Still a breathtaking spectacle that puts all the modern blockbusters to shame

Rating: 10/10 (18 January 2018)

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning
After the first Terminator sent by Skynet failed to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) in 1984, she has now found herself holed up in a mental institution, while her young son John (Edward Furlong) is an unruly delinquent. But now, they've managed to send the T-1000 (Robert Patrick), a more advanced and destructive killer, back in time to kill John before he grows up and becomes the leader who will lead The Resistance to victory. However, TR have also sent a machine, the T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger), who looks exactly the same as the bad one from the last film, back to protect him. The battle begins...
After the cult success of the original Terminator film in the early 80s, it seemed James Cameron had opted to avoid the law of diminishing returns and simply leave it as a standing testament to brilliant sci-fi, not that anyone could blame him. So, it was quite a gamble of him many years later, as a new decade dawned and other things had come along, to throw a load of money and time into a much bigger budgeted, bigger scaled sequel. But, unbelievably, it paid off, creating a film that's lasted the ages and late last year, was re-released in a brand new 3D print and is now available in the same format on DVD, so a new generation of film-goers could savour its breath taking cinematic marvel.
It's right up there with the likes of Star Wars and Lawrence of Arabia, as one of the great epic movies, a lengthy, lavish production, that broke boundaries with its special effects and graphics, that show their age a little bit today but still have an undeniable awe-inspiring quality about them. But the important thing is that Cameron doesn't forget why a strong, central story and characters you can care about are so important. Throughout, there are some subtle observations about the human condition and the nature of survival that make it stand out a country mile from your average sci-fi.
In a day and age where the latest big, massive blockbuster is churned out a dime a dozen, with barely a fraction of the heart and soul, Cameron's masterpiece is an enduring testament where they came along far less often but produced a far more magical and unforgettable experience. It's a none stop, thrill a minute ride that you are made to feel a part of, and it's hard to think of another title more deserving of being reborn in the 3D format. *****