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Since we first saw the jungle warrior come to earth in Predator, we wanted to know more about the Yautja species. Why were they there? What planet were they from? And why do they insist on taking their masks off and showing us their damn face-vaginas?

The Predator has been depicted as an humanoid extraterrestrial, who possesses advanced technology that aid it in killing its prey. The species, as a whole, seem to follow a code in which they refuse to kill unarmed, ill or pregnant prey (this was hinted at in the 1987 film when an unarmed Anna (Elpidia Carrillo) was never attacked, and when The Predator later removed his armour to face Dutch in a fair fight).

To date, that's pretty much all there is to know about the species from the movies. The truth is, you're never really going to learn much about Yautjas unless you decide to read the comic books or play the video games.

Predator 2, the sequel to the fantastic 1987 sci-fi/action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, is still a fairly satisfying ride, though. This time, he(?), The Predator (Kevin Peter Hall), is right in the middle of an urban warfare in Los Angeles, which involves the local police department and a gang of Haitian drug dealers. The city is in a run down state of criminal activity: Most buildings are demolished, and those that are standing are covered in graffiti. Danny Glover is cast as the main (human) character -- a maverick cop out to clear up the streets -- while fan-favourite Gary Busey (Lethal Weapon) is the suspicious Federal Agent wanting to keep tabs on him.

If we attempt to judge Predator 2 as a standalone film, it is pretty successful in providing mind-numbing entertainment via its high levels of action and violence -- we aren't encouraged to think about the history or motives of the mysterious outer space warrior until after the climax. Bodies get skinned, heads get cut off, and bullets seemingly fly every which way they can. It's a pretty solid action flick, all in all -- nothing incredibly spectacular, but nothing incredibly bad, either.

However, if we must compare Predator 2 to the original (after all, this is a sequel -- it would be silly not to), then it is inferior in most ways.

Firstly, there is a change of environment for The Predator to roam in. Although this "urban jungle" does sound rather intriguing as an idea on paper, and generally does look rather appealing in places, admittedly it still doesn't live up to the depths of the beautiful Central American jungles, as seen in Predator.

The cast of characters is also hit and miss. Danny Glover holds his own and is surprisingly effective as the aging protagonist -- but let's face it, he's no Arnold, is he? Busey is pretty good, too; the other characters, however, aren't anywhere near as influential as the two leads, or as memorable as the supporting characters (Hawkins, Dillon, Mack, Billy) from the first movie. Bill Paxton's talents, especially, are wasted here in a underwritten role.

What's mostly notable, though, if you compare this sequel with its original, is the lack of suspense. Despite the awesome final showdown -- Glover ends up being confronted by not just one, but nine Yautjas -- we never really get that fear factor that makes us want to root for the characters in their quest to overhaul the threat of the alien. When The Predator hunts down various members of the police force, it's hard to feel remorse for any of them, and I was actually relieved when the Haitian drug dealers were taken care of -- they became annoying very quickly. Alan Silvestri's score may be here again, but Predator 2 fails to reach the heights of excitement that were present in the original.

Overall, Predator 2 is a mixed bag. On its own, it's an entertaining action film that doesn't take itself too seriously. Though, with the seemingly-unavoidable comparisons with the original, it is more likely to disappoint avid fans of Schwarzenegger and his elite commandos' past adventures in the jungles of Palenque, Mexico. Still, give it a go, at least.

(C) Andy Carrington, 2009.