Streaming Gems: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Photo from IFC Center
From Shane Conto
What films do you think of when someone brings up artificial intelligence and the advancements of technology? Many will likely bring up James Cameron’s classic science fiction films in the Terminator franchise. The idea of Skynet is the ultimate fear for robophobes out there (it is certainly my biggest fear). The first film delivered a thrilling and tight science fiction thriller that made an impact and did great things for the career of Arnold Schwarzenegger. But Cameron’s vision did not stop there as he delivered one of the great action films of all time in the form of Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
What is the biggest selling point of Judgment Day? This is one of the greatest (if not the greatest) sequel ever created. This film does everything a sequel is supposed to do and avoids what it is not. Cameron did not just make a remake of the first film and hope we didn’t notice. The film does something bold and interesting with one of the main characters. Arnold was no longer just known mostly for his lifting at this point. He was a bonafide movie star and they handled that so well. Schwarzenegger gets put front and center as his terminator is programmed from the future and sent back as a protector instead of an assassin. We are also treated to advancements in world building as Skynet has a brand new type of liquid metal terminator (which is one of the coolest antagonists in film). The story is bigger as we have more action, better effects, higher stakes, and more world building. Cameron is a cinematic genius and his genius was put to great use in creating a bigger and bolder film for his second Terminator outing.
What is Cameron’s greatest strength? This filmmaking prowess. All of those skills are put on display here. The action is so well shot with plenty of stunts being practical and in camera which makes the experience even more engrossing. Speaking of effects, the effects for the T-1000 are state of the art and mind blowing for 1991. The way the metal morphs and molds is fascinating making for something unique and awe-inspiring on screen. The stunts are legit with a great water channel chase as well as the factory battle in the climax of the film. There is an impressive scale to this film and an authentic feel that few blockbusters capture today in this digital age. The physicality that Schwarzenegger and Robert Patrick (T-1000) give to their performance make for so many great moments.
What do great genre flicks need to make them truly iconic? There needs to be depth of themes, story, and character to match the rest of the cool elements that grab audiences’ attention. The T-800’s introduction with George Thorogood’s “Bad to the Bone” just makes this character even more iconic and makes the turn of the character obvious for the audience. Arnold gets to flex his actual muscles but his comedic ones as well with some iconic one liners. But the emotional journey of the T-800 becoming a father figure to the young John Connor is the heart and soul of this film. The final termination and the “thumbs up” deliver something emotional that you would never expect from a film like this. The themes of fate and how we can take ownership of it is poignant (despite the sequels completely tearing these themes to pieces). What the film has to say about scientific advancement through the character of Dyson is just as relevant today as it was back in 1991 (or even more so due to the impressive advances of technology in the past 30 years). Seeing Linda Hamilton getting ripped and becoming the great protector of humanity’s last hope is such an awesome character growth that is awesome to see on screen. But from an entertainment perspective, the idea of two incredibly advanced artificial beings going toe-to-toe in a climactic battle is enough story to get you to the theaters.
This is all enough to make Terminator 2: Judgment Day an all time classic? Cameron and company deliver on every level. Few blockbusters have the thematic depth and the emotional resonance that T2 is able to find in this film. The cast is impressive with Arnold being the huge megastar anchoring it all down. There is a richness to the material and story that makes for a satisfying journey. This is the prototype of all action flicks as well as sequels out there. Cameron leaving the director’s chair probably signaled the fall of the franchise after but he did create two of the greatest science fiction films of all time with the first two entries in this iconic franchise.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day can be streamed right now on Netflix.
