speak or they record phrases and speak through that way. Anyway he walks off and the Predator ship starts to take off. Just this entire last sequence in the ship is my favourite out of this film. We are immersed in the Predator's world and get to realize and learn alot about them in such a short space of time. Very effective indeed.
And that Predator ship just looks great too. So Mike walks away as police cars and copters circle the seen. And that is pretty much Predator 2.
Danny Glover as Harrigan really did a fine job. He is more down to earth than Dutch and is a different character he is a cop who ends up fighting an alien hunter, and is scared to alot of things through out the film but he gets on with it. The cinematography is great, the rest of the acting is solid with some memorable performances. The action and gore is plentiful. And the Predator is greatly expanded upon and it could not have being done better. It also works well in the city environment and makes sense.
Overall this is a great sequel and is very underrated and just receives hate for no reason. Do not let the hate and misunderstanding of this film stop you from sitting down and watching it. You are doing yourself a great Disservice if you are doing that. Go and give it a chance please. And for those of you who have seen it and know what I am talking about go on and watch it again.
If you managed to read my review and you got this thank you very much for reading :) Comments and thoughts are welcome,appreciated and needed.
Till next time I suppose.
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