 Tagline: This time there are two -- Skynet Edition -- With its groundbreaking use of CGI technology, Terminator 2: Judgment Day shattered the definition of action filmmaking to become one of the most celebrated sequels of all time. Now, for the first time, see this iconic film as it was meant to be seen - with multiple versions of the film presented in explosive 1080p High Definition and all new English 6.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. Storyline: Almost 10 years have passed since the first cyborg called The Terminator tried to kill Sarah Connor and her unborn son, John Connor. John Connor, the future leader of the human resistance, is now a healthy young boy. However another Terminator is sent back through time called the T-1000, which is more advanced and more powerful than its predecessor. The Mission: to kill John Connor when he's still a child. However, Sarah and John do not have to face this threat of a Terminator alone. Another Terminator is also sent back through time. The mission: to protect John and Sarah Connor at all costs. The battle for tomorrow has begun... Written by Eric ggg Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Martin Liebman on May 10, 2009 -- This is gonna blow 'em all away. In the entire history of motion pictures, few, if any, sequels hold as many distinctions as James Cameron's Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Perhaps the biggest follow-up ever to a modestly-budget film, T2 arrived in theaters on July 3, 1991 to intense scrutiny, incredible hype, and colossal expectations. The film aced its many tests, delivering a perfectly-balanced story, groundbreaking special effects, and wonderful performances, all the while adding to the lore of the Terminator universe established in the first film without sacrificing its integrity. By 1991 The Terminator had become a fan favorite, not to mention the film that would mark the beginning of a string of mega-hits helmed by Director James Cameron that would carry him to nearly unparalleled heights as one of the industry's leading and most bankable directors. Still, it was 1991's Terminator 2 that would solidify his career and pave the way for his effort on Titanic, the film that would sink all box-office records, still holding that distinction more than a decade after its theatrical release. Of all the films in his repertoire, though, T2 may be the most important. Though not his highest grossing film or perhaps even his best (rivaled by 1986's Aliens and the original The Terminator), Cameron's T2 will always be remembered as a film that redefined the summer movie experience by delivering dazzling and innovative special effects, an intensely-paced and incredibly smart story, and featuring Hollywood legend Arnold Schwarzenegger (Predator) in his career-defining role. In the future, machine wages war against man. Controlled by a powerful supercomputer called SkyNet, a Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 (or T-800) Terminator (Schwarzenegger) was sent back in time to the year 1984 to eliminate Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), the mother of the future leader of the human resistance, John Connor. That Terminator having failed, SkyNet again sends a Terminator back in time, this one a more advanced model known as a T-1000 (Robert Patrick, Bridge to Terabithia), to kill John (Edward Furlong, American History X) while still a young boy. The resistance is again able to send a warrior to protect its leader in the past, this time a reprogrammed T-800 model, the same formidable machine SkyNet sent in 1984, but this time outmatched by the T-1000, a machine capable of morphing itself into most any organic matter of similar size, manipulating its structure to form crude stabbing and blunt weapons, and virtually instant regeneration from injury. With Sarah, John, and the T-800 on the run from the seemingly unstoppable force, the decision is made to not hide from the future but to confront it directly in hopes of preventing the rise of the machines. With Terminator 2, Director James Cameron delivers the quintessential summer blockbuster Action picture, a reference-grade piece that captures the imagination, tells a quality story, pours on the action, features infectious dialogue, captures plenty of raw emotion, continues on with the legacy of its predecessor, and breaks new ground with its then-state-of-the-art special effects that still hold up some 17 years after the film's debut. The film also -- smartly -- walks a fine line between grisly violence and tame action segments. T2 never shies away from strongly visual and graphically-staged violence. Still, it never crosses the boundary of taste, lending to the film not necessarily a family-friendly feel, but rather a moderately safe one where the action takes on a splendid realism yet refrains from displaying it with absolutely no reservations. Just as importantly, the action is loud, expertly staged, and features plenty of variety in the weapons, locations, and choreography along the way. Though primarily an Action film, Terminator 2 delivers more than just a rain of bullets and explosions. The film features a first-class story around which the violence is framed, lending heft, importance, and immediacy to the action. Though time travel quandaries often make for passable-at-best and head-scratching-at-worst material, T2 manages to make a complex issue work easily within the context of the story. Also of note is the wonderful score courtesy of Brad Fiedel, his music seemingly itself telling the story as it unfolds. The theme that plays over the opening credits at once both haunts and entices, perfectly synching with the film's themes of urgency and the terrible destruction that awaits should the day be lost. If Terminator 2 features one identifiable flaw, it comes not with the film itself but rather with its proliferation into popular culture. There comes a time where a film reaches a saturation point, a point that sees it lose some of its luster and grandeur not because the movie has been found to be a lesser picture than originally critiqued, but because of simple sensory overload. The film has reached a point where it has become the franchise, where the first film, and the third for sure, seem mere afterthoughts, though the first is, arguably, the superior film. With the pending release of Terminator Salvation, one may only hope that, much like "The Sarah Connor Chronicles", it will breathe some much-needed life into and offer a fresh perspective on the Terminator universe. One area where the home video market has indeed benefited T2 is in its ability to showcase the film in an extended cut that, much like the longer edition of Cameron's Aliens, adds to the story line and fleshes out some additional details without interrupting the flow of the film. Terminator 2 leaves behind it a lasting legacy as both the cornerstone film in what is now a four-film series and as a benchmark Action picture that remains nearly as fresh and enticing as the day it was released to theaters. Though some films both before and after its release top it on the intensity of the action, the merit of the story, or the quality of the special effects, few capture the entire spectrum and excel across the board quite like Terminator 2. Oddly, the film's one negative is its massive proliferation, seemingly having reached a breaking point where overexposure and countless home video releases seem to have -- slightly -- lessened the film's magic. Unfortunately, this Blu-ray release features more of the same. Included is a decent video presentation that, while different in several areas from its predecessor, offers neither a substantial upgrade nor a sharp decline in quality; an excellent lossless soundtrack; and plenty of recycled extras making up the bulk of the bonus presentation. No doubt T2 will see yet another re-release somewhere down the road, but until then, serious fans will want to upgrade to this Blu-ray or to the above-referenced "Complete Collector's Set," for the lossless soundtrack. Cast Notes: Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Terminator), Linda Hamilton (Sarah Connor), Edward Furlong (John Connor), Robert Patrick (T-1000), Earl Boen (Dr. Silberman), Joe Morton (Miles Dyson), S. Epatha Merkerson (Tarissa Dyson), Castulo Guerra (Enrique Salceda), Danny Cooksey (Tim), Jenette Goldstein (Janelle Voight), Xander Berkeley (Todd Voight), Leslie Hamilton Gearren (Twin Sarah), Ken Gibbel (Douglas), Robert Winley (Cigar-Smoking Biker), Peter Schrum (Lloyd [as Pete Schrum]). IMDb Rating (07/25/14): 8.5/10 from 550,179 users Top 250: #40 IMDb Rating (01/04/10): 8.5/10 from 215,902 users Top 250: #45
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