Predator 2

Did You Know?

• Elpidia Carrillo reprises her role as Anna Gonsalves from the first film in a cameo appearance, showing the after-effects of the Predator's self-destruct device to the U.S. Army.
• Alan Silvestri returned to score the sequel, conducting the Skywalker Symphony Orchestra; a soundtrack album was issued on December 13, 1990.
• A novelization by Simon Hawke was released on December 1, 1990, covering the fate of Dutch and telling much of the story from the Predator's point of view.

Plot

In 1997, Los Angeles suffers a heat wave and a turf war between Colombian and Jamaican drug cartels. Lieutenant Mike Harrigan rescues two wounded officers during a shootout, and a Predator observes the chaos. The creature attacks the Colombians, and Harrigan later finds their slaughtered bodies. On a roof, a gang leader briefly sees the Predator before falling to his death; Harrigan also glimpses the invisible creature but dismisses it. At the station, Harrigan meets Special Agent Peter Keyes, leading a task force, and Detective Jerry Lambert. Jamaicans kill a Colombian drug lord, then the Predator kills them. Harrigan's team notes similarities to the earlier massacre—flayed corpses—until Keyes's team removes them. Forensic analysis shows the spear tip is not from any known element. Harrigan meets Jamaican drug lord King Willie, who believes the killer is supernatural. After Harrigan leaves, the Predator kills King Willie and takes his head. Tracing a lead to a slaughterhouse, Harrigan arranges to meet his team in the warehouse district.

Production

After 20th Century Fox approached screenwriters Jim and John Thomas for a sequel, they pitched six ideas, including placing the creature in an urban jungle, which the studio favored. The setting became Los Angeles, blighted by gang warfare during a heat wave, creating a hot spot for the Predator's hunt. The script was developed in three weeks. The sequel aimed to expand on the Predator's origins and motives, showing it has visited Earth for centuries and is interested only in hunting. Producer Joel Silver invited Stephen Hopkins, who joined before the screenplay was finished and worked closely with the Thomases on revisions and storyboarding. Hopkins originally envisioned Patrick Swayze for the lead role of Harrigan, teaming with a returning Arnold Schwarzenegger, but Schwarzenegger declined due to a salary dispute. Hopkins also met with Steven Seagal, who wanted to portray the character as a CIA psychiatrist and martial arts expert, but Hopkins decided against it, wanting an average Joe type. Silver brought in Gary Busey, Steve Kahan, and Danny Glover from Lethal Weapon. Production mixed location shooting at night with soundstage filming.

Release

In the United States, Predator 2 was released on VHS on May 16 and LaserDisc on September 20, 1991 by Fox Video. A subtitled Japanese LaserDisc release followed in 1993. DVD releases occurred in 2003, with a two-disc special edition in January 2005. Blu-ray arrived on June 9, 2009, and 4K UHD Blu-Ray on August 7, 2018. In Australia, a DVD was released in 2001, with early releases rated R18+ and later reissues rated MA15+. In the United Kingdom, Fox released it on DVD in 2004. In 2019, Rupert Murdoch sold most of 21st Century Fox's film and television assets to Disney, including the Predator franchise. The film became available on Hulu and on Disney+ in territories without Hulu.

Reception

Released on November 21, 1990, Predator 2 opened at #4 at the US box office with over $8 million, behind Dances with Wolves, Three Men and a Little Lady, and Home Alone. It grossed $57 million worldwide, $30 million from the United States, making it the lowest-grossing film in the franchise. Reviews were generally negative, though Danny Glover's casting as an action hero impressed some. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 36% approval rating based on 119 reviews, with the consensus: 'The thrill of the hunt is gone in this hackneyed sequel. Metacritic gives a weighted average score of 46 out of 100, indicating mixed or average reviews. CinemaScore audiences gave it a B+. The Washington Post's Rita Kempley enjoyed the film, citing its irony and fatalism, while Desson Howe called it unoriginal but praised Glover. Janet Maslin of The New York Times called it a contender for the most mindless action film of the season. Roger Ebert gave it two out of four stars, calling it an angry and ugly dream and suggesting racist undertones in the creature's design. Michael Reid of the Victoria Times-Colonist saw Glover as wasted but found shrewdness in Downey Jr.'s casting. Retrospective reviews have considered the film underrated, and it has gained a cult following.