User reviews

Greetings from Lithuania.

WOW! The best word that describes this movie is "wow"! Not only to say that this is the best Action movie of all time, this is probably one of the greatest movies ever made . The people in my country watched this film when there where limited VHS cassettes at all. And again, my favorite Director did an timeless epic-masterpiece. Yes, an epic. Every scene in this movie is beyond the perfection. The timeless plot. Groundbreaking effects. Unforgettable "Hasta la vista, baby." .

Perfect direction for a sci-fix action film. When the action starts, you're in for the ride of your life. There never be the same movie like T2. What else I can say about this film? A Must see for everyone.

Normally when people tell you about a sequel that was better than the original or just as good, Terminator 2 is always guaranteed to be in their list; why? Because this is THE action movie of all action movies, next to Die Hard, this is the movie that isn't just about the action as well, but has an incredible story and message behind it that will always stay with you. Terminator 2 like the first Terminator film has memorable lines, moments, and incredible effects. This is the film that made you believe in "liquid metal" machines. Robert Patrick's performance is flawless, to be honest I found him a million times more terrifying than Arnold in the first Terminator, because Robert looks like this normal average guy, but he's not like Arnold where he gets shot and you can clearly see he's a terminator, Robert goes back to human looking and won't stop. Not only that you don't know how to stop him. Linda Hamilton returns and gives a great performance as Sarah Conor who is no longer a meek little girl, she has turned into a strong woman who will do anything to protect her son and the future. Arnold is back and he's better then ever! No wonder in the future they made several terminators that look like him, he's great entertainment.

Eleven years after Sarah Connor destroyed the original Terminator that was programmed to kill her, two Terminators arrive in Los Angeles from the year 2029. The first is a Terminator identical to the one that Sarah first encountered, while the second is a new model which assumes the identity of a police officer. John Connor is now a 10 year old living with foster parents. Sarah's experiences have made her tougher and more vigilant, but also desperate to warn humanity about the coming apocalypse. After attempting to bomb a computer factory, Sarah is arrested and remanded to the Pescadero State Hospital for the Criminally Insane under the supervision of Dr. Silberman. Meanwhile, the Terminators locate John Connor in a mall. After John is rescued and a chase through the L.A. storm drain channels, the original Terminator escapes with John on his motorcycle. The Terminator explains that he is reprogrammed by the future John Connor to protect and obey John's younger self. The other Terminator is a T-1000, an advanced new prototype programmed to kill John. It is made of "a mimetic polyalloy", a liquid metal that allows it to take the shape and appearance of anything it touches. It can also form into knifes and stabbing weapons. Learning that the T-1000 will likely kill Sarah and then mimic her to lure John, John orders the Terminator to help free her. Initially, Sarah is terrified by the Terminator; but after seeing it fight off the T-1000, she accepts that they need its help. As they escape the city, the Terminator informs John and Sarah about Skynet, the sentient computer system that will nearly wipe out humanity in an apocalyptic nuclear attack on "Judgment Day".

Terminator 2 is one of the best films of all time, this is a film that I absolutely adore and if someone hasn't seen it, there's something seriously wrong. This story is a special one: humans, are we our own worst enemy? Arnold's line "It's in your nature to destroy yourselves" is something that always sends chills down my spine because it's true. I loved the relationship between Arnold and Eddie Furlong, interesting to see a terminator take the place perfectly of a father and you see the pain in Eddie's eyes of never wanting to let go of the terminator. Like Sarah Conor said " The terminator wouldn't stop, it would never leave him. It would never hurt him or shout at him or get drunk and hit him or say it was too busy to spend time with him. And it would die to protect him." meant a lot to me. Like I said, if for some odd reason you have seen this movie, do see it! I promise you that it's just an excellent film and one that will always stand out against cinematic history.

10/10

A Terminator(Arnold Schwarzenegger) was sent from the future to kill the unborn son of Sarah Connor(Linda Hamilton) in the original. Now, that Terminator has been sent back again but with a different assignment: Protect John Connor. John Connor(Edward Furlong) is now about 10 years of age and must evade a new Terminator sent to kill him;The T-1000(Robert Patrick). Sarah, John, and The Terminator journey together on their quest to stop Judgement Day, with a trailing, shape-shifting Termiantor trailing from behind.

This is the greatest of the Terminator trilogy. I have watched three times in the past year and have not found anything that Cameron could have improved on. The move is a masterpiece in every aspect of film. Schwarzenegger's acting might not be incredible but this is the perfect role for him. He isn't supposed to show emotion or feelings. He is a machine. I hate almost every one of his movies besides this trilogy because he is a horrible actor but he works perfectly into this role.

