‘Predator 2’ remains an underrated classic 35 years after

Here we are, 35 years after the release of a film that dared to take the ultimate alien hunter out of the Central American jungle and drop him into the concrete jungle of Los Angeles, a city in the throes of a heatwave and gang warfare in the (then) near-future of 1997. The film is, of course, ‘Predator 2,’ which was released on November 21, 1990. That was a long time ago, and yet this film, whether you get to re-watch it or watch it for the first time, will show you some things that will either impress you, turn you off, or blow your mind, that they were able to get away with things that could have possibly damaged the reputation of the Predator as this bad*** alien hunter? But what happened was the complete opposite of that.

I can still remember how I got to watch ‘Predator 2’ for the first time, and that was in VHS form. And here I was, a pre-teen who knew zero about this sequel to Predator, and only knew that it had the Number 2 on its cover. I had no idea the violence, gore, foul language, and gratuitous nudity I would be exposed to! Haha. For me, upon looking back, if Predator was a master class on the hunt, ‘Predator 2’ was an eclectic trash bag mix of a lot of other stuff that you would not easily associate with a Predator movie. 

READ: ‘Predator: Badlands’: Bold, beautiful and bloody game changer for the franchise

I mean, seriously, it was like the trashiest but coolest Predator film ever. It felt like a Dark Horse comic book in that regard. It was messy, it was brutal, it was gritty, it was as if you were taken to the most seedy underbelly of Los Angeles, which made it the ideal backdrop for the Predator to resume his hunt far away from the jungles of Central America.

Unsurprisingly, at the time of its release, the critical reception was mixed if not negative, and it didn’t quite match the box office success, expectations, and standards of the original Predator starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. I think most people were pissed off that Arnold Schwarzenegger did not come back, but he had another bigger-budget movie he had to be working on at the time. But over the decades, the sequel has rightfully earned its place as a cult classic, a brass-and-blood spectacle that deserves a fresh look, an open mind, and a little bit more respect because it dared to go in a direction that most fans of the first Predator movie never thought of. And it did pay off in spades, much later, adding to its Predator-related value for longtime fans such as myself.

‘Predator 2’ did not come up short by any means when it came to hiring top-class people behind the scenes, as this was directed by Stephen Hopkins (‘A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child,’ ‘Lost in Space (1998),’ and the movie features a respectable cast led by the always-reliable veteran actor Danny Glover as “Lieutenant Mike Harrigan,” a tough, streetwise cop who discovers that the gruesome, ritualistic murders plaguing his city are the work of a supernatural, extraterrestrial hunter and not any of the resident gangs that have turned Los Angeles into a gang warfare – war zone.

Upon watching Danny Glover’s portrayal, I could not stop thinking and asking myself why he looks much younger here than he did in the Lethal Weapon movies he did at that point, thus far. It all had to do with him shaving the mustache, dying his hair, clothes, personality, and role he portrayed that made all the differences needed for him to better pull off this onscreen character as a toughened-up, streetwise cop than everyone else on the precinct. He is, after all, deemed to be the most targeted prey of “The City Hunter” Predator because he views him to be a worthy adversary, plus he wants to add his skull to his mantle of trophies.

Beyond the theme, the tone and overall vibe differ from the first. There was another huge shift in terms of setting, which is switching from a dense, green jungle to a hot, chaotic, and overcrowded urban landscape, making for a thrilling contrast and a fresh backdrop for the hunt. The “City Hunter,” as this new Predator is known, employs its military-like tactics in this harsh environment, using the city’s verticality and crowded spaces to its advantage. I am particularly happy with how this Predator not only greatly improved upon creature design thanks to Stan Winston but showcased his extensive arsenal of weapons, which included this disc-like weapon, a net that can be shot out, a retractable staff that he can throw and use in hand-to-hand battle, and a shoulder cannon that did not shoot lasers but was the same model as the one used in the first Predator movie.

While the film provided a glimpse into the Predator species’ culture and technology, most notably the trophy wall at the end of the film, which hinted at past hunts, including an Easter egg that tied the Predator and Alien franchises together years before ‘Alien vs. Predator’ was a reality. That precise moment in that famous scene is one of the film’s most memorable, most replayed, and most discussed among longtime fans. Why so? This is because it cemented in moviegoers’ minds that the Predator species has been around for thousands of years, if not more, and hunting the best kind of prey they can find on any planet or universe it inhabits.

Beyond Danny Glover, the movie stars the late, great Gary Busey as a shady government agent, “Ruben Blades,” Maria Conchita Alonso, and, in a truly fan-favorite role, Bill Paxton as the fast-talking, excitable “Detective Jerry Lambert.” Paxton, in particular, delivers a memorably likable performance that will stand the test of time, adding to this growing list of popular roles in his filmography.

Today, the Predator franchise is alive and well, with recent hits like the critically and commercially acclaimed ‘Prey (2022)’ reinvigorating interest in the Predator franchise. The newest film, ‘Predator: Badlands,’ was released in cinemas a few weeks ago, which I got to watch, and I wrote a comprehensive review of it. ‘Predator: Badlands’ is responsible for carrying the franchise into new, out-of-this-world territory, while, on the downside, managing to cast a long shadow back over what Hopkins and the legendary Stan Winston built in L.A. all those decades ago. You can really see how far the Predator franchise has reached compared to the more primal nature of ‘Predator 2.’

But suppose it were not for ‘Predator 2’ making bold strides, changing direction, and defying expectations like a giant middle finger to the face of everyone. Truth be told, I don’t think there would have been much of a Predator franchise to begin with, and things would have turned out much differently. Perhaps, for all you know, there would have never been any brand new Predator movies if not for this one? 

So, for me, it is fitting to celebrate the 35th anniversary of ‘Predator 2,’ as it is a perfect time to revisit this underrated gem, somewhat misunderstood piece of film, and “dark horse” of the entire Predator franchise. It’s a prime example of a sequel that, while not perfect, took bold swings, made people scratch their heads in disbelief at what they were watching in some scenes, and enriched the expanding world it inhabited, giving birth to a Predator franchise that would be revisited every couple of years to see if it would still work with moviegoers. And now, only as of late, it has not only clicked with moviegoers, but has taken off to brand new, unseen planetary heights with movies like ‘Predator: Badlands,’ which was awesome.

So, grab a seat, fire up your streaming service, or if you really want to be authentic, get transported back to a different time and relive that first movie experience, then get your VHS copy of this movie into the player. Haha. And give ‘Predator 2’ the respect it deserves. After all these decades, it’s still got a few days to kill, and you may be next.