Easily the best of the franchise.

Rating: 9/10 (13 September 2018)

While the original's established tone of dread and dark, low budget cinematography made The Terminator a classic film in both the sci-fi and horror genres, Judgment Day set a new bar for the successful sequel. James Cameron used a massive budget to more effectively realize the machines and horrors he created in the first one without sensationalizing them, making the effects sequences hold up to scrutiny even decades later.
What really takes this sequel to further heights is the story. Listening to his audience, Cameron continues to focus the film on his characters and develops some terrific layers, providing Schwartzenegger and Hamilton the foundation for their career best performances.