PREDATOR 2

US, 1990, 108 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Peter Hall, Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Ruben Blades, Maria Conchita Alonso, Bill Paxton.
Directed by Stephen Hopkins.

Predator 2 refers to the earlier film with Arnold Schwarzenegger. The same alien is present, this time in Los Angeles, 1997. The same special effects are used to suggest
the presence of the alien and its destructive power.

In fact, this is a film of graphic stunts and special effects. The editing is also important (by director Mark Goldblatt - The Punisher, Dead Heat). The film is done with flair for slam-bang action. Unfortunately, the screenplay does not match the flair and there is far too much swearing, insults, obsessive behaviour. This is especially the case with Danny Glover's central police character, quite unsympathetic in himself, no matter how good the cause. There is a strong supporting cast - most of them becoming victims of the Predator.

The film was directed by British Steven Hopkins who directed The fifth Nightmare in Elm Street, also with flair. The film is futuristic, presenting an ugly picture of the American cities and the gang wars, the enormous amount of weaponry, the drug gangs, especially the Columbians and the Jamaican posses (also a feature of the Steven Segal thriller, Marked for Death).

1. Entertaining futuristic thriller? Action thriller? Aliens?

2. The importance of photography, special effects, stunt work? The effects for the Predator? The battles? The mayhem? The slaughter house and the attempts to catch the predator? The underground caverns? Editing and pace? The atmospheric score?

3. The title, the focus on the alien, audience familiarity with the original? The visualising of the predator, its presence in Los Angeles, its observing humans because of their body heat? Confrontations and destruction? Taking over the bodies of the victims? The selection of victims - in the shoot outs, the Jamaican posses? The victims in the subway? The confrontation with the scientists? With Harrigan? The
ultimate visualising of the predator as part samurai, part monster? The unmasking of the predator? Super human powers, violence? The many predators at the end - and their decision to leave? Return?

4. The Los Angeles 1997 setting, the urban violence and the fights, the drug gangs, the police, the weaponry? The absence of the mayor? The special federal police and their interventions? Officials and their hard lines? The Jamaican posses, the Columbians - penthouses, slums, visualising of these gangs, their rituals, murders? King Willy and his sinister presence, the voodoo atmosphere, his death from the predator?

7. Danny G1over as Mike Harrigan, the tough cop, coming in and rescuing the injured police, his squad, confrontations with authority, with Peter Keys? The mystery of the deaths, going into the buildings? Investigations? The death Of Danny and his wanting revenge? His team? Mocking but interviewing Gerry, surveillance of Keys? His going to confront King Willy, King Willy's death? The subway mayhem, his pursuit of the predator, being taken by Keys's men, the revelation of the truth, observing in the laboratory, going out to get the weapons, confronting the predator, the battle on the roof, the battle in the abattoir? Confronting the predator in the depths, defeating the predator with the weapon? The appearance of the other predators and their decision, to leave, his emergence from the depths? Knowing they would come again? Portrait of a lethal weapon policeman? Obsessed, duty, work, relationships?

8. The members of his team: Danny, the Latin-American? background, the work, on the squad, going into investigate, the arrow, death? The girl, tough, clash with Gerry, on the subway, her being taken by the predator? Gerry, the hotshot, his talk, jokes, being employed, getting rid of the media, on the subway, destroyed?

9. Peter Keys, the federal authorities, his men? Warning off Harrigan, Harrigan confronting him personally? The stances and laying down the law? The scientist, showing Harrigan what the truth was, going in with the men; confronting the predator, destroyed?

10. The media, cable news, on the spot and the satire on the hard-core news (especially using Morton Downey Jnr, the rather aggressive talkback host? Harrigan punching him? The right of the media to report?

11. The police, trying to handle the chaos in the city, officials, reprimands?

10. The atmosphere of violence, audiences involved, the confrontation between good and evil?