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Terminator 2 Review
By admin | August 15, 2009
Terminator 2 - Trailer
Terminator 2 - Review
COMMENTS
”I think it’s always flattering when someone asks you to make a film based on a world that you have created. It gave me an opportunity to explore my original characters further. They put on no creative constraints whatsoever. They said, ‘If you can sell it to Arnold, you can do it.’ It was my world, my characters, so it was an opportunity to expand the imagery and do more.”
– James Cameron
Nearly everyone reading here knows Cameron’s TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY, and you either love it or you simply can’t stand it. If you’re one of those who can’t stand it — well, you realize you’re in the minority. Am I going out a limb to suggest that if you LOVE T-2, nothing I can say could possibly sway you from buying Artisan’s new ‘Ultimate Edition’ DVD? For those of you who simply HATE the movie, I realize there’s nothing I can say that could possibly inspire you to buy it.
Jeff and I often slam a film if we feel it’s absolute dreck. That’s the only way to have a little fun while reviewing a DVD of a particularly awful flic. And by letting you know how terrible a production like SUPERNOVA is, we hope to sway you from a bad purchase. We hate for you to waste your hard earned dough for what will amount to only another shiny, silver coaster to protect your furniture during Monday Night Football. Certainly, it’s easier to convince one not to buy a disc of a bad film, than it is to explain why they should by a disc of a very unpopular flic that was a miserable failure. I mean, how could I convince you to pick up a copy of WAGONS EAST?
TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY belongs in any respectable home theater enthusiast’s library. Yes, one reason is you can ’show off your system’ to the kiddies, loved ones, and even to the neighbors if you crank it up to eleven. And with this new Ultimate Edition you can do so in DD and DTS – just choose your weapon. But, you don’t really need T-2 to do this. There are plenty of discs at the local video joint, or available at an e-tailer that’ll do well enough for that purpose – otherwise the police wouldn’t be writing up all those ‘disturbing the peace’ summonses and slipping them under my door. You can shake the knicks and knacks off the shelves with SAVING PRIVATE RYAN and TRUE LIES, and you can dazzle anyone’s eyes with A BUG’S LIFE and SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN. You don’t need T-2 to do any of these things. Don’t be such a show off. What’s the heck’s matter with you anyway?
James Cameron’s TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY should be on your DVD shelf because, like it or not, it is an important film. Yes, it’s sci-fi, AND it’s important. It made more than $500 million, AND it’s important. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, AND it’s important. It was realized by Cameron, and crew, and that’s WHY it’s important. By now every film enthusiast should recognize the significance of this flic. One may not care much for the chase sequences, explosions, violence, and the predictable outcome, but like the film or not, you have to respect it, and if you respect the film, you must respect the director.
”I think that James Cameron is a very intense person. He’s very intense with his writing. He’s very serious with his directing. He knows about every single thing. If it is makeup, if it is visual effects, special effects, stunts, stunt coordination, himself holding the camera. So he’s just so involved. It’s really extraordinary to work with a person like that and to see that firsthand, and to also be a close friend and to know the other side of Jim Cameron.”
– Arnold Schwarzeneggar
James Cameron is a pioneer in the filmmaking industry. Anyone who disagrees with this has been hiding in a cave since the release of THE TERMINATOR back in ’84 (Cameron gets no kudos for co-directing PIRANAH II: THE SPAWNING). He’s not important simply because his films gross hundreds of millions of dollars. The last two BATMAN films did that, and who would argue that Joel Schumacher is a pioneer — pushing the envelope with each new production? James Cameron is a pioneer, realizing films that require him and his crew to improve on existing technology. This director does things on film that have not been done before. Many effects now routinely used in sci-fi and action films originated with the efforts of James Cameron. With 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, Stanley Kubrick created a sci-fi masterpiece that even upon repeated viewings never ceases to astonish the viewer with its amazing visual affects. James Cameron, though certainly no Stanley Kubrick, has created one visually stunning sci-fi film after another. Though he’s been away from the genre for some years now, you can be sure he’ll be back.
SYNOPSIS
Young John Connor (Edward Furlong) is living with his foster parents in California. He spends his time defying his folks, riding his mini bike, and hanging out with his pal at the mall. His mother, Sarah (Linda Hamilton) is under observation in a mental institute. She’s been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic because of her delusions of being chased by an android sent back from a post-apocalyptic future to kill her.
Now, John is being pursued by two androids from the future. The first, a T-800 series model (Arnold Schwarzennegar) has actually been sent back by him from the future to serve as his protector. The second, a new T-1000 (Robert Patrick) has been sent back to kill John so he won’t grow up to become the revolutionary leader who carries out a war against the ruling machines controlled by a self-aware, supercomputer named Skynet.
