utter elation

Rating: 10/10 (3 June 1999)

Forget the ground breaking special effects and innovative action sequences which so easily please cinema going audiences these days and what you have left is a compelling, moving and fast paced movie. Many people will be quick to criticize the originality and authenticity of the storyline but I ask you this, how many films has T2 borrowed ideas from? Only one, The Terminator. It is not a remake of an already great film, it is one of those films which achieves the rarest of cinematic feats. It is a sequel superior to the original. Unlike it's predecessor it provides a good subplot(the quest to prevent the war) lacking from the original. This is indeed a human story. Cameron is potrayed as a genius as he directs the ground breaking action sequences with the precision of a professional machinist and Robert Patrick's performance is brilliant and chilling. Along with "Saving Private Ryan" and "The Shawshank Redemption," "Terminator 2" was one of the few movies to truly entrance and frighten me as it is more of a thriller than sci-fi movie. The ending is also anti-Hollywood and can bring a tear to the most savage of critics. Sadly, this movie which "set the standard for the 90's" has only fuelled directors notion that special effects sell movies better than solid storytelling and acting. It is these which they should focus on. Terminator 2 has it all.