SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers for Greenland and its ending.
While the world was dealing with one of the worst public health crises in recorded history, Gerard Butler was trying to save his on-screen family in Greenland from another disaster: a planet-killer comet with a collision course set straight for Earth. And unlike what we experienced in 2020, there was no cure or way to stop the incoming threat in Ric Roman Waugh’s surprisingly successful disaster flick that actually had a lot to say about the way in which humanity deals with such events.
With the news there would be a Greenland 2, I went back and watched its predecessor to get all caught up on how the film’s main characters — the Garrity family — made their way to a fortified bunker to weather the cosmic storm during the Greenland ending. After finishing the epic action thriller I couldn’t stop thinking about what kind of world is going to be left for the Garritys once they depart the bunker and make a new life for themselves in a new world.
What Happened In Greenland
Like pretty much every other end-of-the-world disaster film, Greenland has a lot going on in addition to its central story about a comet headed straight for Earth that has the potential to wipe out all life. One on hand you have the failing marriage shared by John Garrity (Gerard Butler) and his wife Allison (Morena Baccarin). Then you have the selection process for those chosen to seek shelter in underground bunkers. Add a child with medical needs (Roger Dale Floyd’s character, Nathan Garrity, has diabetes which becomes a major plot point) with people absolutely losing their minds (David Denman’s character kidnapping a kid and trying to act like his dad), and you have a recipe for disaster.
Throughout Greenland’s wild second act that feels like one of those bad dreams where you have to be at work only to discover your car is on the other side of town, the Garrity family (who are split up after John went back to get Nathan’s insulin) fight off abductors, enraged nationalists, and traffic to make it to the safe confines of Allison’s family home where they’re greeted by her father Dale (Scott Glenn). With only 15 hours to make it to the bunker (which has been revealed to be in Greenland), the Garritys make one last mad dash to safety.
How Things Ended For The Garrity Family In Greenland
After the whirlwind that is Greenland’s second act, the Garrity family make it to the final plane headed to the hidden bunker facility. Following a daring landing in the now out-of-commission plane, the pilot (played by Mindhunter star Holt McCallany) gets the passengers to safety but the same can’t be said for himself. Once on land, the survivors are scooped up by the military and taken to bunker complex just as Clarke makes impact in Europe, instantly killing billions of people.
Nine months later we see what’s left of major cities around the world like Sydney, Chicago, Mexico City, Paris as wer hear radio chatter from the various bunkers. Finally, with much of the world decimated, the Garrity family and the other survivors walk out into the new world with a mixture of hope and fear for what lies ahead.
What The World Might Look Like After The Garrity Family Leaves The Bunker In Greenland
Okay, now that we know where things left off for the Garrity family during the Greenland ending, let’s take a look at what the future might hold for them once they leave the confines of the fortified bunker deep beneath the frozen ground of the arctic.
Before the credits roll, we are given a glimpse at the world: major cities completely destroyed and large craters peppered around the globe, especially a massive one that hit Western Europe. This should surely make things complicated for the Garrity family in Greenland: Migration considering the movie is set to take place in Europe, per Deadline. And even though nine months have passed since Clarke collided with Earth and birds can be seen and heard flying about, the planet is going to be in dire shape for quite some time following all those impacts.
Once they leave the bunker, the Garrity family is sure to see even more damage caused by the comet and the natural disasters caused by its impact (earthquakes, tsunamis, etc.), which will make starting a new life even harder for the reunited family. But if Greenland taught us anything, the Garritys should be more concerned about the people who are left and how they might act following the nearly-complete eradication of all life.
How Might Society React To Those Leaving The Bunkers In Greenland: Migration
Throughout Greenland we come across multiple people who don’t react to the news of the world coming to an end as well as others. While the Garrity family keeps their wits about them for the most part, other characters have a “nothing to lose” mentality. It doesn’t help that a lot of those same people will beg, lie, cheat, and steal if it means they have a shot at salvation, even if its means having a bitterness and hatred towards those lucky few chosen to take shelter. So, what happens in the event some of those people survived outside the bunker and are still around in Greenland: Migration? Will they hold a grudge against those who had peace and security and remained with their families in the aftermath of the comet?
If screenwriter Chris Sparling’s script for Greenland 2 is anything like its predecessor, expect to see a lot of these same ideas come back again, only this time they could be much, much worse. This could honestly turn into a fairly complex sequel with shades of political and societal tension (like the people on the truck in Greenland) and people who’ve lost all touch with right and wrong (the whole abduction angle). I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what's actually planned for the next movie.
We will have to wait and see what the future holds for the Garrity family when Greenland: Migration makes its eventual debut. In the meantime, check out CinemaBlend’s list of 2021 movie premiere dates for all the latest titles coming to theaters and streaming services in the very near future.