Knowing his mother’s rantings and ravings about a nuclear catastrophe in the near future to be true, John orders his protecting Terminator to help him bust his her out of the psychiatric hospital. Figuring that this will be Connor’s next move, the T-1000 heads for the institute as well. At the same time, Sarah has managed to initiate an escape effort of her own. All parties converge, and after a chase through the parking garage and out into the street, the T-1000 is eluded. Plans are made to head south to get away from LA as soon as possible, but at the last minute, Sarah decides to assassinate Miles Dyson (Joe Morton) — the man responsible for designing the chip that would eventually lead to the production of the Skynet computer. The Terminator and John arrive at the Dyson’s house a bit too late, but Sarah has broken down at the thought of killing a man for something he’s not yet done.
The group decides to go to Dyson’s lab and destroy all files on the revolutionary computer chip project. The T-1000 learns of this as well, and he also heads for the lab. A silent alarm has been tripped in the building and police and SWAT teams turn out in full force to take down the man believed responsible for the deaths of many fellow police officers years earlier (see THE TERMINATOR, Stan). After some major pyrotechnics, our heroes manage to escape the authorities, but the T-1000 gives pursuit in a police helicopter. The long chase ends at a metal works factory. After a tanker truck full of liquid nitrogen bursts on the factory floor, the T-1000 is frozen solid and then blasted into a hundred clinking pieces. But it’s not over ‘til the muscle-bound Austrian sings, or is it …sinks?
IMAGE
There was very little room for improvement over the previously released DVD of T-2: JUDGMENT DAY. Nevertheless, there are some aspects of this transfer that better the earlier disc.
We did see some ‘grain’ in a handful of scenes on the first disc, but we noted none here. Also, in two or three shots in the desert, there were occasions where flesh tones appeared a bit orange, and some bright fields, like reflections of sunlight off a car hood ‘bloomed’ a bit. However, with this pressing, flesh tones look natural in all lighting keys and we noted no blooming.
As before, the picture is always very sharp and detailed. All edges are clean – with no thin line colored halos, and no ‘ringing’ from digital enhancement. The finale sequence in the metal works factory is perhaps the most impressive. Here, there is a significant amount of foreground and background information in nearly every frame, and each shot looks very impressive. Contrast and brightness levels allow for a clean natural look, and shadow detail is outstanding.
Throughout the presentation, colors are rich and saturated. Adam Greenberg’s lighting and cinematography gives many sequences a steely blue coloring, with silver or chrome highlights. In addition, there are splashes of orange from fireballs and explosions – many of these during nighttime exteriors. These hues are bright and vivid, but there is no over-saturation or blooming. The fires glow, but always look natural.
Black is deep and solid, and white fields are bright and clean. T-2 has some very dark scenes and many bright scenes as well, and this anamorphic pressing handles the intense and subdued equally well.
This new high definition transfer is absolutely stunning. I’m as dazzled by what I see here, as I was when I popped the LIVE disc into my played a couple of years ago. This is rather surprising since I’ve seem many dazzling transfers since that time, and I’m not as easily impressed now as I may have been back then. Our highest marks and great appreciate for the work accomplished at Artisan.
SOUND
Artisan’s new DVD contains a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX mix, a DTS 5.1 ES mix, and a Dolby Surround mix. For the purposes of this review, we listened to the DD track, however we should note that at this time, our reference system is not outfitted with a center surround channel.
As dazzled as we are by the top-drawer image transfer on this new disc, we are even more impressed with the Dolby Digital, 5.1 track. The forward stage is deep and wide. Indeed, the terms ‘forward stage’ and ‘rear stage’ hardly present the proper picture. ‘Surroundstage’ is the word, folks. From opening titles to closing credits, the mix presents a completely enveloping experience, supported by outstanding, and thoroughly convincing imaging in the ‘phantom zones’ not only between the center channel and the left and right mains, but also between the mains and the surrounds. Numerous action sequences place sound far off to the left and right sides of the screen and into the ‘wrap around’ positions. Mixes like this make the walls of a home theater drop away, and immerse you in the action.
The mix has a wide dynamic range – one that can make you cringe from high-pitched squeals, as well as shudder from basement bass. Of course, the .1 FX channel has many occasions to punch and rumble, but the speakers in the corners muscle in on the action as well. For example, whenever the Terminator fires off another mortar-like round from his mini hand cannon, thunder rumbles from the front mains, and often pans overheard into the surrounds. The concussion created by these blasts – the sound of the breeze created by expanding air, also rushes from the front mains and into the surrounds. This is an effect we’ve never heard as well as it’s done hear. The same effect is heard for the nuclear blast heard in the film. It’s very impressive.
