Sometimes when you say yes to everything that comes across your desk like Gerard Butler seems to do, you stumble upon some unexpected gems amid the slop. That was the case with “Greenland,” an unexpectedly excellent survival thriller from the void that was 2020. Though no one was really clamoring for a sequel, “Greenland 2: Migration” arrives in theaters nonetheless, 5 years later both in real time (almost) and in the continued film narrative. And I’m happy to report that it is a solid sequel that wrestles with the toll and cost of survival, not just living through the apocalyptic events but what it means to have life after them. More of a character study and bit more melodramatic than its propulsive predecessor, the sequel is a worthy successor to an underrated success, one that is sure to be satisfactory for fans even if it at times feels like a retread of diminishing returns.
Butler returns along with Morena Baccarin and Roman Griffin Davis replacing Roger Dale Floyd as the titular couple’s now older diabetic son. It’s a solid family cast and a collection of performers that’s worth taking the end of the world journey with. “Greenland 2” avoids some of the pitfalls of unnecessary sequels by keeping its focus on the family at hand and as much as it can, grounds the apocalyptic setting. Sure, there’s an episodic quality to their journey this time around; a sort of predictability of heading toward a destination, meeting friendlies and enemies, and moving on to the next leg of the journey. Some would rightly say that this slows everything down to a slog, one that lacks some of the ingenuity of its predecessor and holds it back from having the same surprise hit longevity enjoyed by the first one.
What struck me this time in the slowness and occasional excitement are the core themes “Greenland 2” tries to convey through its characters. The sequel picks up 5 years after the events of the first and sees the survivors doing everything they can to make the bunker a home. But resources are running out and people are just spinning their wheels staying alive for no other reason than to not die. After an giant earthquake shatters the walls of their safe haven, the family heads out in search of a rumored “new life” amid the first impact crater, a long treacherous journey that may kill them before they even get there and they have no way of knowing whether or not it even exists. This is more than just a search for safety. It’s an exploration of the many facets of survival and what it means to live when everything around you makes you feel like its better to fold up shop and shuffle off the mortal coil.
Though the interactions are repetitive, we do meet an array of people at different stages of that survival. Marauders roaming the streets killing for resources, trade villages filled with people aware of their slow deaths due to radiation exposure, those stuck taking care of the sick and elderly , and more. “Greenland 2: Migration” is about discovering what it means to live; not just finding a place to live in but something to live for. This is the final message of the film, and while it can travel into melodrama and overly sincere interactions, there’s something deeply profound about these ideas that resonated with me. Beneath the slight downgrade in effects – the sequel does try to go slightly bigger but not to the extent that most sequels like this would – and the repetitive nature of a familial journey lies something deeper and worth taking away.
We live a very difficult time, one that for many feels like a fight for survival every day. We don’t necessarily need cataclysmic events to feel that feeling, and finding things to live for has become an increasingly common need just to make it through our current hellscape. While this movie may not be the best of its kind and may not quite reach the heights of what came before it, but these ideas speak to our current times more than we may realize and I found it compelling in how it chooses to explore that.
“Greenland 2: Migration” is simultaneously typical January fodder and a better than expected sequel that builds upon its story in ways that feel organic and meaningful. And if this is the worst we’re gonna get in the middle of Slumpuary, I think 2026 is off to a great start for cinema.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
“Greenland 2: Migration” is now playing in theaters. You can watch the trailer below.
