Same make. Same model. New mission.

Rating: Null/10 (10 February 2002)

Terminator 2 would have to be one of the world's greatest movie sequels. I actually watched this film before the original, and it really astounded me. I love the way the audience is taken on such a joy ride with this film. The main stars are back for a second time, as is the director, with some new faces that makes this film all the more enjoyable.
It is the year 1995, John Connor, the earth's redeemer, is a healthy young rebellious 10-year-old. John's mother, Sarah, is being held captive in a mental institution, against her will. However, John's life is in danger when a new type of Terminator is sent to kill him. However, the same model Cyborg that was sent to kill Sarah over a decade ago is now on a new mission. He is to protect John at any cost. The world's future lies in a machine's hands; can he save the world and John Connor?
This film is a standout for me, because of the special effects that it contains. It makes the Terminator films all the more fascinating for the audience. To see a creature being able to mould itself into almost any thing was unbelievable. The credit for this side of T2 must go to the special effects team, who were brilliant at making this all seem so real, when it really isn't. The way we see the evil Terminator just transforms himself into anything he pleases is quite amazing.
The cast of Terminator 2 was again, pretty good in my view. I want to first of all talk about the new stars of the series. Firstly we get to see the acting debut of unknown talent Edward Furlong. He was excellent in the role of the world's new savior, John Connor. Edward was also brilliant in the controversial film, American history X, alongside Edward Norton. That film confronted racism, had an extreme amount of violence, but was a great film to watch. The second new face in Terminator 2 was the bad guy, Robert Patrick. He role mind-blowing, in the way that we get to see him run around and then change into any figure he likes. Patrick has had an interesting career, with a short stint in the popular TV series, X-files, with some of his other film credits including Die Hard 2, The Faculty and Striptease.
The cast members that returned for a second time were all pretty good in their roles. Arnold Schwarzenegger kept his promise about being back, with an exceptional role as the protective Cyborg in T2. I love the way that both him and Edward Furlong's roles are so close, it actually makes the film a much better film, considering it is not an all out violent action film. Then you have Linda Hamilton, who returns as John Connor's mother, Sarah. In this movie though, Sarah is a different person altogether. She is a psycho, who cannot escape from mental institute. I read one person's opinion on her role, saying that it was almost over the top. I disagree, considering her character needed to change, it would not have suited the films if she were not the tough girl in the second film.
Terminator 2, while it is a much better film, because of the time it was made and the budget it would have had, it does in some way resemble the first film. I guess it had to. I am not talking about the storyline, but some scenes that are included in it. The one scene that is similar would have to be the nitrogen truck scene, where the two Terminators do battle. I loved it, but I can understand some viewers not. There other scenes in this movie, which feels like a carbon of the first, but are more paced making them much better. I am talking about such scenes as the motorbike chase when the evil terminator is trying to kill John, not to similar to the first film when the evil terminator is trying to kill Sarah.
Then again we do have the special effect scenes that are just amazing, where the evil Cyborg is able to make himself turn into almost anything he pleases. The scene are all outstanding, with the best scenes being the ones where we see him running around the mental hospital, with him in front everyone walking through a metal door. The doctor that did not believe any of Sarah's stories is left dumbfounded by what he sees. These scenes would have taken months of planning, but they were done to perfection.
So with all that in mind, I can only praise this terrific sequel. James Cameron has out done himself. He has had a funny career and life for that matter. One of his biggest films was of course Titanic, which I can no longer bear to watch and he had been married five times, with one of his five wives being Terminator star, Linda Hamilton. All that aside he has had a winner with the terminator projects. We are in for a treat as there is to be a Terminator 3 in 2003, which hopefully can be as good as its predecessors.
The people I ask have constantly told me that Terminator 2 is the better of the two films. I cannot disagree with that. With its great special effects and cast nothing will change the public's mind about this movie. Sit back, relax and be blown away by T2: Judgment Day, Hasta la vista, baby!
Rating: 4.5 Stars or 9/10