one of the best action movies ever made

Rating: 8/10 (29 June 2015)

First of all, I need to say that I watched the extended version of "Terminator II: Judgment Day" (153 minutes) and not the cinema version (137 minutes).
Before watching this movie I had high expectations. Not just because of the IMDb-rating, also because the movie is arguably considered as one of the best action movies of all time and won four Academy Awards.
Throughout the film I wasn't bored for a single moment. Exactly that is what makes an action movie great. I didn't expect thought- provocative topics to be discussed or heartbreaking dialogues. All a good movie from the action genre needs is following:
To begin with, the directing of this movie (by the amazing James Cameron) was incredibly well done. The camera has been stellar due to the sundry shots and different methods used to catch the action scenes. This made the movie more exciting to watch. Moreover, the music was perfect. I feel like this aspect is a tad too underrated after reading other reviews. It's always fitting to the situation and creates an intense atmosphere.
Another aspect to discuss is the acting. I was surprised. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the only person I can imagine to play the role of Terminator T-800. His style and pronunciation is simply hilarious. After being the villain in the first movie, one feels sympathy towards Arnie. On the other hand we see Linda Hamilton playing the role of Sarah Conner, a valiant woman switching from a mother yearning after her son and a psycho woman disobeying the rules and hurting people. She seriously impressed me which was unexpected. Finally, we should talk about Edward Furlong. He plays John Conner, the soon to be hero who is key for humanity to survive in the future. Edward Furlong plays the role of the child, and I have to be honest: I thought that he was pretty annoying and frustrating to watch in the beginning. He's the typical kid from the block that breaks rules, does whatever he wants and acts like a provocative scumbag. But from time to time you got to know him more and more and catch yourself liking him. Also the acting of Furlong improved during the movie, in my opinion.
The visual and special effects are stupendous. Even in 2015 these effects would be considered as good. I liked it and imagine it to be even more amazing in the 90s.
The writing and the dialogs weren't exceptional or mind-blowing, but it was surely good enough for an action-sci-fi-movie.
Although the story was in general near to the first movie, it had more depth. The character development and progression of relation between each character was great to follow. Compared to other action movies, this one's script is original and different (in a good way).
All in all, "Terminator 2" is a fantastic sequel and as an action movie near to perfection. I enjoyed most of it and it never disappointed – always delivering, scene after scene. The all- inclusive-entertainment-package. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who hasn't watched it yet. Watching the first movie is not a condition, even though it was not bad.