The special effects are incredible beyond belief. The shape-shifting T-1000 is some of the greatest animation I have witnessed in cinema history. It absolutely blew my mind when I first experienced this visual extravaganza. The animation looked so real(remembering this was a good ten years). The movie included fast-paced action along with some clever sci-fi drama/horror. The idea of a vast army of machines taking over the world after sending off warheads to every major city should be scary enough. But the T-1000 has very little lines and is just creepy enough to make twitch when you see him.

Sci-fi movies can rarely be made in such way that can be looked at as works of art. This is one of the few exceptions. The prediction of judgment day with Hamilton watching a playground full of kids be burnt to the ground is an absolute brilliant portrayal of Armageddon. The theme that men will destroy themselves is also shown throughout the movie also and is even said by The Terminator" It's in your nature to destroy yourselves". This brings the movie to a whole new level of sci-fi.

Overall, Termiantor II: Judgement Day is an absolute must see classic. If you have not seen it, buy it! Because once you have seen it, you will want to do so anyways. It is fast paced and highly enjoyable for just about every audience.

I highly recommend this movie.

Disclaimer: If you are a viewer that mainly prefers arthouse-type movies, then you might as well ignore this review. In addition, if you're not able to take a few sci-fi leaps of faith, ignore this review, as well. We'll both be better off.

This is the finest action movie of all time. And, yet, believe it or not, it's not the action in the film itself that makes this be the case. This is especially odd in a movie with a $100 million budget (in 1991!), with multiple huge explosions, with thousands of bullets fired, and scores of stuntmen used.

This movie is what it is, a perfect 10, because it takes the vision of one of the most imaginative directors on Earth, and realizes them almost perfectly with all the tools that fit the task -- actors, stunts, puppetry, models, and CG. Without the vision, this film would be nothing. Without the tools, this film would be nothing.

But, a little bit of background is due. This is the sequel to the Terminator (1984), whose premise was that a near-indestructible cyborg is sent by evil self-aware machines from the near future to destroy the mother-to-be of the military commander who would lead the humans to a victory over the machines. Oh, and this terminator machine would come from a time of war between men and machines which followed a nuclear exchange that left billions of people dead, first. In Terminator 2, John Connor (the commander-to-be) is about 12 years old, and his mother (Sarah) is feverishly trying to prepare him for his fate, even as she tries to stop the factors that will lead to the nuclear war and the entire terrible future that made all this necessary. The machines now send a superior, more intelligent, shape-shifting cyborg (T1000) into the past, to kill John himself. Meanwhile, future-John reprograms the ex-evil Terminator (T101) from the original film, and sends him into the past to PROTECT John against the T1000.

That's your basic plot. It does involve travel into the past, so it immediately presents a time-travel paradox which can't really be resolved. In order to even try watching this movie, you MUST LOOK PAST THE PARADOX. If you don't, this movie has zero credibility, and is not worth your time.

What happens after the two terminators appear in the past is a wild ride rife with macho action, dark reflection on the nature of man, and a few rays of hope, here and there. Schwarzenegger (the good terminator) and Patrick (the bad one) make for such effective foes that the times they meet on-screen are completely breathtaking (and odd, given that you repeatedly see the relatively slim T1000 through Arnie through a wall or two). Hamilton, as Sarah Connor, is a wonderful character -- tough beyond all belief and completely focussed on preventing the nuclear war and ensuring John's safety, yet clearly a little out of her mind with paranoia and anger; amazingly, you see actual character development (specifically, when John and T101 arrive at Dyson's house to prevent her from doing what she wants to) in her otherwise 2-dimensional character. And Furlong, as John, is not bad himself as the extroverted kid who's confused by the fact that everyone except his mom tell him his entire upbringing was based on a lie. The bit players all do their jobs well, particularly Earl Boen who plays the semi-sadistic mental hospital warden that stands between Sarah Connor and her son (until the T1000 makes a chilling entrance).

With these players set in motion, it's up to the script to deliver the real substance of the movie. (One often sees great performances in mediocre films... here the story transcends the performances -- an impressive feat.) The script delivers. The film is absolutely filled with great, classic moments (I counted TEN all-star ones during my last viewing), and they're evenly spaced through the movie. I mean, who doesn't cheer (at least inside) when Arnold steps out of the biker bar, fully clad in leather when "Bad to the Bone" music starts to blast? The guy absolutely bleeds coolness. And the T1000 absolutely bleeds evil. But, with so many great moments, you'd think the pacing would be a little uneven... not really! The film shifts from place to place with an ease that makes perfect sense, never giving you the time to start being a little nitpicking jerk, always driving forward, but always doing so thoughtfully and with attention to detail.

