Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Directed by James Cameron, Terminator 2: Judgment Day follows two futuristic cyborgs, played by Robert Patrick and Arnold Schwarzenegger, as they simultaneously set out to find the teenager (Edward Furlong’s John Connor) who will eventually lead a resistance against malevolent machines. Filmmaker Cameron, armed with his and William Wisher’s screenplay, delivers a propulsive and perpetually enthralling endeavor that improves upon its already-stellar predecessor in virtually every way imaginable, as the film kicks off with a terrific opening stretch that lays the groundwork for an inventive, often spellbinding narrative – with the engrossing atmosphere heightened by its top-notch performances and smattering of electrifying interludes. (The latter is especially true of a seriously gripping mid-movie attempt to free Linda Hamilton’s Sarah Connor from a mental institution.) And although the action-packed climax almost feels like too much of a good thing, Terminator 2: Judgment Day certainly benefits from the inclusion of smaller, character-building sequences that cumulatively ensure the film’s larger-than-life episodes are far more captivating and impactful than one might’ve anticipated. (It’s clear, as well, that Cameron’s ongoing emphasis on the protagonists and their growing bond together paves the way for an unexpectedly heartrending conclusion that packs an impressively emotional punch.) The end result is a predominantly exceptional blockbuster that does, on top of everything else, boast some seriously compelling special-effects work, and it is, in the final analysis, impossible to label Terminator 2: Judgment Day as anything less than one of the best action pictures ever made.

**** out of ****