Come with me if you want to live
Having looked at The Terminator (1984) it is time to turn attention to the sequel, Terminator 2: Judgement Day (hereafter refered to as T2). At the time of writing, the film has existed in public consciousness for thirty years. As with many sci-fi classics, once technology catches up to, or surpasses the world depicted, the film takes on a quaint, dated feel. However, this is not the case with T2. While it may not have predicted such technological progression as the internet, or mobile phones, it maintains a timeless quality. The reason for this is because James Cameron’s Terminator films were never about the technology.
Upon release, it was immediately apparent that T2 was not only a worthy sequel to its predecessor, but stood up of its own merit. What was not noticeable in 1991 however, was how the film’s impact would continue to ripple in the minds of viewers. Like Skynet, the inscrutable antagonist of the film, T2 continues to reach out across time and affect the present.
Beyond the iconic characters, spectacle, and bombastic soundtrack, there’s something beneath the surface that continues to resonate. In the thirty years since T2s release, we have seen the rise and fall many sci-fi franchises:
The Matrix (1999 – 2021)
Transformers (2007 – 2017) - mainline series
Star Wars (1999 – 2005), (2015 – 2019) - mainline series
While the above have fallen out of film favor, T2 has not lost its luster. In fact, the film continues to be discussed in depth, but this not without irony. Much like the complexity of a time travel story, there have been numerous attempts to revisit and even alter the Terminator timeline. This is demonstrated by the following infographic:
The most telling aspect of this image is the number of connections to T2, including:
a TV series,
a theme park ride, and;
two films claiming to be the direct sequel to T2.
In addition, Terminator Genisys (noticeably distant from all other entries) was a disastrous attempt to reboot the series.
In these efforts to emulate T2, a compelling point is raised. Looking at film sequels alone, over 740 million USD was spent in attempts to recapture the lightning in the bottle of T2. While each film was profitable to a varying degree, everything post T2 missed the mark on a fundamental level. The reasons are both frustratingly simple and maddeningly complex.
Like a mimetic polyalloy, T2’s time-transcending quality is difficult to pin down. There are solid reasons for its critical and commercial success, but there are also more liquid elements to its continuing appeal.
Why is it then, that the film continue to affect us thirty years later?
This series aims to answer this question. To accomplish this, the analysis has been broken down into the following articles:
“I’m sure it feels very real to you”
The dangers of gaining ‘knowledge’
“You’re the one living in a fucking dream Silberman”
The demise of Sarah’s nemesis
“It begins to learn at a geometric rate”
What humans can learn from a robot’s approach to learning
“It becomes self aware at 2:14 AM, Eastern Time, on August 29th'“
Getting what you want before you are ready
“You just can’t go around killing people”
John Connor’s pivot point
“Are we learning yet?”
A cyborg’s gotta know it’s limitations
“It’s in your nature to destroy yourselves”
How many people have you been?
“It messes with your head”
The rough relationship between time and identity
“She’s becoming more and more disconnected from reality as time goes on”
John, Sarah and the trouble with armour
“I’m not gonna let you do it”
Sarah’s transformation to terminator
“The man most directly responsible is Miles Bennet Dyson”
Miles, Sarah, and the road trip to becoming
“I love you John, I always have”
Sarah’s final form & the middle truth
“A mimetic polyalloy”
Pinning down the T1000’s fear factor
“I have to go now”
The T800’s death and deconstruction as the ultimate killing machine
“No one must follow your work”
The death of the terminator, and the series
Throughout this analysis, the focus will be on the more subtle themes hidden away behind the spectacular set pieces. After completing the series, the reader will understand both the mechanics of the story, and the living human tissue that surrounds it.
While the extended edition does contain additional scenes and ideas, the 1991 theatrical cut is the version which the director felt was complete. Therefore this analytical series will use the film released in 1991.