So, it's about the Terminator hunk getting to match the hunks of machines...

Rating: Null/10 (2 July 2003)

Well, Arnold does prove he's still in shape  at least to take the strip! Cyborg T-800 is back to deliver the stunts this brawny hunk can best put on screen: pound, lift, throw and clash against objects with loud, heavy bangs! But how does his stature compare against other hunk machines  to capture the loudest thuds and bangs? One can expect this flick to be a noisy, busy film that leaves the environment with wastes and debris.
All this film offers are the non-stop sequences of intense chases, clashes, blasts and fuming blazes, cut in such fast paces to disallow room for emotional suspense. Admittedly, this film does have the most creative designs of vehicles and machines and captures the best effects when everything, including metallic heads, bang against each other. Doesn't that surge up memories of kids ferociously bashing up their Dinky toys to see what they can wreck and how much noise they can produce? Hey, whatever happened to the concept about humans destined to face Judgement Day because of the rise of evil machines? Or is this just about one John Connor who has to keep running for his life? The character development in this film is lame  it doesn't offer me reason to believe Connor's survival is relevant to the human race. I guess this film is telling us that humans are mostly in rehab!
This sequel is over-streamlined with references to its two predecessors - with only a few new turns. The dialogue is simple  always giving prompt to predictable actions that follow. Arnold, in his guttural voice, gushes out many one-liners. Perhaps, the poor cyborg would be mumbling and jumbling up his speech, if he's given the opportunity to voice a mouthy bit.

Nick Stahl may be cute as the young adult, Connor. But he can't match the cool Colin Farrell to mesmerize me. Clair Dane's Kate Brewster looks like a young version of Laura Bush. Kristana Loken - more superior, new TX killing machine  but T-1000 has more memorable and interestingly complex characteristics. Not that it matters that Loken's TX has a pretty face? She swings in to various forms, morph, dissipate, and turn into metallic energy. When she takes the human form, she walks like a robot and keeps her face emotionless. Boy, she's harder to kill than Willard's rat, Ben!

Evil Terminator comes to kill John Connor, and good old Terminator Arnold swings into the scenes to protect him. Changing the terminator into a girl ain't enough to keep the story captivating. With a budget past $180 million, I would have expected to see more realistic bodies hitting clashing against the various objects. Instead, those, flung in mid-air, seem more like rubbery dummies dangling in space before their images disappear from view. Jonathan Moslow's prop sets and special effects lack exuberance and wonder as a result of the overwelming repititions of clash and bangs. Just a chaotic mess of over-the-top crashes and explosions that gives little room for me to gasp with suspense and emotions for their characters!

So, don't expect any hidden meanings, or expect the dialogue to arouse any exciting analysis discussions! Don't expect to find any hidden agenda. Everything is what exactly flashes out on the screen. Not surprising, Arnold's voice booms out more easy-to-remember one-liners in this film. The special effects are not as dreamlike as those effects in Matrix 2. They are bold and fast-paced - there's not a moment spared for anyone to detect flaws! Yep, they work well for an action flick, allowing the viewers to be mesmerized with loads of chases and explosions. The story is pretty staid. For a dark subject like Judgement Day, I'd actually expected this sequel to carry deeper surreal themes. Arnold's character may be given more human emotions, the characters, but over all, all the characters lack interesting traits. It's definitely a film that's simply made busy with action sequences to keep me engaged. OK, I did have a hell of a good time watching the explosive stunts!
And so, about Skynet's attempt to fulfill the apocalyptic prediction... whoa I guess Arnold will hope to get us to see T4... unless he should be trapped with duty in his attempt to save California!
Watching this movie makes me realize how artically awesome the GCI aspects of Hulk is!
D