Of course, this wouldn't be an action movie without some action. There's plenty of it, and it's perfectly done. The CG effects for the shape-shifting T1000 were cutting-edge for the time, and still look great (whoever said differently below is simply incorrect) -- even if they're completely commonplace today. The stunts are completely insane in scale (at one point, a helicopter flies under a highway overpass; at another, a motorcycle jumps from the 2nd floor of a building into a flying chopper). (Probably, only the Matrix and the Lord of the Rings movies compare in terms of the level of stunt insanity.) And the gunplay is delivered in perfect Cameron-Schwarzenegger style (as opposed to the slo-mo John Woo-style) -- you'll see lots of heavy automatic and explosive weapons, and you'll see them used well. The film is violent, and somewhat bloody, but ALL of the mean-spirited violence is dealt by the evil characters, not the ones you root for (Quentin Tarantino fans: sorry). And then the truly amazing scenes that bypass acting are shocking and memorable -- just wait until the nuclear detonation sequence.

I'm not sure what else you would want in a movie. Probably moral content, and the movie has a very clear pro-human, anti-war message. The message is a bit stale, and the delivery IS, at times, a little heavy-handed (and some moments with the T101 seem just a bit unrealistic, towards the end), but the movie has heart, and that you cannot deny. Plus, it simply rocks. 10/10

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is (1991) is the best action sci-fi flick movie from the 90's ever made of all time. Terminator 2 is my personal favorite film I absolutely love this movie to death! Is my number 1 best movie ever till today the best of the best epic movie of all time. T2 was nominated for 4.Oscars the only movie of the franchise was nominated for an Oscar. If you watch T2 carefully and follow the story you never got bored and you are very entertained. This movie kicks ass! I love the hospital scenes mostly at night, the Cyberdyne building action sequences and of course steel mill action sequences are perfect for this film. This film deals with a lot of action, sci-fi and does involves a lot of paradox past travel. There is a lot of explosions and automatic weapons used in the movie and they are used well thousands of bullets are fired and explosive projectiles are fired at the police cars.

Arnold Schwarzenegger as the good terminator T-800 did an awesome Terrific real job, he acted believably as one of his best characters I ever saw on screen. Terminator walks to the front of the building and kicks a desk out a window. Than ignores the police's order to surrender and fires a M134 Minigun with Chainsaw grip at the police cars below, avoiding the humans. The helicopter pilot moves away. Terminator than uses a M79 grenade launcher to destroy two more vehicles. Its heads-up display indicates no human casualties. The film has a heart and is the best film in the world.

Robert Patrick as T-1000 is "a mimetic Polly-alloy" or "liquid metal." He can shape shift to match other people he touches, after first arriving in present time, he decides to have his base form be that of a nearby cop he killed and passes himself off as a cop in that form. The truck chase scene is awesome and the crash is also awesome. The truck that hit in to another column in the canal and explodes, T-1000 emerges as a shiny, featureless, liquid metal figure. Its features become more pronounced and its colors return to normal, returning to the form of the unharmed pseudo-cop is awesome. It shows what his character can do.

Linda Hamilton is the only Sarah Connor she acted her character perfectly here she played her character genius and very convincing and real, tough beyond all belief and completely focused on preventing the nuclear war and ensuring John's safety. Sarah Connor is her best performance ever in the both Terminator films. Little out of her mind with paranoia and anger: amazingly, you see actual character development (specifically, when John and T101 arrive at Dyson's house to prevent her from doing what she wants to).

Edward Furlong, is the only John Connor for me, is not bad himself as the extroverted kid who's confused by the fact that everyone except his mom told him his entire upbringing was based on a lie. The bit players all do their jobs well. Earl Boen plays the semi-sadistic mental hospital warden Dr. Silberman from the first film The Terminator (1984) that stands between Sarah Connor and her son (until the T1000 makes a chilling entrance).

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong and Robert Patrick did there best acting performances, those actors who played there characters are beloved till this days and Terminator 2 has since been ranked as one of the greatest action, science fiction sequel films of all time.

Twin sister of Linda Hamilton also appeared as Leslie Hamilton Gearren as Twin Sarah in dream she was for real there wasn't no CGI in here. Twin brothers Don Stanton and Dan Stanton both of actors appeared in here one as Lewis the Guard the other as Lewis as T-1000 who kills lewis they were for real no CGI, except special effects for T-1000 knife. Terminator special effects were designed by Stan Winston R.I.P. who has done incredible job making those effects.

The film is absolutely filled with great, classic moments. T2 is James Cameron masterpiece. This wouldn't be an action movie without some action. James Cameron writes, produces and directs brilliantly this film. Brad Fiedel does a perfect music score to the film. American rock band Guns N' Roses wrote a single for this movie "You Could Be Mine" and Schwarzenegger appeared in the music video as T-800 in the music video for this movie.

