Greenland 2: Migration Review: Gerard Butler’s Worthy Disaster Movie Sequel
Greenland 2: Migration smartly avoids repeating the exact beats of its predecessor by shifting its focus from the immediate terror of apocalypse to the uneasy reality of survival after it. Set five years after the Clarke interstellar comet devastated Earth, the film opens on a world that has already ended — and is now struggling, imperfectly, to continue. Director Ric Roman Waugh once again proves adept at grounding large-scale disaster filmmaking in physical danger and human vulnerability, even if the sequel doesn’t quite match the relentless intensity or emotional build of the original Greenland.
Where the first film thrived on scarily relatable scenarios — last-minute evacuations, impossible choices, and the horrifying randomness of survival — Migration unfolds in a ravaged European wasteland that feels alien by design. Entire cities are reduced to skeletal ruins, landscapes are stripped of life, and humanity exists in scattered pockets of desperation. The visual effects work here is consistently impressive, blending large-scale digital destruction with practical elements that give the environment a tangible sense of weight. Burned-out infrastructure and abandoned war zones feel lived-in rather than stylized, which helps sell the idea that this world has been decaying for years, not days.
At its core, Greenland 2: Migration is less a disaster movie than a survival film. The Garrity family—John (Gerard Butler), Allison (Morena Baccarin), and their diabetic son Nathan (Roman Griffin Davis)—are no longer racing against an extinction-level event. Instead, they’re navigating a planet that has already been broken, where danger comes not just from the environment but from other survivors. The film excels whenever it places its characters in situations where escape feels uncertain and safety is fleeting. One of the sequel’s greatest strengths, much like the first film, is its refusal to ever let the audience get comfortable. Just when things seem stable, something inevitably goes wrong. However, it is worth noting that Nathan’s diabetes is not nearly as much of a plot device as it was in the first film, and it’s basically completely forgotten. How has Nathan survived this long anyway?
Several standout sequences demonstrate how well Waugh understands tension and spatial storytelling. A shootout that erupts near the family’s car is especially effective, tapping into the kind of sudden, terrifying violence that feels disturbingly plausible in a lawless world. Even more memorable is the film’s interpretation of a classic action set piece: a precarious crossing over a shaky bridge suspended above a deep chasm. It’s familiar territory, but Migration executes it with confidence, strong pacing, and a real sense of physical danger. The sequence becomes the film’s emotional and kinetic peak, combining suspense, desperation, and the raw fear of falling into the unknown.
Gerard Butler continues to be well-cast as John Garrity, leaning further into his everyman qualities rather than the hyper-competent action hero persona seen in his Has Fallen films. John is capable, but never invincible. He’s exhausted, worn down by years of survival, and constantly reacting rather than commanding the situation. That vulnerability keeps the film grounded and makes his near-misses and injuries feel consequential. Morena Baccarin’s Allison remains the emotional backbone of the story, defined by a quiet but powerful moral clarity. Her willingness to help others, even when it puts her own family at risk, gives the film its strongest sense of heart. There’s a simplicity to her compassion that works, especially in a genre that often leans toward cynicism.
That said, Migration is lighter on character development than it perhaps should be. While there are brief family moments that gesture toward deeper emotional exploration, the film rarely pauses long enough to fully unpack how five years of survival have changed these characters internally. Roman Griffin Davis brings a grounded sensitivity to Nathan, but he doesn’t have nearly enough on the page. The audience is drawn to the Garritys largely because they are fundamentally good people, not because the film digs deeply into their evolving psychology. It works, but it leaves the movie feeling emotionally thinner than its premise might allow.
One of the film’s strongest later sequences drops the characters into an active war zone, a chaotic and harrowing stretch that recalls the original film’s best moments of sustained dread. Explosions, gunfire, and confusion collide as the Garritys scramble to survive forces far beyond their control. It’s here that Migration briefly recaptures the relentless tension that made Greenland so effective, reinforcing the idea that in this world, danger is constant and our heroes are not ready for any of it.
The final act makes a surprising creative choice that largely pays off, opting for something less predictable than a standard action-heavy climax. While it doesn’t reach the same emotional or suspenseful highs as the bridge sequence — or even the war zone — it’s thoughtful and thematically consistent with the film’s survival-first ethos. Still, this is where the sequel’s limitations become most apparent. Unlike the first film, which steadily escalated toward a powerful finale, Migration peaks around its midpoint and never quite surpasses that momentum again.
Ultimately, Greenland 2: Migration is a well-crafted, often gripping sequel that understands what made the original work, even if it doesn’t fully replicate its impact. The post-apocalyptic setting is less immediately relatable than the real-time collapse of society, and the intensity is more uneven as a result. But strong performances, effective set pieces, and a clear commitment to keeping its characters perpetually at risk make this a worthy continuation of the story. It may not hit as hard as Greenland, but it remains a solid, thoughtful survival thriller that respects its audience and its world enough to never let anyone feel truly safe.
SCORE: 6/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 6 equates to “Decent.” It fails to reach its full potential and is a run-of-the-mill experience.
Disclosure: ComingSoon attended a press screening for our Greenland 2: Migration review.
Source: Comingsoon.net