Terminator 1 vs Terminator 2 discussion

[beat_truck]

The Terminator was very much a harder hitting film than Terminator 2 was. To me it was always more horror orientated (it's basically a slasher film with a robot instead of a psycho) than the soft sci-fi of the second feature. Terminator 2 was always a more noisier, dumbed down, rock and roll movie, full of flash and bang. It even had Guns'N'Roses on the soundtrack. Agreed. I much prefer T1 over T2. Another thing, the damn kid screaming constantly in T2 got on my nerves, too. T2 had bigger, more polished effects, but that really doesn't make a movie for me.

[shootemindehead]

Agreed. I much prefer T1 over T2. Another thing, the damn kid screaming constantly in T2 got on my nerves, too. T2 had bigger, more polished effects, but that really doesn't make a movie for me. Well, I have to admit, I've never really been that much of a fan, although I've seen it a few times. I think the liquid robot idea was stupid and all it really has going for it is that it was "biggerer and betterer" than the 1984 movie. It louder, more brash, and has RGB! And this time Arnie's the good guy! However, 'The Terminator' was and still it the superior movie when all is said and done. I'd like to see a special edition of that film, one which cleans up the dodgy animatronics. But, that's really the only criticism I have about it.

[Neil]

I saw both movies at the movie theaters when they were brand new. My impression of both was and has always been quite different. So is the impression of everyone else I know who also saw them back in the days. The first movie is a dark sci-fi horror film all the way through, the second movie is a flashy over-the-top sci-fi action romp. Again, I'd agree T1 is a darker film, and aimed more at adults. But I'd repeat again, that does not mean T2 doesn't have a solid dark thread through it, or is dumbed down... I mean describing/including this as a romp?

[MinionZombie]

Again, I'd agree T1 is a darker film, and aimed more at adults. But I'd repeat again, that does not mean T2 doesn't have a solid dark thread through it, or is dumbed down... I mean describing/including this as a romp? I know, right? 'Cos Sarah Connor's mental collapse, imprisonment in an insane asylum (where she is, presumably - cos of that cheek-licking creep - sexually abused), losing custody of her own child, total breakdown when she tries to kill Miles Dyson (in front of his entire family!) etc etc just screams of boppin' teens. Just because it's bigger and splashier with large set pieces, doesn't mean it's some tossaway bubblegum fare. I'm baffled by that view of T2. T1 and T2 are indeed different films with different vibes, but it's not as if T1 doesn't contain a boatload of action as well. The gun battle in Tech Noir, the future-set sequences, the shotgun battle (in speeding cars, no less), the assault on the police station, the 4x4 vs truck chase (the latter of which blows up in a huge fireball), and the factory finale. The scale is smaller by comparison to T2, obviously, but T1 is loaded with action sequences.

[JDP]

I know, right? 'Cos Sarah Connor's mental collapse, imprisonment in an insane asylum (where she is, presumably - cos of that cheek-licking creep - sexually abused), losing custody of her own child, total breakdown when she tries to kill Miles Dyson (in front of his entire family!) etc etc just screams of boppin' teens. Plenty of movies primarily directed at teens have such violent elements. Just because it's bigger and splashier with large set pieces, doesn't mean it's some tossaway bubblegum fare. I'm baffled by that view of T2. T1 and T2 are indeed different films with different vibes, but it's not as if T1 doesn't contain a boatload of action as well. The gun battle in Tech Noir, the future-set sequences, the shotgun battle (in speeding cars, no less), the assault on the police station, the 4x4 vs truck chase (the latter of which blows up in a huge fireball), and the factory finale. The scale is smaller by comparison to T2, obviously, but T1 is loaded with action sequences. All of them more toned down and believable than those of T2. The first movie is a more balanced film. Perfect doses of action and slower paced plot/character-development moments. The first movie also has a more realistic and believable take on science fiction. I can totally believe in the machines of the first movie. We are in fact gradually getting closer and closer to being able to build such "AI" machines (scary shit, when you carefully think about what it could potentially lead to.) But I sure as heck cannot believe in that shape-shifting "mercury robot" thing of T2. Too far-fetched. It is something I would expect to see in a fantasy story rather than a serious sci-fi story.

[EvilNed]

Terminator Dark Fate is no better than Terminator Genisys, and I don't see how anyone involved in it could think that what they were doing was a massive improvement over their previous attempt at rebooting the franchise. That's all I have to say. As for T1 vs T2, I think T2 is better and more interesting, but T1 really knocks it out of the park as well.

[paranoid101]

For me its T1 that I sightly enjoy more, what Cameron did with the budget he had is amazing, The Night club scene, Police station shootout ans end chase all fantastic. T2 is a really close and I mean really close second. As for the rest I can get some enjoyment out of the Christian Bale one, The others if I never saw them again it wouldn't be a loss.

[Neil]

For me its T1 that I sightly enjoy more, what Cameron did with the budget he had is amazing, The Night club scene, Police station shootout ans end chase all fantastic. T2 is a really close and I mean really close second. As for the rest I can get some enjoyment out of the Christian Bale one, The others if I never saw them again it wouldn't be a loss. Not seen the Bale one...