The chopper scene that crashed in to a SWAT van and explodes was awesome. The CGI and special effects are awesome. This movie is what it is, a perfect 10, because it takes the vision of one of the most imaginative directors on Earth, and realizes them almost perfectly with all the tools that fit the task actors, stunts, puppetry, models and special effects designed from Stan Winston.

It is Rated R for strong sci-fi action and violence, and for language, it is a perfect film from the 90's that I have grew up with it. 10/10 Score: Bad Ass Seal Of Approval

A classic and belongs in the top tier of action films. The action sequences are exciting and plain awesome. Involving an arsenal of weapons, a Harley-Davidson and Arnold Schwarzenegger, action movies don't get better than this.

Don't get me wrong, this is a great film but it is much more child friendly compared to the first movie, and is more commercial

The biggest problem I have with it is that the whole Mexico thing goes on for far too long and the movie loses a huge amount of it's pace. I have never been able to fully engage with this movies second half for that reason. Granted the first film also slows down mid way-ish but for nowhere near as long, and we always feel that Sarah and Kyle are being relentlessly hunted and in considerable danger. Indeed, they are attacked immediately after and so the pace continues

In Judgement Day we know the characters are in a place of relative safety at this point in the movie and the feeling of pursuit is well and truly lost from thereon in

I much preferred Arnie as the bad Terminator, and find a lot of the comedic aspects of this sequel goofy, taken to a further extreme in the third outing. They also date the film further

I feel that the first movie has strangely aged better than this one. It is set firmly in the 80's but without all the stupid guns and roses and other obvious 'cultural' references. The liquid metal thing while amazing at the time would let's be honest, look a little crap to young eyes I'm sure. The opening sequence is still brilliant

The sound in Judgement Day is unbelievably good. All the weapons sound fantastic and full of character, especially the grenade launcher, mini-gun and the T1000's Beretta. Although I did prefer the delayed style heart beat effect in the first one which intensified the tension and was a very clever audio cue. They use a similar device in Judgement Day but it's not nearly as good

A great movie that absolutely shouldn't be missed, but I find The Terminator stands up much better to repeated viewing

This superb sequel surpasses the excellent original in every department and quite simply you won't see a better action film. Set 15 years after the original Arnie may return as the good Terminator trying to protect John Connor but he's a redundant piece of scrap metal compared to the T-1000.

The opening hour and the last half hour is absolutely breathtaking with action sequences that still remain unsurpassed. Their's also a wonderful piece of storytelling 3/4 of the way through where Dyson relises the terrifying consequences of the project he's neglecting his family for.

The performances are memorable particularly Linda Hamilton's Sara Connor and simply put, they'll never make a better action film.

Terminator 2 (1991)

In terms of movie-making, this second installment is clearly a smoother, smarter, more professional product. It's rightfully admired as better, in some ways, that the first in this epic series. Like the Star Wars movies, the first installment excels for sheer story introduction and originality (and I'd throw Hunger Games in the same mix). Once the depth of the success took hold and some money was applied to the second (and third) movies in the sequences, the quality naturally rose. And so "Terminator 2" is a better, more solid production.

But it's derivative. Sometimes the scenes are deliberately echoing the first movie, which is understandable, but then other scenes just seem like a lack of originality. There are a couple nice shifts of plot again as you get used to the idea that the future is meeting the past, but really it's kind of the same thing all over again but better.

One thing that doesn't improve is the acting—both Arnold S. and Linda Hamilton are pushing the limits of their abilities, and their credibility. I have to say Hamilton is much better this time around, playing both the sympathetic mother and future hero but also a crazy person really well. Which also helps give the movie a little boost. It's also nice to have Schwarzenegger around for the whole movie, including the finale (again in a factory, like the first movie).

For me, the bad cyborg was too all powerful—the effects were astounding, but if you have a guy/robot who can pretty much do anything you wonder why he doesn't at times just kill people and take care of business with a quick one two. The vulnerability of Schwarzenegger in this film is a welcome contrast, and it makes him almost, well, human.

The plot has progressed over the last seven years well, and we are ready for the third installment—which is part of the idea. Well done, as far as it all goes. Fast, energetic, clever, with great sets and effects.

The best terminator movie by far and one of the all time greatest movies ever made. The effects are amazing for the early 90s and hold up even by todays standards. The storyline is easy to follow and the action scenes are amazing. The characters are well cast and the actors sell this movie. An absolute classic.

