The Terminator is back this time to save John Connor

Rating: 8/10 (10 August 2016)

Set almost fifteen years after the original film we learn that Skynet sent a second, more advanced, T-1000 Terminator back in time; this time to kill the teenaged John Connor. The T-1000 is nothing like the original; it is a liquid metal machine, able to change its form to look like anyone or anything of the same volume. To protect John the resistance and reprogrammed a captured T-800 Terminator and sent it back to defend him.
When the film starts John is living with foster parents and his mother is in a secure mental institution still convinced that Skynet will destroy civilisation in 1997. The T-800 manages to save John from the T-1000 then, on John's orders helps Sarah escape. Once out she knows what must be done; they must find the man responsible for the creation of the technology behind Skynet and prevent him from finishing his work all the time staying ahead of the T-1000.
Even though this film was made a quarter of a century ago the special effects still look very impressive and there is a lot of exciting and spectacular action there are shootouts, a truck vs bike chase along on of Los Angeles's concrete rivers, explosions and final chase involving trucks and a helicopter. Those who want action should certainly be pleased on the other hand it does feel a bit safe at times; John orders the T-800 never to kill making it like a defanged cobra; scary looking but no longer deadly. Arnold Schwarzenegger continues to impress in the role, managing to inject some humour into the character. Linda Hamilton is also pretty solid as Sarah Connor; it is interesting to see how much her character has developed since the original. Edward Furlong is okay as the young John Connor although his character can be a bit irritating at times in a way that didn't seem real. Robert Patrick did a fine job as the shapeshifting T-1000. The level of violence is considerably lower than the original; the T-1000 kills a few people but even when blasting away with a minigun the T-800 only destroys property and causes non-life-threatening injuries this of course means the film is suitable for a slightly younger audience. Overall I'd definitely recommend this to fans of the original; personally I prefer the first film but I can understand why others would rate this one higher.