Terminator 2: Tag der Abrechnung

Who said sequels aren't any good? "Terminator 2" is the ultimate sequel, a big bad wolf ready to chomp the head off of anyone who crosses its path. It's dark, it's mean, and it's one tough movie. It's not as bleak as the first film, at least in terms of visuals, but rather has a new kind of bluish-tint that supplies a great backdrop to the ongoing battle between man and machine.

If there was ever a contemporary mainstream visionary director, it is James Cameron. Here we've got Cameron's real thoughts on the series, those repressed by a low budget in the original film. He lets loose here, filling every frame with hard-boiled action and special effects. He introduces a liquid metal Terminator that he wanted to use in the first film, but graphic processors and CGI were not advanced enough in 1984, at least not advanced enough to work on the low means he had to film the original. So his original dream is finally unveiled, and good golly, is it wonderful.

Yeah, he's "back." Arnold (like he needs any introduction?) returns as The Terminator, Series T-101, Model T-800, an indestructible cyborg sent from the future to assassinate Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) in the first film. Well, it's 1991. New film. New mission. He has to save the future resistance leader of mankind who will ultimately defeat the machines of the future, John Connor (Edward Furlong), Sarah's 11-year-old son. (Though his age has been switched from 11 to 13 and back to 9 over the years, with no help from the third film that takes place in 2003, yet claims he was 13 in 1991 though his age doesn't match with his age in the third. We'll just leave it at 11 in this film. Got that?)

Another model Terminator, the T-1000 (Robert Patrick), has been sent back to 1991 programmed to annihilate John Connor. Which explains Arnold's appearance. Arnold, an undoubtedly lesser opponent compared to the T-1000, has to help save the day and learn to appreciate humanity. It won't be easy. First, he has to find John Connor, who is a rebellious angst-driven pre-teen living with foster parents. Then, together they have to break into the local loony hospital and release Sarah from the clutches of Dr. Silberman (Earl Boen), who believes Sarah is delusional. (You may remember Silberman as the psychiatrist from the first film, too.) Then, they have to stop a computer chip designer (Joe Morton) from creating the first version of a SkyNet computer, modeled after a destroyed chip his employment company discovered at a large mechanical warehouse. (Which is, of course, the chip from the destroyed T-800 of the first film.)

Whew. On with the film analysis, right? Where to start? This isn't as fierce or brutal as the first film, but it's got plentiful action sequences, a large budget, great special effects (even compared to those gracing the screen nowadays), not to mention a great character study of the machine we loved to root against in the first film. Of course, this Terminator has no memory of the first film, since he wasn't in it--SkyNet creates hordes of the same version machines on a large conveyor belt and ships them off to fight in the war. Some are sent back through time. So, with that in mind, John Connor's resistance found an extra Arnold lying around in an abandoned warehouse, programmed him to keep John Connor out of harm, and sent him through the time portal.

Sarah doesn't trust him. In a deleted scene available on the Ultimate and "Xtreme" edition DVDs, Sarah says, "You don't know what it's like to try and kill one of these things!" It's an important scene that should have been left in the final cut. In it, Sarah is about to destroy the machine's central processing chip located inside his head, when John stops her. It's important because it focuses on the fact that Sarah still doesn't trust him, and came close to destroying him purely out of prejudice, without giving him a chance. As much as I don't like it when people go on about hidden meanings in films that obviously are not meant to have hidden meanings and are purely little flubs made by directors unrightfully analyzed for deeper meaning(s), "T2" clearly has an underlying message: One, don't judge a book by its cover. Read it first. Two, if an emotionless killing machine can learn to appreciate life, why can't everyone? And three, the most important fact of all: Never mess with a muscular man who walks into a bar completely naked and requests your clothes and means of transportation.

I suppose the question on most interested viewers' minds is this: Is "T2: Judgment Day" better than its predecessor? Well, in some respects, yes. In others, no. It lacks the fierce brutality and darkness of the first film, but makes up for it with spectacular visual effects and action sequences. It lacks the horrific central focus of the first film (futuristic, indestructible cyborgs with no feelings being able to unemotionally kill), but it makes up for this with a new focus of humanity, coming to accept your future, and how it would look if two colossal killing machines entered into an arena together.

In some ways, I like the first better. But then I think about the second film and I have a hard time choosing. I suppose if I had to choose I'd choose the first film. And let me just state for the record that I'm glad I don't have to choose.

5/5 stars.

Greetings from Lithuania.

