Review Terminator 2: Judgment Day film review by noah eckeckenrode

I decided to review Terminator 2 before the first Terminator film. Why? Because it’s my favorite of the franchise. Not only that, it is one of the greatest action films ever made. It is the very antithesis of a “mindless action film.†Rather, it is an action film that has deeper themes and issues, much like Jurassic Park. The acting is pretty good. Arnold Schwarzenegger is… well, Arnold Schwarzenegger. But, he plays the part of the T-800 well enough for me to be invested. Plus, his character development form cold killer to learning the value of human life is very touching. Edward Furlong as the young John Connor is controversial. He’s often been called a weak point in the film and maybe that’s true. According to sources, the casting director found him at a YMCA and cast him because of his looks. He never acted before. Personally, however, I think he does well enough. But, I can see how other people would find him annoying. But, it makes up for that with Linda Hamilton as Sara Connor. Scared from the events of the 1rst t film, Sarah is in a mental facility and toughens up to help John and the T-800 escape. She is quite possibly one of the most hardcore female characters in any film. After she escapes, she undergoes a physical and military transformation armed with weapons. And, I loved her character development about how the future is not set in stone and there is no fate but what we make it. But, the most intimidating character by far has to be Robert Patrick as the T-1000. He is one of the most intimidating villains ever put on film. He’s made out of liquid metal so shooting him or stabbing him does little. He can shape shift into anyone which make it hard to know where he is. He can form his hands into knives and stabbing weapons to kill you. He has the cold focus of a machine so you can’t bully him, reason with him or bribe him. He is almost unstoppable. Everyone else does a good enough job. So, pretty dang good acting. 2nd thing, the effects. AMAZING! This is the 2nd best CGI I’ve seen in a film (1rst being Jurassic Park.) They capture the look of liquid metal perfectly. The effects aside from the T-1000 are done with models, animatronics, makeup and camera tricks. But, they blend together very well. Great effects down. 3rd is the action scenes. These are some of the best action scenes ever put on film. Stunt work was used heavily. But, it was done so well, I couldn’t tell the difference between the stunt actor and the real actors. And, they’re done with no CGI which makes it all the more impressive. For instance, stuntmen jump motorcycles, conduct high-speed highway chases, crash vehicles, fall out of cars, and pilot helicopters in ways that can only be described as certifiably insane. At one point in the film, a stuntman dressed as Arnold leaves the driver’s side door of a pickup truck, hurries through the pickup bed, and climbs on the hood of an 18 wheel tanker truck, all without wire work, going about 40 miles an hour. Michael Bay, eat your heart out. 4rth is the soundtrack by Brad Fiedel. Again, this is another one of my favorite scores. It’s nice and action packed when it needs to be. But, it has a gritty and dark tone to it that can create good drama. It actually carries the weight of the story and characters. Listen to it if you have the chance. And now, we arrive at the final thing: the script. Special effects, action scenes and music are nothing if they don’t have a good script to back it up. And luckily, this film delivers. It incorporates heavy concepts such as free will vs. pre-determination and the value of human life. That each human may contribute something valuable to the future and that the future isn’t set in stone are great topics to discuss. And this film doesn’t disappoint. Terminator 2: Judgment Day is exactly what a sequel should be. Rather than rehash the same premise, they continue the story, like a good sequel should. It ups the action, stakes and even the characters. Plus, it and Jurassic Park show that action and science fiction can be more than just gunfights and people running from creatures. It can be used to tell a good story. If liked the first Terminator, you’ll love the second.