- Title: Terminator 2: Judgement Day
- IMDb: link
There may be debate over which movie is the worst of the Terminator franchise, but there is far more consensus as to which film is the best of the series. On or around this date 25 years ago Terminator 2: Judgement Day opened in theaters. Set roughly one decade after The Terminator, in the sequel not one but two Terminators will be sent back in time.
Arnold Schwarzenegger reprises his role as the futuristic killing machine, this time sent back to protect the future leader of the resistance John Connor (Edward Furlong) and his mother Sarah (Linda Hamilton) from Skynet‘s liquid-metal T-1000 (Robert Patrick) capable of altering its form.
After rescuing his mother from a mental institution, John, Sarah, and the Terminator attempt to stay one-step ahead of the advanced killing machine on their heels and make a desperate attempt to change the future by targeting one of Skynet’s key creators (Joe Morton).
Ignoring the paradox of attempting to alter a future which has already impacted their lives, the sequel instead focuses on some marvelous action sequences and the impressive new T-1000 who still looks amazing on film 25 years later. Whereas the first movie was a monster movie and the (underrated) third entry to the franchise is an actual sci-fi film dealing with the issues and consequences this sequel largely ignores, T2 is a balls-to-the-wall action flick memorable for its villain, action, and the unexpected friendship between John and the T-800.
Hamilton’s Sarah Connor is nearly unrecognizable from the scared victim from the first film. For a decade she’s prepared for this day and attempted to get her son ready for the holocaust to come, no matter the personal cost. Furlong manages the complex emotions of John who discovers his institutionalized mother was actually telling the truth about his father, killer robots from the future who look human, and the end of the world. And Schwarzenegger is able to put an entirely new spin on his character as well as the script puts the T-800 in the role of parental protector rather than killer.
Released several times on both Blu-ray and DVD extras have included commentary tracks, theatrical and special edition versions of the movie, and several featurettes of the effects, action, and making-of the movie. The latest Blu-ray version also include a digital copy of the film.
[Lionsgate Home Entertainment, $9.96]
