Terminator 2 : Judgement Day (1991) - Episode 101

The Rewind Movie Podcast

Chill out. Dickwad. We’re on the run with James Cameron’s all-conquering, pioneering 1991 action sequel Terminator 2: Judgement Day.

Over a decade on from the events of the first movie, the weight of knowing that the end of the world is coming up fast has weighed on Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) so heavily that she has been institutionalised. Her son John (Edward Furlong), the future leader of the human resistance in the war against the machines, is a pre-teen petty crook living in foster care. Skynet, the artificially intelligent defence system that will eventually launch its missiles and wipe out billions of people, has sent another Terminator to kill him before he can ever rise up against it - this time, a hyper advanced, near-impervious liquid metal android. Once again, a protector has also been sent back - this time, in the guise of the same murderous T800 model that tried to kill his mother before he could ever be born (Arnold Schwarzenegger). A brutal race against time (and fate) ensues as the trio attempt to avert Judgement Day and save an uncertain future.

What better film to mark episode 101 than with this seminal, state-of-the-art blockbuster. We examine James Cameron’s approach to sequels, his inversions and embellishments of his lean, stark original feature, and the impact that star Schwarzenegger’s public persona had on its creation and impact. And we discuss its enduring appeal, from how its revolutionary visual and special effects have aged, to how it stands up against the ensuing franchise that inevitably flourished in the years that followed. Come with us if you want to listen.

You can find more on what we’re calling ‘The Jim Commandments’ over at rewindmoviecast.com, with a wonderful introductory essay by Matt, along with a video playlist packed with features, clips, behind-the-scenes material and more.

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