35 Years Before Badlands, The Most Underrated Predator Movie Changed The Franchise in 4 Huge Ways

by

Though it wasn’t well-received initially, Predator 2 has gained a strong following over time. For years, it was considered the best sequel to the original Predator (1987) until the release of Predator: Badlands. The film’s hot, urban Los Angeles setting creates a sense of tension and danger that’s comparable to the jungle in the first movie. Kevin Peter Hall is again convincingly terrifying as the Predator, Gary Busey delivers a memorable performance as the enthusiastic CIA agent Peter Keyes, and the addition of a gang war provides an interesting backdrop. However, the biggest success is Danny Glover stepping into the role of the hunter, replacing Arnold Schwarzenegger. His character, Lieutenant Mike Harrigan, is different from Dutch Schaefer, but he’s still a believable contender in a fight for survival.

Beyond simply being overlooked, Predator 2 played a crucial role in shaping the Predator series. It arguably had as much impact on later movies as the very first Predator, and if not, it was a very close second. Let’s explore the reasons why.

4) New Weapons

If you haven’t watched the original Predator recently, you might recall Dutch’s team being eliminated in a variety of gruesome ways. However, the alien Predator actually used only a few key weapons: its wrist blades and the shoulder-mounted plasmacaster.

The Predator’s iconic weapons are well-known, but Predator 2 added even more to its arsenal. This film introduced the Netgun, which traps enemies with incredibly strong wires, along with the Combistick – a spear that can retract – and the Smart Disc. These weapons have continued to appear throughout the Predator series, as seen in the recent film Prey, which featured a memorable use of the Netgun against a French Voyageur.

3) The Yautja Show Respect

If a human defeats a Yautja (Predator), the Predator tribe traditionally presents the winner with a weapon. This practice began with Lieutenant Harrigan receiving a vintage flintlock pistol from the elder Predator – a detail that was cleverly referenced in the movie Prey.

This idea of a Predator showing respect and offering aid has happened a couple of other times, but not quite like it does in this scene. We saw it in Alien vs. Predator, where a Predator gave Alexa Woods a weapon to help fight the Xenomorph Queen. It also appeared at the end of The Predator, where a ship full of specialized suits designed to fight other Predators was revealed – though that plotline didn’t really go anywhere. Ultimately, this scene in Predator 2 is one of the film’s highlights, and it elevates the Predator species beyond simple monsters, showing they can recognize and respect worthy opponents.

2) A Change in Setting

The sequel to Predator could have easily felt repetitive if it had just repeated the original’s jungle setting. Fortunately, moving the action to the bustling city of Los Angeles was a smart move that doesn’t get enough recognition. The film effectively creates a tense atmosphere through details like the sweltering summer heat—making all the characters visibly uncomfortable—and by establishing a backdrop of existing gang violence in the city.

After the second film, the Predator movies started varying their locations. Predators returned to a jungle environment, but on an alien planet. The Predator and Predator: Killer of Killers both used multiple settings, like towns and forests, and even spanned different time periods and locations around the globe. Prey shifted the action to the Great Plains. While the series often revisited jungle settings, it also attempted to introduce new elements and keep things fresh.

1) A Very Familiar Skull

The weapons and changing settings in Predator 2 were noteworthy, but the brief glimpse of a Xenomorph skull was the most important element for the future of the series. It was a pivotal moment for both the Alien and Predator franchises, similar to how Freddy Krueger’s glove appearing in Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday connected the Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street storylines.

It’s no surprise we got two Alien vs. Predator movies, but that little hint in Predator 2 was actually more exciting than both of them. The connection between the Alien and Predator universes is still going strong, as evidenced by Predator: Badlands, which even uses the same alarm sound from the original Alien and Prometheus trailers. Hopefully, we’ll eventually get a truly great Alien vs. Predator movie.

https://comicbook.com/movies/news/predator-badlands-rotten-tomatoes-score-continues-a-great-franchise-trend/embed/#

Read More

2025-11-09 23:17