The Film:
Director James Cameron (Aliens, The Abyss, Titanic) revisits the film that made his name in Hollywood, The Terminator, and produces a fantastic sequel. The film itself is the extended “special edition” cut, with a good fifteen minutes of extra footage. The packaging claims, somewhat disingenuously, that it’s never been seen before, although I’ve seen this version on broadcast television.

The film has some fun playing with the audience’s expectations; in the first film, Arnie’s Terminator was the villain, and for the early part of the film, it’s left unclear which of the two Terminators is the protector, and which the assassin. Robert Patrick’s T-1000 has a more average build than Arnie, suggesting that he may, in fact, be a human protector like the first film’s Kyle Reese. He dresses as a cop, further suggesting that he’s the protector figure, while Arnie slips back into his trademark biker gear. Eventually, it becomes clear that Schwarzenegger’s Terminator is the hero, and he’s consequently given a lot more dialogue and screentime than in the first film. Called upon to display a greater range of emotions, some of Arnie’s limitations as an actor become apparent; he’s fine when playing a blank-faced killing machine, but the pathos of the final scene – where he sacrifices himself in order to avert the future apocalypse – is shattered as soon as he opens his mouth. “I knoew knaw why yoo criey,” he burbles, and the audience breaks into fits of giggles. Still, his performance is buoyed up by Cameron’s assured direction, so it’s not that big a deal.

Linda Hamilton reprises the role of Sarah Connor from the first Terminator film, but she’s evolved into a very different character. No longer the innocent college girl, she’s turned herself into an unfeeling soldier. When we first see her, she’s incarcerated in a mental asylum, trying to convince anyone who’ll listen that she was attacked by machines from the future. There’s the continual implication throughout the film that, while she’s right about the Terminators, her experiences have unbalanced her. She’s initially incapable of feeling human affection and empathy towards her son, seeing him only as a target for the Terminators. In fighting the machines, she’s become one herself, and later on, actually sets out on an assassination mission herself. Hamilton, perhaps moreso than Robert Patrick, delivers the standout performance in the film. She convincingly portrays a completely transformed Sarah Connor (briefly reprising the more innocent Sarah for a couple of dream sequences), and even her Terminator persona is afforded more impact by the fact that she’s human; she has to psyche herself up for the kill, and breaks down upon realising what she’s become.

This is largely due to Cameron’s script, which features strong characters, well-researched science fiction elements and clearly-defined themes. The film acts as a counterpoint to the first film, the “closed loop” time travel paradox set up by the first film is deconstructed, as the characters are able to prevent the future war against the machines from coming to pass (at least until Terminator 3…). The film also deflates the notion that the Terminator is wholly evil; its role as protector in T2 emphasises that technology in itself is amoral, and can be used for good or evil purposes. Cameron’s direction is also impressive, backed up by Alan Greenberg’s cinematography. Bold, iconic images abound; the various “effects gags” featuring the T-1000, the Terminator, in biker leathers, astride his Harley (it’s interesting to note that this is the pervasive image of Arnie’s Terminator, despite the fact that in the first film, he only wears a leather jacket in a few scenes, and rides a crappy Honda motorbike), the explosion at the Cyberdyne building and the “Hasta la vista, baby” scene. Cameron’s also clearly a bit of a gun nut, picking out a vast array of weapons for the characters in worryingly loving detail in the script. He’s concerned with the cinematic effect of the various guns, like the flip-cocking action of the Terminator’s shotgun, and the “blooper” grenade launcher. Lest he be painted as another Charlton Heston (“From my cold, dead hands!”), he’s careful to temper the cool guns with some messages about responsibility. John Connor’s discovery that the Terminator has to obey him is followed by an object lesson in the responsibilities that come with such a weapon; the Terminator almost kills a couple of innocent bystanders before he’s reined in by Connor, and Cameron’s commentary notes that he was careful never to show the young John Connor actually using a gun in anger.

The DVD:
The DVD has a vast array of extra features; disc 1 includes a commentary featuring most of the cast and crew, and a couple of “easter egg” deleted scenes (which can be accessed by typing 82997 at the title screen). Disc 2 is where the fun starts; the usual selection of trailers and promo pieces appears, along with a comprehensive guide to the making of the film, from conception to the DVD release itself. As the accompanying booklet says, it’s truly “a film school on DVD” (and I should know, I’m a film student). It takes in the writing of the screenplay (the shooting script is itself included), pre-production, the shoot itself, the creation of the then-revolutionary special effects, an essay on artificial intelligence and the marketing of the film. This summary barely scratches the surface of what’s on there; the DVD explores pretty much every aspect of the film-making process, including costumes, special effects, filming, the musical score, merchandising and the like. There are a couple of documentaries on the making of the film, a large collection of storyboards and interview clips, and some bonus features on the making of the T2 theme park attraction for good measure. If you’ve ever wanted to know what goes into making a film, this is the DVD for you; as well as the practical descriptions, there are some little gems of information hidden away on the disc. For example, the photos of the original Terminator from 1984 were actually mocked up on the mental hospital set, requiring that a replica of Arnie’s leathers from the first film be dug out of storage. Or how about this one: the shot of Arnie carrying a box full of roses to conceal his shotgun wasn’t written in to tie in with the Guns N’ Roses song used to promote the film (as I’d always assumed); in fact, their inclusion on the soundtrack was inspired by the sequence.