Loved it as a kid, Hate it now, Here's why.

Rating: 1/10 (16 April 2005)

I was roughly 10 years old when this film first hit the theaters. And when I saw it, I fell in love with it, maybe that should have been a warning that I wouldn't like it much once I've reached maturity.
Fast Forward 13 years, and being nostalgic as I am, I decide to watch all 3 Terminator movies in order for old times sake. I couldn't believe the surprise I felt when I found out how horrible this film was. It's earlier installment was a masterpiece, even with the fraction of the budget that James Cameron had for this film. The second incarnation of the Terminator series totally ignores what made the 1st one so good, and instead replaces it as a popcorn, 50's esquire comic book style filming trying to appeal to kids and people with vocabularies limited to 4 lettered words. And it did very well in dumbing down Teriminator into the mess it was in Terminator 2.
James Cameron made the biggest amateur mistake with this film in that they made the Terminator into this cheesy compassionate good guy character, which was not only ludicrous, but also very laughable. The potential for irony was strong with a boy growing so attracted to a cold, emotionless machine, as well as the irony of a machine being the ideal protector as opposed to the father John never had. Yet all of this was wasted on this half-assed 'almost human' machine who gives funny one liners and smiles.
As if this wasn't enough to destroy this film, We're also treated to an Edward Furlong being well timed into his changing voice. Hearing a squeaky annoying child's voice swearing and trying to act tough which will the audience petition for a mute button in the theaters. I can understand Linda Hamilton's character's transformation from a naive waitress into a more hardened and tough woman after battling a terminator before. There's no chemistry between John and Sarah in the movie, And Furlong's portrayal seemed so plain and simple for such a troubled and traumatized child he was supposed to depict.
The only good things in this film is perhaps the action and the eye-candy. Both of which is very nice to see but the slop of a plot and character use. Terminator 1 was obviously a B movie, But the plot, the mood and the rational use of characters made it thought provoking as well as frightening. Terminator 2 feels as if it's trying to make violence and cheap thrills with a Disney touch behind it.
He did this with the Titanic as well. Tsk task.