Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) Dir: James Cameron
Updated: Dec 21, 2024
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James Cameron's 1991 sci-fi sequel is one of the most popular follow-ups in cinema history. It also has the distinction of being a sequel that many people actually prefer to its predecessor. I had only ever seen the aforementioned first film before, so I was excited to watch this highly rated second film, and, hopefully, have fun with it.
The Terminator theme is one of those iconic scores that pretty much everybody knows, and with good reason. It encapsulates that science fiction and action feel that these films thrive upon, and its such a classic, nostalgic sound. It's also worth saying that the rest of the soundtrack is, generally speaking, very enjoyable too.
The CGI is very dated by today's standards, but, as I was watching it, I couldn't stop thinking about how it must have looked pretty cool back when the film came out in 1991. To that end, the practical effects were very good, for the most part. The metal bullet indents on the 'T-1000' looked a little silly, but everything else was great.
The pacing was a lot better than the first film, but it still had a few moments that dragged a fair bit. This was mostly between the action, but, in fairness, it really wasn't too bad. My engagement was pretty high for the vast majority of the film. It helped that the film looked cool too, particularly thanks to the very effective use of fire, from a visual perspective.
The character dynamics throughout the film were really enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed how the role of Schwarzenegger subverted audience expectations, even if it's a twist that everybody knows by now, even if they haven't seen the film. It helps provide the film with some surprising and genuinely touching moments, especially towards the end of the film.
The narrative is exciting and action-packed, but it can't avoid the fate that almost all time travel based stories do, in creating a time paradox, of sorts. Regardless, it was a lot of fun to see the characters go toe-to-toe over the fate of humanity. I think the entertainment value of this one was a lot higher than the first film - it was for me, at least.
It was so fun to see Arnold Schwarzenegger get to be a more expressive and interesting version of his iconic character. Schwarzenegger showed so much of the natural charisma and comedic timing that has given him such longevity in the film industry, as well as his clear physical prowess, which made him so perfect for these kinds of roles.
Linda Hamilton transformation from the first film is as bizarre as it is badass. She gets to be so much more interesting than she was at the start of the first film, and her performance was proof of why that decision was more than justified. She had some great moments, especially during her initial interactions with Schwarzenegger.
I didn't like Edward Furlong at first - his character was obnoxious and irritating - however, as the film progressed, and his character evolved, Furlong's performance got better and better. By the end of the film, I was well and truly won over by his acting. His chemistry with both Hamilton and Schwarzenegger was very commendable.
The physical acting of Robert Patrick is excellent for his role as the infamous 'T-1000'. His icy facial expressions are genuinely quite chilling, especially with how little he blinks. His running looks so artificial, in a good way, and it really is impressive to see him sprint after a moving motorcycle so effectively.
Overall, this really is a classic sci-fi action film and an all-time great sequel. It's a shame that ratings for the subsequent sequels are so low, because I'd love to watch more terminator action. This sequel may have been the peak of the franchise, but what an almighty peak. I really loved this one a lot.
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