A repeat of the first film, but it's equally good!

Rating: Null/10 (15 May 1999)

Don't get me wrong! I like this movie very much. I am a huge fan of the series, and I own the special edition of this film. But, I've been noticing that many of the things said or done on the film are very much the same as it's predecessor. Not the "I'll be back" bit, but the way the T-1000 handles things. He crashes into a helicopter, and tells the pilot "Get out", the exact same thing Arnold said to the truck driver in the first film. It's a kind of deja 'vu. But no matter. I don't think much of it when I'm immersed in the movie. It's also perfectly executed and photographed. James Cameron knows when he wants you to relax, and when he wants you to be hyped up with the action. It's a hardcore sci-fi action film! And the special effects and action sequences stand out among the best that have ever been attempted.
Another aspect of "Terminator 2" that makes it so powerful is the dynamic soundtrack. It's really very good! Movies today can't reproduce something this good. This is the kind of movie that MUST be viewed with a big surround sound system. Pump up the volume, sit back, and feel the explosions and gunfire!
Best of all, is the special edition, which restores about 15 minutes of extra footage. James Cameron is notorious for deleting significant scenes from his films in order to maintain a pace. None of the scenes are crucial to the storytelling, but they do add more canvas and insight on the characters, on the story, and they give us a new unique look at an already great film. To me, the must crucial restoration was the "glitching" scene with the T-1000, where his hand gets stuck to a pole and his hand is the same color as the pole. That scene would have given the audience a sense of hope that the T-1000 could in fact, be destroyed. There is a single glitch in the original cut, where after Arnold's arm is jammed into a large gear, a wave ripples up the T-1000's face. I had no idea what it was, until more and more of the glitches were restored. Unfortunately, the DVD version, which has superb quality standards, has yet to release the special edition in that format. Oh well. Either way, you will still enjoy this movie. If not, I couldn't begin to figure out why!