Who said sequels aren't any good? "Terminator 2" is the ultimate sequel, a big bad wolf ready to chomp the head off of anyone who crosses its path. It's dark, it's mean, and it's one tough movie. It's not as bleak as the first film, at least in terms of visuals, but rather has a new kind of bluish-tint that supplies a great backdrop to the ongoing battle between man and machine.

If there was ever a contemporary mainstream visionary director, it is James Cameron. Here we've got Cameron's real thoughts on the series, those repressed by a low budget in the original film. He lets loose here, filling every frame with hard-boiled action and special effects. He introduces a liquid metal Terminator that he wanted to use in the first film, but graphic processors and CGI were not advanced enough in 1984, at least not advanced enough to work on the low means he had to film the original. So his original dream is finally unveiled, and good golly, is it wonderful.

Yeah, he's "back." Arnold (like he needs any introduction?) returns as The Terminator, Series T-101, Model T-800, an indestructible cyborg sent from the future to assassinate Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) in the first film. Well, it's 1991. New film. New mission. He has to save the future resistance leader of mankind who will ultimately defeat the machines of the future, John Connor (Edward Furlong), Sarah's 11-year-old son. (Though his age has been switched from 11 to 13 and back to 9 over the years, with no help from the third film that takes place in 2003, yet claims he was 13 in 1991 though his age doesn't match with his age in the third. We'll just leave it at 11 in this film. Got that?)

Another model Terminator, the T-1000 (Robert Patrick), has been sent back to 1991 programmed to annihilate John Connor. Which explains Arnold's appearance. Arnold, an undoubtedly lesser opponent compared to the T-1000, has to help save the day and learn to appreciate humanity. It won't be easy. First, he has to find John Connor, who is a rebellious angst-driven pre-teen living with foster parents. Then, together they have to break into the local loony hospital and release Sarah from the clutches of Dr. Silberman (Earl Boen), who believes Sarah is delusional. (You may remember Silberman as the psychiatrist from the first film, too.) Then, they have to stop a computer chip designer (Joe Morton) from creating the first version of a SkyNet computer, modeled after a destroyed chip his employment company discovered at a large mechanical warehouse. (Which is, of course, the chip from the destroyed T-800 of the first film.)

Whew. On with the film analysis, right? Where to start? This isn't as fierce or brutal as the first film, but it's got plentiful action sequences, a large budget, great special effects (even compared to those gracing the screen nowadays), not to mention a great character study of the machine we loved to root against in the first film. Of course, this Terminator has no memory of the first film, since he wasn't in it--SkyNet creates hordes of the same version machines on a large conveyor belt and ships them off to fight in the war. Some are sent back through time. So, with that in mind, John Connor's resistance found an extra Arnold lying around in an abandoned warehouse, programmed him to keep John Connor out of harm, and sent him through the time portal.

Sarah doesn't trust him. In a deleted scene available on the Ultimate and "Xtreme" edition DVDs, Sarah says, "You don't know what it's like to try and kill one of these things!" It's an important scene that should have been left in the final cut. In it, Sarah is about to destroy the machine's central processing chip located inside his head, when John stops her. It's important because it focuses on the fact that Sarah still doesn't trust him, and came close to destroying him purely out of prejudice, without giving him a chance. As much as I don't like it when people go on about hidden meanings in films that obviously are not meant to have hidden meanings and are purely little flubs made by directors unrightfully analyzed for deeper meaning(s), "T2" clearly has an underlying message: One, don't judge a book by its cover. Read it first. Two, if an emotionless killing machine can learn to appreciate life, why can't everyone? And three, the most important fact of all: Never mess with a muscular man who walks into a bar completely naked and requests your clothes and means of transportation.

I suppose the question on most interested viewers' minds is this: Is "T2: Judgment Day" better than its predecessor? Well, in some respects, yes. In others, no. It lacks the fierce brutality and darkness of the first film, but makes up for it with spectacular visual effects and action sequences. It lacks the horrific central focus of the first film (futuristic, indestructible cyborgs with no feelings being able to unemotionally kill), but it makes up for this with a new focus of humanity, coming to accept your future, and how it would look if two colossal killing machines entered into an arena together.

In some ways, I like the first better. But then I think about the second film and I have a hard time choosing. I suppose if I had to choose I'd choose the first film. And let me just state for the record that I'm glad I don't have to choose.

5/5 stars.

I am not a big fan of sequels,as most of them disappoint,but T2 certainly does not.In fact,it's a rare case,at least in my opinion, of a sequel actually surpassing the original film in terms of greatness.As in 99.9% of his films,Arnold Schwarzenegger is the good guy once again,but you don't mind once you witness the incredible villain performance of Robert Patrick.This film is nothing short of a beginning to end thrill ride.Let us not forget the talents of Linda Hamilton and Edward Furlong,who gave great supporting efforts.Thumbs up!