WOW! The best word that describes this movie is "wow"! Not only to say that this is the best Action movie of all time, this is probably one of the greatest movies ever made . The people in my country watched this film when there where limited VHS cassettes at all. And again, my favorite Director did an timeless epic-masterpiece. Yes, an epic. Every scene in this movie is beyond the perfection. The timeless plot. Groundbreaking effects. Unforgettable "Hasta la vista, baby." .

Perfect direction for a sci-fix action film. When the action starts, you're in for the ride of your life. There never be the same movie like T2. What else I can say about this film? A Must see for everyone.

This superb sequel surpasses the excellent original in every department and quite simply you won't see a better action film. Set 15 years after the original Arnie may return as the good Terminator trying to protect John Connor but he's a redundant piece of scrap metal compared to the T-1000.

The opening hour and the last half hour is absolutely breathtaking with action sequences that still remain unsurpassed. Their's also a wonderful piece of storytelling 3/4 of the way through where Dyson relises the terrifying consequences of the project he's neglecting his family for.

The performances are memorable particularly Linda Hamilton's Sara Connor and simply put, they'll never make a better action film.

A classic and belongs in the top tier of action films. The action sequences are exciting and plain awesome. Involving an arsenal of weapons, a Harley-Davidson and Arnold Schwarzenegger, action movies don't get better than this.

Normally when people tell you about a sequel that was better than the original or just as good, Terminator 2 is always guaranteed to be in their list; why? Because this is THE action movie of all action movies, next to Die Hard, this is the movie that isn't just about the action as well, but has an incredible story and message behind it that will always stay with you. Terminator 2 like the first Terminator film has memorable lines, moments, and incredible effects. This is the film that made you believe in "liquid metal" machines. Robert Patrick's performance is flawless, to be honest I found him a million times more terrifying than Arnold in the first Terminator, because Robert looks like this normal average guy, but he's not like Arnold where he gets shot and you can clearly see he's a terminator, Robert goes back to human looking and won't stop. Not only that you don't know how to stop him. Linda Hamilton returns and gives a great performance as Sarah Conor who is no longer a meek little girl, she has turned into a strong woman who will do anything to protect her son and the future. Arnold is back and he's better then ever! No wonder in the future they made several terminators that look like him, he's great entertainment.

Eleven years after Sarah Connor destroyed the original Terminator that was programmed to kill her, two Terminators arrive in Los Angeles from the year 2029. The first is a Terminator identical to the one that Sarah first encountered, while the second is a new model which assumes the identity of a police officer. John Connor is now a 10 year old living with foster parents. Sarah's experiences have made her tougher and more vigilant, but also desperate to warn humanity about the coming apocalypse. After attempting to bomb a computer factory, Sarah is arrested and remanded to the Pescadero State Hospital for the Criminally Insane under the supervision of Dr. Silberman. Meanwhile, the Terminators locate John Connor in a mall. After John is rescued and a chase through the L.A. storm drain channels, the original Terminator escapes with John on his motorcycle. The Terminator explains that he is reprogrammed by the future John Connor to protect and obey John's younger self. The other Terminator is a T-1000, an advanced new prototype programmed to kill John. It is made of "a mimetic polyalloy", a liquid metal that allows it to take the shape and appearance of anything it touches. It can also form into knifes and stabbing weapons. Learning that the T-1000 will likely kill Sarah and then mimic her to lure John, John orders the Terminator to help free her. Initially, Sarah is terrified by the Terminator; but after seeing it fight off the T-1000, she accepts that they need its help. As they escape the city, the Terminator informs John and Sarah about Skynet, the sentient computer system that will nearly wipe out humanity in an apocalyptic nuclear attack on "Judgment Day".

Terminator 2 is one of the best films of all time, this is a film that I absolutely adore and if someone hasn't seen it, there's something seriously wrong. This story is a special one: humans, are we our own worst enemy? Arnold's line "It's in your nature to destroy yourselves" is something that always sends chills down my spine because it's true. I loved the relationship between Arnold and Eddie Furlong, interesting to see a terminator take the place perfectly of a father and you see the pain in Eddie's eyes of never wanting to let go of the terminator. Like Sarah Conor said " The terminator wouldn't stop, it would never leave him. It would never hurt him or shout at him or get drunk and hit him or say it was too busy to spend time with him. And it would die to protect him." meant a lot to me. Like I said, if for some odd reason you have seen this movie, do see it! I promise you that it's just an excellent film and one that will always stand out against cinematic history.

10/10