Film Review – Greenland 2: Migration (2025)

      Greenland 2: Migration, 2026.

      Directed by Ric Roman Waugh.

      Featuring Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, William Abadie, Roman Griffin Davis, Sophie Thompson, Amber Rose Revah, Tommie Earl Jenkins, Trond Fausa Aurvåg, Rachael Evelyn, Nathan Wiley, Peter Polycarpou, Alex Lanipekun, Gordon Alexander, Sidsel Siem Koch, Gianni Calchetti, Faraz M. Khan, Shayn Herndon, Leah Perkins, Antonio De Lima, Gina Gangar, and Beruce Khan.

      SYNOPSIS:

      The remaining members of the Garrity family must abandon the safety of their bunker in Greenland and undertake a dangerous trek across the devastated frozen landscape of Europe in search of a new home.

      Set and released five years after the events of the first film, Ric Roman Waugh’s Greenland 2: Migration resumes the story with the characters (mainly focusing on the Garrity family, led by Gerard Butler’s protective character, John) residing in the self-titled underground bunker, which has somehow become their new normal without them fully realizing it. Once a service engineer before Comet Clarke destroyed much of the planet, John now finds himself performing maintenance tasks underground and occasionally braving radiation above ground (while wearing a gas mask) to collect resources or meet other survivors looking for shelter.

      This scenario leads to an early exchange with John’s therapist, who notes that he hasn’t begun to address the trauma from past events. Bearing that in mind, this film is a family-centered disaster narrative that, amidst its high-octane, action-driven global journey, poignantly focuses on the internal struggles and the unsaid feelings that come with maintaining a resilient facade. Collaborating once again with screenwriter Chris Sparling (along with recent co-writer Mitchell LaFortune), Ric Roman Waugh and Gerard Butler clearly take pride in embedding human drama and genuine sentiment into their work, and here they excel in depicting a journey centered on hope for the future, the reality of mortality, and the self-awareness regarding the psychological toll of such perilous experiences.

      It also explores father-son dynamics, as Nathan (now a teenager portrayed by the breakout Roman Griffin Davis from Jojo Rabbit), learns about the cosmos in underground classes and begins to take an interest in girls while hoping to emulate his father's bravery by venturing to the surface to fulfill necessary tasks, even at the risk of reducing his life expectancy due to radiation exposure. Meanwhile, John’s wife, Allison (Morena Baccarin), is involved in a board that addresses everything from rationing to managing interactions with new survivors, as well as gathering scientific data regarding radiation levels.

      Predictably (as a film wouldn’t feel like a blockbuster without conflict), the shaky stability of this new status quo cannot last, leading to the realization that the Greenland bunker is no longer a viable refuge. This forces the Garrity family (alongside various government officials, scientists with ideas for rebuilding, and more) into an adventure through a wasteland where the English Channel has completely dried up, factions on the surface are battling for resources, and full-on war zones erupt over the site of Clarke’s landing, which may hold the key to a fresh start.

      Numerous new characters are introduced throughout the story, with some meeting quick ends that create an ongoing sense of urgency and danger. Gunfire, chases, and widespread destruction seem to be just moments away. Additionally, some of these new roles highlight governmental shortcomings for those still on the surface or integrated into the family unit, weaving new emotional connections. While the film runs at only 97 minutes compared to the nearly 2-hour previous installment, the fast-paced nature does bring some advantages. Nevertheless, one might hope the plot would sometimes pause to establish or develop certain characters more thoroughly. However, this point feels somewhat irrelevant considering that Greenland 2: Migration is filled with visually striking moments and an emotional essence that complements the chaos.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★

      Robert Kojder