I still remember seeing this movie for the first time in 1993 on a VHS. I was completely blown away by the action, special effects n sound. Bought the VHS in '94 n saw countless number of times that the VHS nearly got burned out. Bought a DVD recently n revisited it. T2 is a timeless movie. It is much better than the original. It has superb car chases, big guns, dynamic explosions, gore, tension, suspense, etc. The chase sequence is awesome and nail bitingly intense, it is one of the best action sequences ever made. The pacing is impeccable and the action sequences still stands out. This movie has awesome sound effects, perfect cinematography n impeccable editing. I don't think there must b an action fan who hasn't seen this movie. It has an awesome cgi, action n sound effects. The scene in the Institute where Arnie walks in slow motion with a shot gun n Patrick, the cold emotionless killer, approaching is so full of tension. This movie also has a creepy n dreadful atmosphere. The movie is very violent n action packed.

Terminator 2 perhaps shows that Cameron was at least was cognizant of life and its meaning. I mean, this IS the movie where the end of the world has the most impact outside of Dr. Strangelove, right? One of those outstanding dream scenes in movies, one of the ones that actually works because it's true in its savage simplicity, Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor sees herself in her 1984 waitress get up with baby John in a playground and then everything gets wiped out by the BIG BOMB (Dmitri) that also incinerates Hamilton into BBQ.

So it's with this kind of thought that Terminator 2 means to be the most kick-assingest blockbuster of its (or all?) time while trying to keep the loss of life very small - or, rather, the "Bad" Terminator who was designed by the wizards at ILM can kill to its mission's content - I mean, DAMN, it still looks great, and in its silver-liquid-chrome simplicity much more, for me, impressive than the clanging junk of Bay disasters. It's arguable, of course, that the Terminator (T-800) does kill some people, incidentally, or, you know, all that gas from the gun he shoots could make some people really screwed up but, hey, "He'll live" is enough.

But if Cameron is "soft" at all here, it doesn't show too much... well, okay, Lil' John (hehe) does squeak and squak those early 90's amorphisms "No Problemo - chill out - listen to Kriss Kross - etc", and Edward Furlong is one of the things that just does not hold up here. He's serviceable at best, annoying at worst. He can cry okay though.

But it's Arnold, in his swaggering low-key and then with an occasional grin awesome leading man turn, and especially Linda Hamilton who make this tight script so compulsively watchable. Hamilton makes Connor into what Cameron likely saw in his one-time wife/collaborator Bigelow - a take-no-prisoners soldier who can take charge and has muscles and can probably knock you upside the head (maybe that's why they divorced, he couldn't take all that woman... but I digress, at any rate he moved around a lot till his current wife) And there is also a vulnerability still to Sarah that makes her so endearing.

She can never be completely hard, though time and experience and the dread of what's to come had scarred her, so by the time she has the chance to kill the Man Who Destroys The World, she can't do it. A scene like that is probably more emotionally gripping than so many other scenes that try in these blockbusters (something like Days of Future Past, which is a cousin of this flick, gets there). The fact Hamilton wasn't able to parlay such high caliber performance work into a better career is kind of sad, but at least this stands as a benchmark of a woman action hero, one of the two Cameron Wonder Women really.

So, blast your Guns N Roses, say hi to the kid from Salute Your Shorts (that's him, right, Connor's friend in the first act?) and ride your motorcycle through LA - it's a bad mother-jammer of a blockbuster that holds up enough to look over its faults (i.e. some dialog isn't tight, like the voice-over, it's alright but whatever - perhaps it was ambitious enough to best The Perfect Action Movie, which the first Terminator just was).

T2 is a fab movie, especially with its 2nd generation cgi and the introduction of Morphing. Coupled with a good, but slightly convoluted script, and passable acting, T2 deserved to be a box office smash.

It was also good to see Arnie return but this time as the good cyborg as opposed to the baddie in T1. Robert Patrick was also very good as the T1000 but again, the sfx took most of his character away so he didn't do very much other than do a lot of killing, staring & running.

I also felt Linda Hamilton just didn't "look" right as her powerful role, Sarah Connor compared to her original performance in T1. In T2 she looks thin, pale, drawn and doesn't seem to have the same drive or mommentum that she did in T1, even though we have to accept a certain amount of deterioration owing to her incarceration in a mental institution.

Ed Furlong, is also quite flat in the acting dept as the young John Connor. He didn't convince for a second and made the film feel uneven: there are better child actors available but I'm afraid Ed just didn't cut the mustard here.

It's a shame the Mike Biehn didn't reprise his role because he would've added more interpersonal characterisation between Sarah & himself. But as it is the film lacks a certain "warmth" that leaves the audience isolated and not fully caring for any of the lead characters.

