Not unlike Alien 3, Stephen Hopkins’ Predator 2 was long seen as a deeply underwhelming sequel. It’s fair because, like with that David Fincher sequel, Predator 2 was coming on the heels of a masterpiece of its genre (two masterpieces, in Alien‘s case). Both sequels were slight alterations of an established successful formula that didn’t deliver enough of the same to fully appease fans or critics. But as time has progressed many fans have come around to Hopkins’ film, thanks in part to the inferior two Alien vs. Predator films and Shane Black’s tampered-with-behind-the-scenes The Predator (2018). As for critics, though, it seems nothing has really changed.
To this day Predator 2 is the lowest-rated entry of the core franchise on Rotten Tomatoes (Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem is the lowest-rated overall at 12%). The question is, is Predator 2‘s 29% Tomatometer rating really fair? Is it that much worse than the original film (which has an 80%) or the one-off reboot Predators (sitting at 65%). And, for that matter, should it be lower than The Predator and its 34% rating? To the latter point, absolutely not.
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What Makes Predator 2 Underrated?
If Predator 2 had taken audiences back to the jungle with another group of tough guy soldiers getting picked off one by one, that would have been a disappointing sequel. By taking the narrative to gang war torn Los Angeles, Predator 2 delivered a wholly new adventure while simultaneously giving fans plenty of the carnage they assuredly purchased a ticket for.
And, while he’s not quite Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutch Schaefer, Danny Glover’s Lieutenant Mike Harrigan is a fantastic protagonist for the franchise. Glover is clearly having fun and gives the physical role his all.
While we’re talking about the cast, this is the second and final installment of the franchise to feature Kevin Peter Hall as the lead alien. The star of Harry and the Hendersons passed away at a young age due to contracting HIV from a blood transfusion and Predator 2 ended up being his penultimate film role.
As for the supporting cast, Predator 2 is a treasure trove of ’90s iconic favorites. One year before he stole all of his scenes in Point Break, Gary Busey did much the same here as the off-kilter Special Agent Peter Keyes. Like he did in the scariest episode of Tales from the Crypt, trash talk show host Morton Downey Jr. pops up a few times to play on his own image, Die Hard‘s Robert Davi stops by to chew out Lt. Harrigan, Bill Paxton completes the trifecta of being killed by a T-800, a Xenomorph, and a Yautja, and The Running Man‘s María Conchita Alonso plays a prominent role as Detective Leona Cantrell.
Speaking of Alonso’s character, the Predator’s refusal to kill her due to her pregnancy is a good bit of franchise lore expansion. We saw the creature refuse to kill unarmed individuals in the original film, but the sequel expounds on their rules to an even greater extent. Like with the pregnancy scan scene, this is also the film that established that, when a human takes down one of the Yautja, they receive both respect and a token of their accomplishment. These are developments that have remained with the franchise.
What helps Predator 2 stand apart in the pack is its utter nihilism. Its version of L.A. is already in utter shambles. You can’t walk down the street without stepping into the middle of either two gangs firing Uzis, the cops running up against a gang with riot shields, beating down sweaty heat, or a voodoo-practicing criminal leader without about three gallons of blood on him. Adding a Predator to the mix just helps increase the already present chaos.
That chaotic world (and the beating down sweaty heat) is something the film establishes in the first frames and never drops, to an impressive degree. It’s a movie that brings the audience into its world and makes it feel the dangers of that world as much as the protagonists.
The icing on the violent cake is the set piece in the slaughterhouse. It’s one of the best and most tense of the franchise. The point is, all in all, Predator 2 may not have been exactly what people wanted back in 1990, but it’s hard to argue that it’s actually a fairly outstanding sci-fi action movie.
Stream Predator 2 on Hulu and decide for yourself.
The post The Lowest Rated Predator Movie on Rotten Tomatoes Is Actually an Underrated and Ambitious ’90s Gem appeared first on ComicBook.com.
