Terminator 2-Edward Footlong is a Different Guy?
James Cameron is definitely a master at creating a fun science-fiction ride and Terminator 2 is certainly no exception. The core story is pretty straight forward, two robots sent back in time, one on a mission to protect a future resistance leader in the war against the machines and the other, new and improved model, sent back to kill the future resistance leader. The film works in just about every possible way. There is a solid mix of action, visual and special effects and humor. Usually I could do without car chases in films but in Terminator 2 they work just fine. Cameron successfully crafts exceptional action sequences and introduces some truly innovative visual effects in the form of the T-1000 played by Robert Patrick. The liquid metal effects centering on the T-1000 became movie history as they really captivated (I hate using that movie reviewer word, but here it fits) audiences.
Of course the effects in Terminator 2 are great but many films have fallen flat on their faces which also had great visual and special effects, The Chronicles of Riddick for example. What really made Terminator 2 excel are the strong acting performances from Governor Arnold and Linda Hamilton as well as Edward Furlong, not to be confused with Edward Footlong, much different guy in totally different movies, or so friends tell me. Furlong, who has subsequently vanished as if he actually is hiding from T-1000, does a great job as the a**hole kid, must have been a real acting challenge, uh? Hamilton in particular deserves credit for her scenes in the nut house, which are really great and tons of fun.
The strong script, which keeps the action moving along at a quick clip, and never leaves the audience bored. Pacing, is obviously critical in any script, but in sci-fi poor pacing can essentially minimize the impact of the visual effects and action sequences. Too much time in between big action scenes and those scenes loose their impact, too little time in between the big-budget eye candy and the film begins to seem like nothing more than a effects driven mess. Other genres of film have more flexibility in terms of pacing than sci-fi and this is one area where Cameron usually excels, perhaps more than any other director working in the blockbuster sci-fi genre. This point is often overlooked when critics and fans discuss Cameron’s body of work and that is unfortunate.
The film had a budget of around $100-$110 million, which was a tremendous number back in 1990 when the film began shooting, but what ends up on the screen indicates that most of the money was used wisely by Hollywood standards at least. In many ways, what is most shocking about Terminator 2 is that the film did not make more money. Ultimately, Terminator 2 shapes up to be even more fun than the original which as we all know is increasingly rare for the sequel and remake littered film industry.
Story A+
Acting A
Visuals A+ (Cameron was very success in creating some very striking visuals that were new for audiences of their day.)
Originality/Innovation A+ (The film is original in a variety of ways, especially visually.)
Enjoyability Grade A+
Home Theater/HD Factor A+ (Few films can show off what a HD home theater system can do more than Terminator 2. Serious eye candy time for those of you who own a HD home theater system.)
Overall Grade A+ (Terminator 2 is a science-fiction/action classic.)
|
