I don't even need to tell you to watch it, because chances are you've already done so. But you should probably do it again.

Rating: 10/10 (13 June 2015)

There are action movies, and then there are action movies so good that they transcend normal genres of movie and become a new category - Perfaction.
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OK now that you've recovered, lets talk about how amazing Terminator 2: Judgment Day is.
The original Terminator never left itself open for a sequel, but neither did it end so definitively that it wouldn't welcome one. The relationship between Terminator and Terminator 2 is therefore as perfect a relationship can be - both work superbly as stand alones, but I'm even happier knowing that this film follows The Terminator in the franchise. James Cameron's script and direction are typically top-notch in this second installment. He manages to give us enough information about the universe and what happened between installments without shoving exposition down our throat. Right up until Arnold barks "get down", the audience is left completely unaware which Terminator is good and which one is evil. That such a mystery could be perpetuated for as long as it was is truly impressive. I also thought that the scenes shot in the mental hospital (action and non-action) were some of the best directed in the entire film. Cameron shows again that he's able to direct epic action in one scene and rip your heart out in another, which is a talent not many directors have.
Arnold Schwarzenegger should always be commended for finding the roles that so best suit his particular set of skills. Unlike the Liam Neesons and Denzel Washington's of the world, Arnold has never been a fantastic actor, but he's a huge presence and a guy we love to root for. The unemotional, bland machine is therefore the most perfect role for him, and he plays it with such deadpan that he's perfect in whatever situation. A scene that calls for humour is all the more perfect for the deadpan delivery. A scene calling to highlight how unfeeling he is? A scene to show how menacing he is? Check and check.
Where Terminator 2 improves on the original, in my opinion, is the range of talent that fills out the cast. In Terminator, Linda Hamilton was good, but really all she did was run scared for the whole film. In Terminator 2, Linda Hamilton returns with a vengeance as a tortured, unstable survivor who simultaneously manages to be a loving mother and one of the single most badass women in the history of cinema. Were it not for genre bias, I feel that Linda Hamilton could have cracked top 5 for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Go look up the five actresses nominated that year. Have any of those films ages half as well as Terminator 2? Edward Furlong is one of those rare child actor talents, an immature brat for much of the film, but with enough dramatic talent to make you care for him at others. Robert Patrick managed the unenviable task of filling Arnold Schwarzenegger's shoes as the villainous Terminator, and in my opinion he exceeds him. Arnold will always be the iconic Terminator, but in the list of best villains of all time, the T-1000 will always win for me.
The visuals are top-notch, with the CGI used to great effect, but a sound use of practical effects during scenes like the motorbike chase. The stunts and choreography of that scene is incredible. And I can't stop without mentioning the costume - everything from Arnold's leather jacket to his sunglasses to his shotgun is iconic.
This is the most perfect action movie that has ever existed. It succeeds on every level. I don't even need to tell you to watch it, because chances are you've already done so. But you should probably do it again.