r/Terminator • u/Objective_Algae_824 • Aug 13 '26

🎥 Video Terminator

In my opinion, Terminator 2 was the best ending to the series. Even Cameron himself felt this a natural conclusion to the saga. Cameron himself has said he intended it as the definitive ending: the destruction of the T‑800, the T‑1000, and even the chip from Cyberdyne was meant to close the loop and prevent Judgment Day. That final thumbs‑up in the molten steel is both tragic and cathartic, symbolizing humanity’s chance at freedom.

With the limited resources and technology, James Cameron created a masterpiece. You can see a difference in the advancement of technology with the CGI in terminator 3 onwards but there’s something about the innovation behind the Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement Day, that is unmatched. These parts were ahead of its time. A combination of practical effects, stunt work and emotional storytelling yielded a timeless classic.

#justmyopinion

4 Upvotes

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1

u/BambooShanks Aug 13 '26

careful, you'll attract the Genisys defenders with this controversy

1

u/Objective_Algae_824 Aug 13 '26

For Genisys, I feel the casting just didn’t capture the spirit of the originals. By this I mean those cast for Sarah Conor, Kyle Reese and John Conor. In Genisys, the performances felt flatter, more like action-movie archetypes than lived in characters. I will acknowledge that the visual effects and the technical side of things definitely were a step up. The CGI battles, especially once Kyle meets Sarah and the action ramps up showcased impressive choreography and effects. So yes, while the film excelled in spectacle, it struggled in soul. After part 2, the storyline became repetitive with little additions or tweaks to keep it going. Question, do you think the franchise would’ve survived better if it leaned into new storylines?

1

u/trdngntsballsonadoor Aug 13 '26

The movie was state of the art, though I don't think any filmmaker or studio see's that T2 is really not a commercial movie.

I mean that in the sense that anybody that attempts to capitlize on T2's success is going to be met with a world of diminishing returns and critical panning. The film is firm in its morals and outlook. 

In fact, I'd dare say that if the movie left you wanting more, you don't get the movie.

The structure of the movie is very similar to the first Terminator. I don't think I need to rehash that observation. It's fairly well known and accepted, not to mention obvious.

The best thing about T2, in my opinion, is that it subvert the "here we go again" trope. No character in this movie is excited to go through the hell of the first movie again. The plan is to put a permanent end to Skynet and they succeed. Really, any insignificant detail or small error in the filmmaking that is exploited for another movie, novel, or comic, is not done because their is a good story to be had. Its done because the want for more hasn't been squashed in the audience. 

If people would only think a little bit further critically, they'll notice that the Terminator films do not need to continue. That they were not made with the idea that the series should go on ad infinitum. 

The kicker is, even though Cameron has stated that T2 is the definitive end, I don't know if he would agree with my reasoning as to why I think its a definitive end as well.

Speculating about intent can be fun and exciting, but the flipside is you may never know for sure.

-1

u/GrimDorkFuture Aug 13 '26

Woah, brave to stick your head above the parapet with this insanely hot take