It cannot be denied that T2 is a great film but only in the context of sfx and extending the scope of the sci-fi genre. Otherwise the film looks a pale imitation to the original & superior Terminator.

**/*****

Probably this is the movie I enjoyed watching the most. Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of my all time favorite actors, I am a huge fan of him. It does not matter whether his acting is great or not (but in this movie, he is great I think) The Terminator 2 has humor at times, but because of that again rather critics give one star low! However, humor in the movie is not to entertain audiences. Humor in this movie results from natural situations, it seems that Cameron does not put such moments for our entertainment like the third Terminator movie. And this humor does not ruin the seriousness and the dark tone of the movie. I can't think of a Terminator movie without Schwarzenegger. I have seen Terminator Salvation and yes, there was Arnold Schwarzenegger too, but CGI! (an awful idea) Terminator Salvation was OK, but not as a Terminator movie, as a post apocalyptic science fiction action. I want to say a few things more about Schwarzenegger. He was an icon by this character. Motorcycle, leather jacket, sunglasses and pump rifle. At this point, this is the most humanist, may be the only action movie ever! One of my favorite one liners is the movie is ''he will live.'' Connor tries to teach him not to kill people. Don't get me wrong, it does not mean that I don't like other action movies which do not give such a message, but this just makes the movie greater and deeper. By the way, Terminator 2 is also the deepest action movie ever. This is one of the movies that when you replace any of the actors, pieces don't fall into place. Schwarzenegger is like he was made for Terminator (and yes Conan too), Robert Patrick was made for T-100 (he was at his best in this movie, may be not for acting, but for performance) and Edward Furlong was made for John Connor. Honestly, personally it was impossible to believe that Nick Stahl is John Connor, I watched him like another character. Furlong portrays a very realistic rover portrait. As for Linda Hamilton, she was not made for Sarah Connor, but it is a big pleasure to watch her and for her acting, real very good. Musics always make me live nostalgia, great musics. Now, let's talk about the scenes. The atari center sequence is the first beyond great sequence. This movie is great entertainment, every time, it is a great pleasure to watch it. From the middle of 1990s till now, I watched the movie almost 50 times. I love the metal holes and then renew. How creative it is. As for visual effects, it is a touchstone, yes still. It is the greatest visual effects of all time to me, till 2012. Now, to me it became the second greatest. And I am sorry, I find the visual effects of T2 much more believable than Avatar. Yes I know, 3D, some other new technologies as well. but this is what I think. At a few moments, it is flawed like the scene they shoot at the face of Schwarzenegger, but no problem at all. Can you believe that this movie was made in 1991? I can't believe at all. That's why it is still a milestone. The chase sequence in the highway is beyond great too. Cameron raised the bar and I used to compare all the chase scenes with this one. Do you know another movie that in user comments, the titles which say the greatest action movie ever are innumerable? Almost everyone says the greatest action movie ever, the best action movie of all time, the greatest, the best... I will say the same thing. This is the greatest action movie of all time. The pump rifle using style of Terminator was getting my attention when I was a child. Still I like that. I just like gunfight scenes, not guns by the way. The hospital sequence is the third beyond great sequence, there are a lot of scenes that deserves cinema anthology in this movie. The coffee scene was incredible, every time makes me remember The Silver Surfer, we get lots of very interesting and brilliant moments like the shoot at head (not just in this sequence, throughout the whole movie) The Terminator is 10 out of 10, but T2 surpasses even that (you know I can't give 11 out of 10) Ohh By the way, I don't recommend you to watch the extended edition, if you are a first time viewer. There are three new scenes in this edition. The scene which Sarah hallucinates, to me a mediocre scene, the scene which T-100 tells Sarah and John where his chip is, an unnecessary scene and the scene which a kind of foreplay and talking between Tarissa and Miles while he works at desk, a cliché and a bit ridiculous scene. Returning to the movie, this is the best cat and mouse game movie with No Country for Old Men, it wouldn't be better. T-1000 is the most powerful, the most resistant (the most indestructible) villain ever! You think that he is terminated, but he is not, will he be terminated this time? The movie delivers such a feeling that I would define great success. Helicopter truck fight is great, another action sequence, I would call the kind of action in the movie metallic, not CGI action. By the way, mercury scene was one of the most shocking moments in the cinema history! Unbelievable, incredible. There is an unaccountable moment which it seems that Hulk was inspired from. Another moment recalls The Lord of the Rings The Return of the King etc. If you watched both movies, you understand what I mean. And T-1000 continues to execute his tricks, I was bowling over every time. This is a non stop action movie, but not shallow at all, not like pure action with no substance, in contrast the deepest action movie ever made.

