Movie #52 T2

I haven't even made mention that I have eclipsed the half a century mark on my reviews.  52 movies in 96 days watched and reviewed.  I received High Noon in the mail today via Netflix.  I am looking forward to catching up with a western I have heard about most of my life.  I became even more excited when I realized that it was directed by the same man that directed Day of the Jackal.

But alas that is not the film that I am reviewing now.  I couldn't quite talk my kids into watching another western with gold ole dad.  So instead I got them hook on this tiny little 1991 merchant ivory picture called T2: Judgment Day.  How did I get them interested?  I told them it was by the same guy that directed Avatar.  See, that movie is good for something.

This film still plays.  Yes, the special effect aren't so special anymore.  But this was made in a time when James Cameron did rely entirely on CGI to tell an interesting story.  I can remember at the time watching T2 and being blown away.  Watching it now with a few thousand more films under my belt I was blown away for totally different reasons.

First off if you haven't seen T2 here is my brief synopsis:  A man sends a robot back from the future to protect his younger self from a different time traveling robot.  This man (John Connor) is the lead in a rebellion against the robots which have taken over the world.  In order to defeat the evil robot the boy and the terminator must free the kids mother from a mental institution so she may assist in the butt kicking. 

I am not going to comment on the acting other than to say that Edward Furlong as the young John Connor was solid and I would be amiss if I didn't mention the thespian talents of Arnold Schwarzenegger.  The action takes center stage here and it is a big freaking stage!  This film is known for about a dozen particular action sequences.  There is the semi-truck vs dirt bike vs overpass, there is the liquid nitrogen, there is the Skynet lab destruction, ect.

Watching it this time I noticed a lot of similarities between this film and the Star Wars trilogy.  The original trilogy.  I am sure there are a few shots that are staged as almost perfect comparisons.  Surely I can't be the only geek that noticed T2 and Empire had the same shots and themes?  I am going to Google the crap out of this after this blog.  If I find anything I will attack links or photos.

This movie really does have it all.  Cool CGI, great action, solid story (for a time traveling movie anyway) cool catch phrases, guns, nuclear apocalypse, you name it.  It does have a little harsher language that what might have been approiate for my tween daughters, but I am sure it is nothing that they haven't heard out on the play ground or in the locker rooms.  Blockbuster geeks complain that artsy critics can't enjoy a fun moive.  I think T2 proves them wrong.  This is a fun movie that is smart and well constructed.  Us artsy/fartsy types wish all summer blockbuster were made with this type of gusto.  I give T2 4/5 stars.

Checkout The Trailer Park to see for yourself.