Terminator 2: Judgment Day

	Review by Howard Anderson © 2000 Howard Anderson

Synopsis

12 years have passed since the first Terminator was sent back in time on a mission to kill Sarah Connor before she could give birth to her son, John Connor, the future leader of the human resistance. It failed. John is now a rebellious adolescent and a custody of the state. His mother, Sarah, has been incarcerated and placed in an insane asylum after a failed attempt to blow up Cyberdyne Systems, and now her foreknowledge of the coming armageddon has driven her to the breaking point. But again Skynet is going to attempt to alter the future by sending a more advanced and lethal Terminator back in time to undo their ultimate defeat. The target is now John Connor, himself, and like before the resistance is able to send another protector for him. The only question is: who will reach him first?

Review

It is not often that a sequel is able to top or even match the first film, but that is something James Cameron was able to accomplish with "Terminator 2: Judgment Day". He also did the same thing in 1986 with "Aliens", where he took Ridley Scott's concept of the ultimate in space terror and pushed it to a whole new level. In my opinion James Cameron's "T2" is clearly among the ten best science fiction films ever made, and what really helps elevate this film above the standard sci-fi fodder is an intricate, intelligent, compelling and suspenseful story, but even more so the human and emotional drama that takes place in the midst of all the mayhem and destruction. The hardships of Sarah Connor is conveyed in a very raw and emotional way, and Linda Hamilton's portrayal of this character is simply (at the lack of a better word) brilliant. Seeing her in this films always leaves me kinda speechless. The evolution the T-800 is also something to behold, as Cameron has managed to not only make the villain of the first film the hero in this one, but to also give this killing machine a very human side while still maintaining its more-than-human essence. And Arnold proves here that he IS the Terminator. There is not a single human being on this planet that is able do that part better than him. Then there's Edward Furlong, and all though this is his first film, he still delivers a fine performance and even manages to give the viewer a sense of the awesome responsibilities placed upon the shoulders of this kid. On the more villainous side, Robert Patrick comes across every bit as lethal and unstoppable as the T-1000 is suppose to be, and you can't ask for more than that.

There have been some talk and criticism concerning the various paradoxes that the story creates, such as how could Kyle Reese go back in time and father John Connor if the war never happened? Well, that's exactly why it's called a paradox. A paradox is "an apparently sound statement or proposition which leads to a logically unacceptable conclusion." So there you have it. James Cameron's "The Terminator" and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" treats the proposition of time travel more thoroughly than most, and as there are countless hypothesis about the possibilities of this theoretically feasible subject matter, it would be too difficult cinematically to go much deeper into it without bewildering and loosing most of the target audience ten minutes into the film. This film is meant to entertain, and maybe even make a person think a little bit about or own destructive ways, and that is something "T2" is 100% successful in doing.

Image

Presented in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and anamorphically enhanced, the picture is virtually flawless and obscenely near perfection. Shadows and black levels are dead-on, and the colors, which consist mainly of a cold metallic-blue and a warm orange/red tint, are consistently strong and never show the slightest trace of smearing, not even in the shimmering heat of the steel mill. To make a long story short: the image quality of "Terminator 2: Judgment Day: The Ultimate Edition" is in my book reference quality on all levels.

Sound

"Terminator 2: Judgment Day: The Ultimate Edition" has been given a brand new Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX soundtrack, as well as an even better DTS 5.1 ES track. Now unfortunately I do not have the Surround EX or ES capabilities in my set-up, but listening to this incredible mix I personally can't say that I miss it much. The sound here still engulfs you totally, and as the opening sequence gets under way (which is one of the coolest opening sequences ever), there remains no doubt as to whether or not this mix will reach the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, and completely envelope you in the process. The DTS 5.1 soundtrack is a tad better than the Dolby Digital 5.1, but the difference here are not major, so either way you're guaranteed one helluva time watching this film. Comparing the Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 tracks, I found the bass to be stronger and firmer on the DTS 5.1 mix, and also the spatial resolution to be richer and more seamless. The DTS 5.1 mix also eliminates the phantom zones with an increased efficiency that you will not find on the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. But again, whichever track you listen to, it is bound to bring a smile to your face.

Features

On side A, after you've experienced the awesome main menus designs and the options are presented to you in the form of either the Theatrical Version or the Special Edition. Or, if you punch in the numbers 8-29-97 while you're on the Special Edition menu, then you can also view the Special Extended Edition. I prefer the regular Special Edition myself, as I feel the alternate ending in the Extended Special Edition just doesn't work too well in the context of the movie. In the "Sensory Control" section, in addition to the Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX, DTS 5.1 ES and Dolby Surround 2.0 soundmixes, you can also choose from an Audio Commentary compounded from 26 cast and crew members, where Van Ling serves as a moderator between the various speakers. There is also an additional display that comes into view in the upper right corner of the screen every time there's a new speaker, so there should be no difficulty in keeping track of who you're listening to. This is an excellent feature that I hope to see again on other Audio Commentaries with multiple participants. Once you've been taken to the Sensory Control Panel, there is also a THX Test Signal Package to be found by clicking on the THX logo on the Terminator's skull. In the "Mission Profiles" section you'll find extensive Bios and Filmographies for all the main Cast and Crew, and these are some of the most detailed Bios that I have ever read. If you click on "Jump Into Timeline" you will obviously be taken to the chapter selection menu, and there (in the case of the Special Edition) you'll have 80 chapter stops to choose from.

One side B, after a different but even more impressive introduction to the main menu, you can then go to "Information Programs", where you'll find three documentaries. The first one is "The Making of Terminator 2: Judgment Day", the second is a documentary that analyzes the differences between the Theatrical Version and Special Edition, entitled "T2: More Than Meets the Eye", and finally there's a 22-minute featurette on "The Making of Terminator 2 3D." In the "Visual Campaigns" section you'll find a wide selection of Teasers and Trailers. And then, if you proceed into the "Data Hub", you can access the full "T2" script in the "Source Code" section, as well as the entire movie in story-boards in the "Tactical Diagrams" section. There is also a section called the "Interrogation Surveillance Archives", which contains interviews with James Cameron and various others about the making of the movie. Then there's the "Data Core", and if you dare venture that deep into Skynet headquarters and click where it says "Core Data Sampling", then you'll be given all the information on "T2" that you could ever want. Here you'll find 50 chapters containing text, pictures and video segments on everything from Design and Casting, to Make-Up and Weapons. In the "Data Core" there is also something called "Full Implementation", where you can run the complete supplement materials. I dare you.

Overall Opinion

What more can you possibly ask from a DVD? And when the feature on the disc is a film as incredible as "Terminator 2: Judgment Day", then it seems almost too good to be true. Never have I seen a DVD with more supplemental material or as well-designed menus as "Terminator 2: Judgment Day: The Ultimate Edition." Add that to the breathtaking sound and picture presentation and you've got the finest DVD that has ever been produced. A long time may pass before someone is able to beat this one.