Terminator 2: Judgement Day - Even my mum likes this film

Terminator 2: Judgement Day is possibly the perfect film – well, if you’re into science fiction seamlessly blended with the exact amount of action.  And, to be fair, most of us can quite appreciate that sort of genre if it’s done right.  And it’s done right here.  This list will be little more than a list of everything that’s perfect about this film.

In case you don’t know (and there must be one of you), T2 is a sequel, concerning some particularly nasty machines who have all but wiped us humans out in the near future and intend to make sure we stay well and truly exterminated by sending a unstoppable (human-looking) killer cyborg back through time to kill the only man capable of stopping them while he’s still a child.  Luckily, for us fleshbags, the last humans of our future have captured a (slightly less) unstoppable cyborg and have sent him back through time to protect our future leader, John Connor.

All four lead actors give pitch-perfect performances here, but perhaps the most forgotten actor is Robert Patrick who plays the bad cyborg, aka the T-1000.  He doesn’t have that many lines, but his creepiness is portrayed through his movements and sheer coldness.  Plus he’s overshadowed by his own special effects.  T2 set the bar pretty high in terms of special effects for its day.  The computer generated moments where the T-1000 morphs into various people (and objects!) is blended with the live actors around it.

Our heroine, Sarah Connor, starts off incarcerated in a mental institution for constantly raving about then end of the world when she’s not trying to blow computer factories up.  But don’t let that fool you into thinking that she’s merely a damsel in distress.  Linda Hamilton has become the ultimate in female action heroes (possibly only coming second to Aliens’ ‘Ripley’).  Not only can she handle any sort of firearm, but she’s as determined as the Terminator to protect her son, John.  He’s played by newcomer Edward furlong and, for someone who has never acted before, he plays his role brilliantly.  So many films centred around a child are hard to watch because you actually end up wanting the whinging/screaming brat to be skewered by a cyborg assassin.  Not here though.  The only thing negative about Edward Furlong was that he displayed so much talent and promise here that he never lived up to it (I’m sure if you Google him you’ll find out what I mean).

But, everyone is overshadowed by Schwarzenegger himself.  Out of all the films he’s done, this is Arnie’s most memorable.  Some say he can’t act, but I wouldn’t be that harsh.  The trick is giving him a part that suits him.  Sir Ian McKellen or Anthony Hopkins are great actors, but I doubt they could carry playing the T-800 himself.

Finally, Terminator 2 hast heart.  It’s not just a mindless action flick; it actually has quite nice morals to it and reminds us that hurting other people is wrong and, unless we intend to blow each other up in all out nuclear war, we better start remembering that.

If I had to say one negative thing about T2 (and I suppose I ought to, simply for balance) it’s that the plot is basically recycled from the first film.  Although this sequel is in the minority of sequels where it does surpass the original, it does copy exactly the same timeline of events.  Still, once you start watching two emotionless cyborgs throwing each other through walls, you probably won’t care!

T2 is for everyone.  If you like Arnie, you’ll love it.  If you like action or sci-fi, you’ll love it.  And, if you’re not into any of those, I dare you to watch it anyway.  It might not change your mind about the genre, but I think you’ll have a good time.

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