SPOILER-ALERT PLOT SUMMARY
Set just six months after the conclusion of 2020’s GREENLAND, John Garrity (Gerard Butler) and his family are among the Clarke Impact survivors living the best lives they can, on what supplies they have, in a military bunker in Greenland. Garrity, a professional construction worker and contractor, is chosen to leave the bunker on special occasions to scavenge for supplies the community can use. In doing so, he finds multiple life boats washed up nearby. Meanwhile, John’s wife Allison (Morena Baccarin) is one of the select few on a leadership panel that help make decisions about food rations, supply usage and overall safety concerns. Scientist Dr. Amina (Amber Rosh Revah) begins to hypothesize that the impact crater, just south of France, might be the safest place to be as history has shown that new life can sprout up from events similar to Clarke. So, when a massive earthquake hits and renders the bunker unstable, families grab what they can and flee toward the lifeboats. The Garrity family manages to stow away on one as it sets out in dangerous conditions toward France. Between treacherous ocean, a lack of resources and people’s natural instinct to survive, the crater is getting closer but seemingly further away.
SPOILER-FREE REVIEW
If you didn’t know there was an original GREENLAND to make a sequel from, you’re not alone. It came out in 2020, during the pandemic and was largely off the radar — even for movie enthusiasts — because bigger things were at play. That said, it was surprisingly good. I fully expected a Gerard Butler action movie to be a serviceable, turn-your-brain-off two hour escape. Instead, it was Butler’s best movie since OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN, it was well done, had some good performances, was relatable and explored a lot of what a situation like that would bring out in people. When an action film can make the audience think “What would I be like if that were to really happen?” it’s impressive.
This one? Not so much.
GREENLAND 2: MIGRATION isn’t a bad movie, per se. It’s more in the category of another Butler-led movie, PLANE. Fun-ish while you’re watching it but, by the time you get home, you’ve forgotten you even saw it.
If you were one of the few who saw the opening installment, you might be intrigued on how the story wraps up. I, on the other hand, think it’s much more compelling and thought-provoking to see the event happen, explore the chaos around it, see the people start a new life in a new post-impact reality and then let my imagination decide what happened. In short, the original was all that was necessary.
The sequel felt disjointed and awfully convenient. They need to get to the lifeboats, they do. They need to cross a chasm, they do. They need to meet someone they don’t know who can help them get to the crater, they do.
It felt like a mini-series and probably should’ve went to streaming in that format. Might’ve been a lot more enjoyable.
JKG SCORE: 4.5
Untitled Film Project 