Terminator 2 Judgment Day

30 May 2013

Terminator 2: Judgment Day 1991

• Director: James Cameron
• Based on book: No
• Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, Robert Patrick, Joe Morton. S. Epatha Merkerson
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Arnold Schwarzenegger –Dave, Twins
• Linda Hamilton – Dante’s Peak, Hill Street Blues
• Edward Furlong – American History X
• Robert Patrick – Walk the Line, The Sopranos, Cop Land, Die Hard 2
• Joe Morton – Speed, The Astronaut’s Wife, Of Mice and Men, Crossroads
• S. Epatha Merkerson – She’s Gotta Have It
• Why bought: A classic. Fun
• Seen: twice. First time: awhile ago. Now: March 22, 2013

  

Possibly, this one is even more exciting than the first. I was almost literally biting my nails during the hospital escape and the shootout at the scientist’s house.

It is definitely funnier than the first one. Arnold Schwarzenegger as a comedian is an odd thought but life is full of little surprises (besides I saw him inTwins and that’s pretty funny). I enjoyed watching the kid’s attempts to teach him to act like a human and laughed out loud often throughout the film.

Oh yeah, Schwarzenegger as a nice terminator wasn’t a surprise because I’ve seen it before but the first time it was and one can understand Sarah Connor’s freaking out when she first runs into him.

Connor as a tough guerilla in this one works fine, as does her alternating aloofness and concern and love for her son. Just the right balance.

The touch of pathos over the self-destructiveness of the human race, especially men, adds enough depth to make the film a little more than just bang bang kaboom action.

But the car/truck chases get old fast and once again they happen upon just the right kind of factory in the nick of time to destroy the nasty bad-guy terminator.

The effects are, of course, totally amazing.  Good Friday evening fare.

3 ½ * of 5