Predator 2: Stephen Hopkins

In light of the generally tattered state of the Predator franchise after its abysmal outings with the Alien vs. Predator series, fans have come to regard Predator 2  as a good, albeit inferior, follow-up to the beloved Predator by John McTiernan.  Therefore I was surprised to find myself enjoying it more than its predecessor.  The primary reason was that the sequel actually managed to develop the titular character.  The first film found the Predator as a near sociopathic killer who picked off the members of Dutch's team one-by-one.  Predator 2 gave this creature a culture and motivations: it only hunts armed creatures, it doesn't harm creatures who are pregnant or ill, to defeat a Predator in combat is to win the respect of its race.  Additionally, the film took the bold step of transplanting the series from the first film into the "urban jungle" of Los Angeles (which appears to be more violent and dangerous than Afghanistan).  The film still has problems.  For instance: I wouldn't be surprised if "angry black man" was all of the motivation the director afforded Danny Glover.  But as flawed as it may be, Predators 2 managed to create not just a fascinating monster, but a mythos and universe to accompany it.  That's more than can be said for most sequels.

7/10