REVIEW: Greenland 2: Migration

The first film holds a bit of a special place for me, largely because, if memory serves, it was the first new movie I saw in theaters once cinemas reopened after the COVID lockdown. Beyond that personal milestone, it was also a genuinely solid entry in a disaster subgenre that had started to feel a little worn out. It featured sturdy performances, a handful of effective thrill sequences, and a premise that was executed well enough to stand out. Even the idea of relocating to Greenland of all places felt like a fresh wrinkle at the time.

Going into this sequel, my expectations were fairly low. The original wrapped things up cleanly, and it didn’t exactly scream “franchise starter.” That said, the film does manage to justify its own existence in a reasonably believable way. The bunker wasn’t built to last forever, the world hasn’t magically fixed itself, and constant storms, earthquakes, and environmental chaos make long-term survival nearly impossible. After a series of events, the surviving group is forced to migrate yet again, this time setting their sights on France, where rumors of a possible safe haven still linger.

From there, the movie settles into familiar disaster-movie territory. Danger lurks around every corner, and just when it seems like the characters might catch a break, something else inevitably goes wrong. Catastrophes often strike with little warning—meteor showers falling from the sky, mechanical failures at the worst possible moments, and perilous journeys that feel engineered to keep the tension high. Some of it stretches plausibility, like how quickly certain travel setbacks resolve themselves, but director Ric Roman Waugh does a commendable job maintaining suspense. The cliff-crossing sequence is easily the standout, delivering genuine white-knuckle tension.

Technically, the film is pretty solid. The visual effects convincingly sell the large-scale destruction, and the way various locations are rendered as devastated and barely livable is effective. David Buckley’s score is another highlight, using choral elements to give the film a haunting, almost apocalyptic tone. The editing and pacing are also on point—the movie moves briskly and rarely drags.

Performance-wise, this isn’t a showcase piece, and it doesn’t need to be. Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, and Roman Griffin Davis have believable chemistry, and the family dynamic works well enough to ground the chaos. Everyone delivers exactly what the movie requires, nothing more and nothing less—and yes, it’s always nice to hear Butler leaning into his natural accent.

If there’s a real weak spot, it’s the writing. The story often feels stitched together, relying heavily on convenience and familiar genre beats. Character decisions can be frustratingly illogical, and some relationships develop far too quickly to feel earned. The dialogue also veers into corniness whenever the film tries to reach for something more profound, resulting in more than a few eye-rolling moments.

In the end, this is a perfectly serviceable disaster sequel. It delivers what fans of the genre expect—solid tension, competent performances, and large-scale destruction—without really pushing the formula forward. While it’s far from essential viewing, it’s entertaining enough and never boring, making it a decent pick for disaster-movie fans looking for a familiar, straightforward ride.