[JDP]

For me its T1 that I sightly enjoy more, what Cameron did with the budget he had is amazing, The Night club scene, Police station shootout ans end chase all fantastic. T2 is a really close and I mean really close second. As for the rest I can get some enjoyment out of the Christian Bale one, The others if I never saw them again it wouldn't be a loss. I stopped watching after T3. Everything after T2 = absolute nonsense, did not happen. As far as I am concerned, there's only really been two Terminator movies.

[beat_truck]

Same here. T3 is the newest I've seen, and I remember basically nothing about it. I have the DVD, but I doubt it is worth revisiting.

[EvilNed]

T3 is alright, but T2 was such a tough act to follow that "alright" just doesn't cut it. The rest get progressively worse. Again, I cannot fathom how anyone involved in T...6? Can see it as all that different or superior to T5. They're so similar.

[MinionZombie]

T3 is alright, but T2 was such a tough act to follow that "alright" just doesn't cut it. The rest get progressively worse. Again, I cannot fathom how anyone involved in T...6? Can see it as all that different or superior to T5. They're so similar. T3 was awful. It was the beginning of 'super Terminators' (i.e. filmmakers who hadn't paid attention to the limit of toughness of the T-800s in the first two movies), and takes every opportunity to poke fun at Arnie as the T-800 ("talk to the hand", the male strip club get up, the yee-haw voice in that corporate video etc etc etc). It also shits all over the ending of T2, which tied things up nicely, and ignores the whole 'fate is what we make' angle of the second movie. There's a couple of decent action sequences, but again, they ignore the toughness of a T-800. They aren't indestructible, yet from T3 onwards they practically are. T4 had potential - setting it in the future war - something I'd been wanting since I was a kid. But McG directed it. It was PG-13. There's that annoying kid who doesn't do or say anything. They gave away the big reveal in the trailer. There's no logic in the movie either (e.g. see the gas station attack - silence silence silence SNEAK ATTACK BY THE LOUDEST MACHINE EVER). There were some cool things (e.g. getting to see the T-600s with their rubber skin - they were very creepy and effective, the gritty war-like aesthetic), but it took 'super Terminators' to a whole new level of sucking. In T2 they use molten steel to UTTERLY DESTROY a T-800 (and T-1000) ... but in this movie molten steel only slows down a T-800 for a couple minutes. Asinine. T5. John Connor's bad now, and a Terminator? Go fuck yourself. More silliness aimed at Arnie, too, undercutting his on-screen power. Kyle Reese in this movie? Big nope. Casting missed the mark by a friggin' mile, as did the script. It also smacked of greed by planning multiple sequels. Can barely remember anything about it. More CGI overload and 'super Terminator nonsense. T6. Haven't seen it yet, but know who they kill in the opening minutes. Go fuck yourself.

[EvilNed]

T3 was awful. It was the beginning of 'super Terminators' (i.e. filmmakers who hadn't paid attention to the limit of toughness of the T-800s in the first two movies), and takes every opportunity to poke fun at Arnie as the T-800 ("talk to the hand", the male strip club get up, the yee-haw voice in that corporate video etc etc etc). It also shits all over the ending of T2, which tied things up nicely, and ignores the whole 'fate is what we make' angle of the second movie. There's a couple of decent action sequences, but again, they ignore the toughness of a T-800. They aren't indestructible, yet from T3 onwards they practically are. T4 had potential - setting it in the future war - something I'd been wanting since I was a kid. But McG directed it. It was PG-13. There's that annoying kid who doesn't do or say anything. They gave away the big reveal in the trailer. There's no logic in the movie either (e.g. see the gas station attack - silence silence silence SNEAK ATTACK BY THE LOUDEST MACHINE EVER). There were some cool things (e.g. getting to see the T-600s with their rubber skin - they were very creepy and effective, the gritty war-like aesthetic), but it took 'super Terminators' to a whole new level of sucking. In T2 they use molten steel to UTTERLY DESTROY a T-800 (and T-1000) ... but in this movie molten steel only slows down a T-800 for a couple minutes. Asinine. T5. John Connor's bad now, and a Terminator? Go fuck yourself. More silliness aimed at Arnie, too, undercutting his on-screen power. Kyle Reese in this movie? Big nope. Casting missed the mark by a friggin' mile, as did the script. It also smacked of greed by planning multiple sequels. Can barely remember anything about it. More CGI overload and 'super Terminator nonsense. T6. Haven't seen it yet, but know who they kill in the opening minutes. Go fuck yourself. Do yourself a favor and don't watch T6. You're not gonna like it.

[MinionZombie]

Do yourself a favor and don't watch T6. You're not gonna like it. Yeah, I figure I probably won't ... but I'm curious nonetheless ... but I'm just waiting for it to roll around onto the telly box. No way I was paying and going through the faff of seeing that in the cinema.