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Predator 2 Special Edition 2 DVD boxset
01/03/2006 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
DVD: 20th Century Fox F1-0GB 2941301001. 107 minute film with dual audio commentaries and extras: 2 disks. Price: £ 6.97 (UK) so shop around for the best price). stars: Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Ruben Blades, Maria Conchita Alonso, Bill Paxton and Kevin Peter Hall. Buy Predator 2 Special Edition in the USA - or Buy Predator 2 Special Edition in the UK  check out website: www.fox.co.uk
Got a few days to kill? Then time to join this particular alien predator hunter on his safari into gangland drug wars of Los Angeles 1997...well, at least as it was imagined in 1990 when this film was created. It also finds its target, an alpha male leading a police squad and determined to put him alone before going in for the kill. Since the previous recorded instance of a predator on Earth, a US covert squad is also determined to capture the alien for its technology.
As the sequel to the Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle 'Predator', this film got a lot of undeserved flak simply because the Austrian was not in it. In many respects, I've always felt this would have weakened any sequel. It would have meant that it would have been a two-being war and with Schwarzenegger's character having a track record for beating predators, the film ending would always have been predictable. With Schwarzenegger being unavailable, this made for a better twist by introducing a new set of characters and circumstances and a much grimmer picture. It's a shame the audience couldn't be convinced of this at the time because then we'd probably have had a stack of these films to look over, especially if they maintained the standard of this movie.
This film has a great many moments to savour whether it's the battle scenes or the introduction of actor Bill Paxton's character to the team or the subway attack or a certain alien head trophy in the predator's collection. Director Stephen Hopkins really made this film something special and all some people had to say was no Schwarzenegger and move on. Big mistake and it froze the franchise until 2005's 'Alien vs Predator' film.
The extras with this film cover all the predator weaponry and showing them working. Loved the predator flying disk and seeing it light up makes me wonder how long before we seeing a working lit model in the merchandise. The audio commentaries also explains how 'Predator 2' was used as a test case for violence level gradings for the revised certification. Director Hopkins also points out that this film was one of the last before CGI started taking over and the problems associated with getting everything in sync like multiple computer or TV screens which is regarded as child's play today some sixteen years later. Time has flown but the film holds up.
There's a certain amount of favouritism from this reviewer but this is really a classic film that like its prequel, doesn't tire from re-watching and this DVD version has enough extras to make it worth buying.
GF Willmetts
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