After the original "Terminator" film that was so ahead of its time that the special effects couldn't keep up with James Cameron's vision, "T2: Judgment Day" is an action-packed, adventure-filled extravaganza. It basically does everything Cameron wanted to do in the first one...and then some. The only problem? It skimps on the time-travel storyline in favor of the romping action.

For a basic plot summary, T2 tells the story of a young John Connor (Edward Furlong), a boy who is vital to the future of human civilization once the machines take over in 1997. With mother Sarah (Linda Hamilton) in a mental institution for her wild (yet accurate) claims of the future, John has turned into a rebellious youngster. When a new kind of cybernetic (Robert Patrick) comes from the future to hunt him down, this time John is protected by the Model 101 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) that tried to kill his mother. The goal this time? Trying to prevent Skynet from ever being created.

T2 is an entertaining experience that never gets boring. The special effects are explosive, the pace is always moving forward, and the franchise certainly sheds its "80s movie" clichéd reputation with a slick, edgy new look. Patrick nearly steals the show as the advanced, liquid metal Terminator, one of the great on-screen villains of all-time. Simply put, there is simply a lot to like about the film that most people consider to be the best in the franchise.

For me, however, T2 comes in a notch below the original. Why? When I watch this franchise, I primarily watch it for the intriguing past/future time-travel storyline. That kind of gets lost in this one, what with all the stunts and visual effects. Even the plot arc involving Cyberdyne kind of gets short shrift. Personally, I liked the gritty, darker tone of the first film better. More focus on story/characters than on effects, humor, and action.

The best analogy I can make is that T2 reminds me of "Empire Strikes Back" of the original Star Wars trilogy. That film also forgoes plot a bit in favor of rollicking adventure. Many people (just like T2) think that is the best installment of that series, but I liked its predecessor a bit better (just like in this case too). I can appreciate "Judgment Day" for what it is, but I can't say its my favorite.

Overall, though, T2 is a fun movie that I can still enjoy. It adds some elements to the franchise that I like (primarily Patrick's character). I just wanted a bit more story.

I know the action in The Terminator was also great. That tension and amazing chasing scenes were just revolutionary.

But I don't know how improved this much in this movie. In Terminator 2: Judgment Day you're experiencing the best action scenes of all time. This is the Die Hard level of action with chasing. I don't know what you think but I think it's still better than all those Mission Impossible's action sequences. And those are great by the way. But this isn't great, this is just beyond great at Action sequences.

Besides the great Action scenes with some revolutionary VFX, the storyline is just brilliant!

James Cameron just written the best Time Travel story. I don't think I experienced any Time Travel movie like this. How can you assume that this time travel thing could be possible? This movie makes you question about it.

When you're combine the whole story in your mind, you'll find one of the most brilliant storyline. It may feel like simple but I guarantee you, It's not at all. It's just too well written. Not only based on time travel of course. In my opinion after The Matrix, this is the second best AI Rebellion story.

The original Terminator film is one of the greatest films of the action genre, and still holds up as a fantastic film, not just of its genre but in general too. Terminator 2: Judgement Day is considered one of the best sequels ever made, and it is a consensus that I agree with. While it does lack somewhat in its predecessor's darkness and brutality, it delivers just as much in the writing and action and feels bigger and richer.

Here in Terminator 2: Judgement Day the budget is clearly bigger. This is especially true in the special effects, they were the only things in the first film that didn't hold up as well as the rest of the film but they were still not bad at all, here the effects are stunning, the liquid melting effects on the T-1000 model blow the mind still today. It is photographed slickly and beautifully, maintaining the dark audaciousness of the first film., and while the sets and lighting are not quite as nightmarish they are every bit as imaginative and atmospheric. It is superbly directed by James Cameron, and it's scored appropriately hauntingly.

Terminator 2: Judgement Day's script is just as snappy and even takes on a hard-edged tone in some parts, more so than the original, while the roller-coaster action is thrilling in every sense, without being overblown or dominating the film too much at the expense of depth, the bigger budget aiding and adding to the experience rather than swamping it. The story is still enormous fun, beautifully paced with few if any longueurs and very suspenseful.

Linda Hamilton gives another terrific performance, that is more depth than her performance in the first film, Robert Patrick is spine-chilling and once again Arnold Schwarzenegger is perfectly cast in by far his most conic role that was tailor-made for him.

In conclusion, a fantastic sequel that deserves its distinction as one of the best sequels ever made. It's the only Terminator sequel to be close to the quality of the original, and the only one that's above good level. For me, if asked which is the better film between the first film and this they're about equal, in their own ways 10/10 Bethany Cox