If Greenland was all about making it to President Trump’s coveted island to survive an apocalyptic meteor strike, Greenland 2: Migration should have been titled Leaving Greenland, because the movie had Gerard Butler and fam desperately trying to be anywhere else.
A surprisingly effective follow up to the surprisingly solid original, Leaving Greenland delivers more of the same, only this time the fam is put in new peril in a post-apocalyptic world full of natural disasters (asteroids still rain down), rugged terrain, and other survivors.
While the movie introduces some interesting post-decimation world building, returning director and longtime Ric Roman Waugh seems to have little interest in that aspect of the story, opting instead to string together various set pieces and action segments.
That approach largely works, and let’s be honest: it aligns to Gerard Butler’s brand of leading B-grade thrillers where it’s best not to think too hard about anything.
I’d been warned that this new Greenland was a notable step down from the original, but while it doesn’t fully capture the magic of its predecessor, it still yields fun, fast-paced excitement from start to finish.
I’m a sucker for competent disaster movies, and Leaving Greenland—sorry, Greenland 2: Migration—is a competently told and thrilling continuation.
Review by Erik Samdahl. Erik is a marketing and technology executive by day, avid movie lover by night. He is a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society.