After 5 years living underground, the Garritys are forced to leave their bunker in search of a new home. With all of North America uninhabitable, their only choice is to head for Europe, and the place where the Clarke asteroid impacted our planet. Which, due to its unique makeup, is believed to be one of the last hospitable places on Earth, and could hold the key to a new life on the surface.
I remember when Greenland landed on Prime Video after a cinematic release was aborted thanks to Covid. It was a bit of a surprise, in that it wasn't your typical Gerard Butler vehicle. Instead of the Scottishy-American hero in a super cheesy action flick, you get this pretty average guy and his family, caught up in an extinction level event. Their journey to safety is certainly tense, and a thrill ride for audiences, but witnessing all the chaos of Armageddon from their perspective makes it all oddly relatable. Possibly a little too relatable. There was, however, one thing that seemed slightly odd about the story, and that's how quickly the movie suggested the Garritys and their bunker-mates emerged from their underground home. Something that continues with Migration.
Given what the Clarke asteroid did to our world, five years seems a little soon for John, Allison and Nathan to be going outside, much less on another road trip. But for reasons beyond their control, they are once again in search of a safe haven. Only this time it's kind of like The Last of Us mixed with parts of a certain bible story, in that the family are travelling by any means available through the remnants of the old world to what could be a promised land. First off, they head for the UK, then look to cross into France and head south towards the crater. I'm not sure how believable it all is; certain phenomena don't exactly make sense, and life in a world after Clarke seems a little too established.
The result of this disconnection with believability is a story that's not quite as compelling or relatable as that of the first movie. Migration isn't the same thrilling ride that its predecessor was either. It doesn't have that kinetic, 'race against time' feel to it, despite the fact it sort of is. But the lack of infrastructure, as well as some strange environmental factors make the Garritys' search for transport and shelter interesting. And thanks to some pretty good practical and visual effects, there's definitely some curious sights to see on their crazy journey. Not to mention a few heart-stopping moments. Including a perilous crossing of the English Channel that is far from what you might expect. Put it this way; it makes the ferry and the tunnel seem more than pleasant.
As with the first movie, it's the family unit at the heart of this story that makes Migration engaging. Despite the more fantastical nature of the story and a casting change, the Garritys still feel like a real family. Butler and Baccarin are once again good together as the parents struggling to keep their family safe in the most extreme situations. Their desperation is certainly understandable. While Roman Griffin Davis (Jojo Rabbit) takes over the role of Nathan, and unsurprisingly fits in very well. Imagine being a teenager after the apocalypse! Well Davis somehow brings all that to life without making Nathan annoying. He and his parents actually make quite the team, you can't help rooting for them. And in that there is also something of a sense of hope... seemingly one of the movie’s major themes.
It is a shame then, that the writers felt the need to once again insert some issues into the family dynamic. After all, this can't just be about the journey, and what's a disaster movie without some on the nose biblical references? I'd say it was about character arcs, but they don't really have any. These issues may not be without merit, and at least bring a sense of urgency to this post-apocalyptic family outing - albeit a tad forced. However, they essentially give away the ending, and at the same time make you question whether such an excursion - let alone a life on the surface - would even be possible. In fact, given everything that the Garritys have seen on their travels, that ending almost seems a little too hopeful. As if those behind the first two movies are preparing for yet more disaster in yet another Greenland movie.
Greenland 2: Migration isn't as believable or compelling as its predecessor. Even though it's essentially the first movie all over again, only in a post-apocalyptic setting. But the Garritys and their plight do at least prove to be engaging, as they head off on yet another perilous journey across the world.
5/10
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