Retro Review: Terminator 2: Judgement Day

A huge success, there was no way that James Cameron was going to pass on creating a sequel to his darkand gritty sci-fi film, The Terminator. After the way 1984 changed cinema forever, it was time to take it to the next level. Now backed by Hollywood, and of course, by the same visionary that conceived the first film, T-2 brings about the next chapter in the Terminator story. He said he'd be back, and now, he is. Let's get started, shall we?

Our story picks up ten years after the events of The Terminator. Sarah Connor was put into a mental institution, and is now a warrior. She's no longer that innocent girl we saw in the first movie, she's ready to do whatever it takes to defend her son, and make sure he becomes the great warrior she was told he would.

John Connor (Ed Furlong) is under the impression that his mother is crazy, and he's living with foster parents. He's not exactly a model citizen, but who can blame him? He's lived his whole life thinking something special about himself, but now, his life is a lie... or is it?

The first time around, the Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) didn't succeed in his mission to destroy Sarah. So now, Skynet has sent back a new model, the T-1000 (Robert Patrick), made of liquid metal to destroy John. Just like last time, the Resistance sent a protector. But this time, it was a Terminator itself. The T-800 (Schwarzenegger).

There are way too many things to talk about, because of how much I love this movie. I can't possibly get to all of it, so I'll try to keep it simple. But trust me, if I don't mention it, odds are, I loved it.

The characters are great, each and every one of them. John is this bad mouthed kid who doesn't really like anybody. He's a rebel, basically. A good heart, but gets into trouble a bit too often. I love his character, and I loved his story. Sarah has become a soldier. She's completely different that how she was when we last saw her. And honestly, her character is even more interesting now. There's no denying the complete badass of Sarah Connor.

And of course, there's The Terminator. He's one of my favorite movie characters of all time, and seeing him as a good guy in this movie was just perfect. His writing was amazing, and seeing the main three characters interact was just beautiful. John was a smart ass, Sarah was a warrior, and the Terminator had one job.

Robert Patrick was amazing as the new Terminator. He didn't talk much, but his body language said more than even words. Just as brutal and cold as the first one, but now, even more deadly.

 Even though created more than twenty years ago, the action sequences are just as incredible and breathtaking today. I'm particularly fond of the asylum break out scene. That scene has some great action, hilarious humor, and great writing. My other favorite scene is the one at the steel mill. The first reason, is for the exhilarating action, and wonderful acting. The second reason... I'll get to in a moment.

Sarah Connor decides to become a Terminator herself and destroy the man responsible for the creation of Skynet, Miles Dyson (Joe Morton). Joe Morton is awesome, but beyond that, his character was really cool. Once again, his interaction with the cast was very fun to watch. And seeing Sarah Connor come to the understanding that it wasn't right to kill him was a great moral lesson of the movie.

This paragraph contains some spoilers, so be careful before you read.

As for the other thing I loved about the steel mill scene, is the scene right after the T-1000 is destroyed. Our once merciless Terminator, is now a lovable father toward John. He's his protector, and friend, so it's really difficult to watch when he says to avoid the future they have been fighting against, he must be destroyed. The Terminator looks at John and tells him, "I know now why you cry, but it is something I can never do." It's heartbreaking to see him get lowered into the molten steel. John's protector, and the closest thing to a father he'll ever get. And that's what makes this movie more than just a summer blockbuster. It has a real heart, and a real hero. One of the best ever to see the big screen.

I'm not usually very secretive that this is one of my top three favorite movies. I can find nothing wrong with it. It has heart, action, great writing, direction and characters. The actors are amazing, and the story just as good. But most of all, this movie has magic. More than I'm used to seeing. And that's why it's one of my favorite movies. It simply has it all. On top of all those things, it has a message. One that's not forced, not cheesy, simply true. "If a machine, a Terminator, can learn the value of human life... maybe we can too."

Final Score: Off the charts

There's no way for me to score a movie this near and dear to my heart. But what about you? What do you think of this movie? Let me know in the comments, and I'll see ya next time!