TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY
US, 1991, 136 minutes, Colour.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, Robert Patrick.
Directed by James Cameron.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day is the very successful sequel to 1984's The Terminator, written and directed by James Cameron (Piranha 2, Aliens, The Abyss, True Lies, Titanic). Cameron returns with a far bigger budget, Academy Award-winning special effects, expert stunts and a reworking of the original story.
The Terminator looked to the future, a devastated Los Angeles of the 21st century, the possibility of a saviour helping Los Angeles but evil Cyborgs trying to destroy him as they travelled back to the '80s. This time the focus is on the boy and his mother, a good Cyborg and an evil Cyborg struggling to destroy or to save him.
Once again Schwarzenegger is the Cyborg, this time on the side of good. Robert Patrick (Fire in the Sky) is expertly malevolent as the high-tech and fluidly reconstructing Cyborg. Once again Linda Hamilton is the mother and the film introduces Edward Furlong (Pet Sematery 2) as the future saviour.
The film takes a strong non-violence stand - after the initial violence of the opening, the arrival of the Cyborgs, the young boy, the future leader, instructs Schwarzenegger not to kill. The emphasis on the action rather than the violence is strong.
Very successful at the box office, the two Terminator films were excellent examples of the blend of science fiction and fantasy and action stunt films.
1.Impact of the sequel? Success, acclaim?
2.The work of James Cameron, emphasis on action, message: the nuclear destruction, the violent future, the developments and aberrations of science and technology, violence and non-violence?
3.Widescreen production, the images of future desolation, violent dreams, Los Angeles of the '90s? The stunt work, the special effects, especially with the evil Terminator? Weaponry? The musical score?
4.Arnold Schwarzenegger and his image, a more benign change in the '90s, heroic, the machine becoming humanised? The saviour contrasting with the evil Terminator? Apocalyptic images of the struggle between good and evil?
5.Sarah and her role, as a woman, strong, as the mother of the saviour, her love for her son, being excluded from his bonding with the Terminator, sacrificing herself for his destiny? The finale with mother and son grieving the destruction of their saviour?
6.The implicit religious subtext: Biblical themes of Armageddon, apocalyptic destruction? The larger than life saviour versus the incarnation of evil? Salvation of the world? Judgment?
7.How much did this film presuppose knowledge of the original: Los Angeles and its future, John Connor as saviour, the time-travelling, destructive terminators, protective Cyborgs, conflict between good and evil?
8.John Connor as the saviour, the adult John sending the protectors back to the past? John's relationship with his mother, Sarah and her hospitalisation, his being with his step-parents and deceiving them, playing with kids, stealing from the bank, video games? The change in his serious approach to his destiny? Meeting the Cyborg, the uncertainty, the rescue? The hostile machine and its pursuit, the chase? The hospital rescue of his mother? Going to the desert with the group and the cache of arms? The confrontation with Dyson and the destruction of the future? The final confrontation, the escape? The bonding with the Cyborg, language, questions about tears, his teaching the machine not to be violent? His grief at the end?
9.Sarah, strong woman, the experience of the past, in hospital, the loss of her son? Physical training, psychological interviews, the clashes with the doctor? Watching the videos of her interviews and her breakdown? The escape, the injections? The confrontation with the two Terminators? Her fears, John, the rescue? The voice-over and her commentary on the events in the future, her perspective? Her friends with the arms? Her anger with Dyson, destroying his office, the confrontation, inability to kill him? Her participation in the finale? With John and her grief at the end?
10.Schwarzenegger as machine, the Cyborg and its computer skills, working out issues, machine view of the world, calculations? The arrival, the bar, the bikies? Riding the bike, tracking down John, the phone call (and the change of voice)? The rescue of John and the chase, the hospital and Sarah? The pursuit by the evil Cyborg? His humanisation, the questions about tears, learning non-violence, phrases? The information about Dyson? The destruction in the laboratory, the final confrontation? The struggle between good and evil - and his having to be destroyed?
11.The evil Terminator, technological excellence, shrewd, shape-changing? Personification of evil, taking on the persona of the police, the threatening and ominous police? The killing of the step-parents and assuming their identity? Taking the shape of guards, drivers and pilots? Of Sarah? The pursuit, the chases, indestructible, reconstructing himself? Frozen, heated and coming to pieces, the final melting and the good Cyborg sacrificing himself?
12.The doctors, their treatment of Sarah, the escape from the hospital? The lewd guard and his behaviour with Sarah? His death?
13.Dyson, the scientist, technology, using the material from the future - and its being abused, destructive? The confrontation with Sarah, his family? His destroying his work and changing history? His heroic death?
14.The arms dealers, the hideout in the desert, the store of arms, friendship with Sarah?
15.The blend of science fiction and fantasy, a dramatic and violent fairy tale of the '90s, the issues of the future of the world, good and evil, violence? Violence and action?
