Predator 2: The Hunt Moves to the Concrete Jungle

Predator 2, released in 1990, takes the successful action-horror formula of the original film and moves it from the remote jungles of Central America to the hot, grim concrete jungle of Los Angeles in 1997. With its bleak futuristic setting and an excellent performance by Danny Glover, this sequel offers a faster and more brutal experience for fans.

The Gritty Plot

The film follows Lieutenant Mike Harrigan (Danny Glover), a hard-boiled LAPD cop caught in the middle of a heated street war between Jamaican and Colombian drug cartels. However, the bloodshed soon becomes a much more gruesome mystery when gang members are found gruesomely murdered, skinned, and hung upside down.

Harrigan and his team soon discover they are not dealing with humans, but with the same deadly alien hunter as in the first film. The situation becomes further complicated when a secretive government team, led by Agent Peter Keyes (Gary Busey), attempts to take over the investigation with their own hidden agenda: capturing the Predator alive.

Innovations and Lore Expansion

• Updated Predator Character: The version of the Predator in this film, nicknamed the "City Hunter," has a slightly different look and a new arsenal of more advanced weapons, such as a sharp spear and a throwing disc.

• A Clearer Code of Ethics: The film expands our knowledge of Predator culture by showing that they follow a specific code of ethics. The hunter will not attack the unarmed or those deemed unworthy, such as the sick or pregnant women.

• Universe Building: At the end of the film, inside the Predator's ship, we see a trophy collection that includes the skulls of other creatures. A prominent skull reveals the head of the Xenomorph from the Alien films, officially linking the two iconic franchises for the first time.

While receiving mixed reviews upon its initial release, Predator 2 has earned cult status among fans for its high-intensity action, impressive effects, and bold expansion of the story. It is a sequel that doesn't just repeat the formula, but pushes it into a violent urban landscape.