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Before I saw the ads for "Greenland 2: Migration," I had no idea that there was even a first movie in the series, let alone that it had merited a sequel. Then, I discovered that not only was there an original "Greenland," but that this Gerard Butler action thriller was a surprise hit.
Welcome to Screen, Stream, Skip, a column where Tom's Guide writers check out the latest new theatrical movie releases and then tell you whether they're worth watching on the big screen, waiting for streaming, or can be skipped entirely.
So, after seeing that "Greenland" made some money and scored surprisingly good reviews, I decided that I needed to check it out for myself. I came away pleasantly surprised after watching it on HBO Max, and determined that yes, it did make the case for having a sequel.
But that leaves the question: Should you go see "Greenland 2: Migration" in theaters? And, perhaps just as importantly, did it prove it deserved to be made, and did it live up to the promise of the first film? Well, I've already seen "Greenland 2: Migration," and I no longer have any doubt as to the answers to those questions.
Malcolm has been with the Streaming team at Tom's Guide since 2023, reviewing dozens of movies each year so you don't have to watch the bad ones.
'Greenland 2' repeats the 'Greenland' premise but with none of the magic
In "Greenland," we're given a surprisingly simple premise. A comet, Clarke, is set to strike Earth, causing an extinction-level event. A select few, including structural engineer John Garrity (Gerard Butler), his wife Allison (Morena Baccarin) and their son Nathan (Roger Dale Floyd), have been ordered to arrive at airports to be flown to classified bunkers and hopefully survive the impact.
A couple of factors prevent the Garritys from making it on a plane at Robins Air Force Base, and they get separated. On the way to a meeting point, John discovers the classified bunkers are in Greenland, and there's a flight from Osgoode, Canada, that will be taking as many people as it can to the bunkers in hopes that they'll be given safety. Now, it becomes a race against the clock to get to Greenland before Clarke strikes.
In "Greenland 2: Migration," writer Chris Sparling clearly decides to stick to the formula. Events force the Garrity family to leave the Greenland bunker, and now, they're in a race against the clock — and radiation storms — to get to the crater caused by Clarke striking the Earth, which a scientist, Dr. Casey (Amber Rose Revah), believes could become the cradle of the new human civilization that rises from the ashes of this apocalypse.
Unfortunately, along the way, this disaster movie sequel decides to do too much. What made the first movie surprisingly enjoyable is its understated performances. There isn't much dialogue; it's mostly you, on the edge of your seat, waiting for the next action set piece to hit. The more "Greenland" tries to be anything deeper than a survival film, the more it exposes its weaknesses.
This sequel suffers from the same flaws, but it leans into trying to be something more than a survival story. It's littered with expository dialogue, and gives the son, Nathan, who's now played by a far too old Roman Griffin Davis (of "Jojo Rabbit" fame), far too much prominence.
That ultimately produces a movie where, instead of being on the edge of your seat in between action set pieces — of which "Greenland 2: Migration" does have a few great ones — you're disengaged and maybe even a little bored.
Verdict: You can skip 'Greenland 2: Migration' altogether
If you get dragged to the cinema for this movie, I don't think you'll have a bad time, per se. There are a few moments that recapture the magic of the first movie and the more I think about it, the more I don't think I'd be truly offended if someone made me watch this movie again.
But if you don't need to watch "Greenland 2: Migration," then don't. You certainly don't need to rush to your local movie theater to see it. It's similar enough to "Greenland" that it doesn't bring anything new to the table, and it's largely just a lesser copy of the original.
Instead, I'd recommend watching "Greenland" on HBO Max instead. I came away from the 2020 action thriller, presently surprised and stunned by a few moments. The middle third of the movie drags a little, but the beginning and end are thrill rides that won't have you reaching for your phone even for a second. Plus, if you never knew "Greenland 2" existed, you could be satisfied with the ending of the original movie.
Regardless, save your money and skip "Greenland 2: Migration" in theaters. Either wait for it to come to one of the best streaming services or ignore it altogether.
"Greenland 2: Migration" final rating: ★★ (out of five)
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