The surrounds are very active as well during the majority of the feature. Split effects are abundant during the action sequences, particularly for the battle scene set in the future between the droids and humans, and during the shootout at the computer-engineering lab. However, there’s more here than pyrotechnics. Note also, the subtle clicking, static, and computer drive sounds heard whenever we are placed inside the Terminator’s head to see through his eyes. Here, there are softer sounds split to the left and right rear speaker that have the effect of putting you inside the droid for a moment. With all the amazing, bombastic, and incredibly dynamic DD tracks that hit the shelves these days, we’re always particularly pleased when a mix such as this comes along and reminds us how much the more subtle details in a recording can help bring us into a film.
Dialogue is well recorded and very nicely integrated across the front three speakers. Voices sound full and natural during both interior and exterior scenes. We noted no distortion on the track — not even during the most boisterous of bombastic sequences. Brad Fiedel’s rather subdued, but very effective score is also well recorded and expansive. This is a dynamite mix, friends. Our highest marks.
FEATURES
Note that this DVD-18 disc from Artisan contains three versions of Cameron’s T-2 JUDGMENT DAY (Some readers may end up with a two disc set instead). Included are the original theatrical cut of the film, the special edition cut that was released on laser disc some years back, and a new ‘extended’ special edition cut which contains an additional three minutes of footage. We’ll not reveal what these scenes are, since we’d rather you enjoy the fun of finding them. Menus make it obvious how to access the original theatrical cut and the special edition cut. However, the extended special edition is more difficult to find – a la Easter egg. The following is a step by step instruction to help you access this slightly longer version of T-2. If you prefer to find it for yourself, skip to the next paragraph.
TO ACCESS THE ‘EXTENDED SPECIAL EDITION’ CUT OF TERMINATOR-2 : JUDGMENT DAY
OPTION ONE
1. Put in your disc – side one
2. At the main menu, choose ‘Special Edition.’ This will load a sub menu for the Spec. Ed., however, do not play it.
3. On this submenu, you’ll see a graphic of the Terminator with only the left eye glowing red. Highlight “Play Special Edition,” But do not press enter. Do not begin the film.
4. Next, using the numbers on your remote control, enter the sequence 8 2 9 9 7, the date of ‘judgment day in T-2.’ Each time you enter a number, a new word will pop up on the right hand side of the screen. Eventually, the sequence will produce the phrase ‘The Future Is Not Set.’ At this point, both of the Terminator’s eyes will be glowing red, and a new option, ‘Play Extended Special Edition’ will appear on the screen.
5. Highlight this new option and press enter and the Extended Special Edition will play.
OPTION TWO
If you have difficulty getting to the Extended Special Edition using the sequence above, try starting either version of the film, and while it’s running, use the ‘title’ button on your remote to switch to Title 3. This is the Extended Special Edition cut of the feature.
Quoting a note included in Artisan’s DVD packaging:
”Dear DVD fan:
Due to the advanced features utilized in the creation of this DVD, some players may experience minor navigational difficulties. This should not affect your enjoyment of the feature program in any way.
For questions or comments, please write:
THX Digital Mastering Program
P.O. Box 3460
Burbank, CA 91508
www.thx.com
FEATURES
The three featurettes included here are new and were not contained on the T-2 special edition laser disc.
1. “The Making Of T-2” – a rather typical ‘making of’ feature, having interviews with the cast and crew, special effects meisters Stan Winston, Mark Dippe and Dennis Muren, and James Cameron. There’s a good deal of on the set footage, Arnold cracking wise in the makeup chair and on the set, and Linda Hamilton at the firing range. Most of this material was not presented in any of the special features included on the special edition laser disc released some years back. (30 min)
2. “T-2: More Than Meets The Eye” – includes comments from members of the cast and crew as well as James Cameron on the various sequences omitted from the theatrical release of T-2 that were eventually re-inserted for the Special Edition, released for home viewing. Much of the re-inserted footage is presented here along with Cameron’s explanations for why they were removed. (22 min)
3. “The Making Of T-2: 3-D: Breaking The Screen Barrier” – deals with the creation of the MCA/Universal Studios’ 3-D theme park attraction. Very interesting material showing how the 3-D presentation was filmed, choreographed, and presented in Universal’s Cyberdyne Theater in Hollywood. Comments by the cast, crew and James Cameron are included. (23 min)
32-page collector’s booklet
Cast, director, and crew bios and filmos
2 U.S. release teasers
2 Japan release teasers
Promo spot for T2: 3-D
T2: 3-D Cinefex article “Battle Across Three Dimensions” by Estelle Shay
“The Ultimate T2 DVD Supplement” with fifty chapter stops for sections covering every aspect of the filmmaking process
3 U.S. release trailers
2 Japan release trailers
Entire screenplay
Over 700 storyboards