Review of Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Introduction

It`s without question, one of the most eagerly anticipated DVD releases of the year, providing you don`t already own the alternate region one version, which was released some time ago. Terminator 2: Judgment Day sits proudly alongside its prior chapter, and the second in the Alien saga, as one of the all-time great sci-fi/action flicks. And now the early 90s cyborg-oriented-classic has received the ultimate 2-disc release on DVD, boasting tons of varied extra material.

It was inevitable that the massive success of the original in the 80s would result in a sequel, it was just a matter of timing. In 1990, a small number of the original cast & crew reunited to make that prospect a reality, backed with a hefty budget of close to the 200 million mark.

Sure enough, Arnold Schwarzenegger headed one of the most impressive promotional campaigns for a movie ever, prior to its release a year after. New stars were born when assigned memorable roles, such as Robert Patrick (The X-Files) as the T-1000 outfit, and Edward Furlong (American History X) playing the targeted John Connor. Needless to say the end result was quite outstanding.

This to date, is my first ever T2 experience on the DVD format, and I expect such a release to be the last. My father`s anti-alternative region policy unfortunately stopped me from getting a look at the U.S release, so I had no basis for comparison coming into the review. However, from what I had heard, there isn`t too much between them anyway, with the exception of the theatrical-cut version of the film, which is excluded here on region two.

Video

The movie`s visuals, and the way they`re presented, are both outstanding. Most of the SFX revolve around the T-1000, which are simply breath-taking at times, and that leads to Robert Patrick stealing the show for me. Combined with a superb Anamorphic 2.35.1, which has the perfect contrast and blending, along with just the right black level, T2 looks flawless.

Audio

The soundtrack supplied is THX certified, and comes in DD 5.1, but more importantly, the detail is perfect. Right from the start, during the future-war sequence, you can feel the depth & range of the soundtrack. If you`re like me, and lucky enough to own a home cinema sound system, then this disc will become a source of showboating for when you have those vulture friends over.

Features

Now we were notified before-hand that we would get everything the region one version offered in terms of extras, with the exception of the theatrical cut of the film. For me, this is a let-down. Much like the Aliens Special Edition, certain things are over-emphasized and results in the pace of the film slowing down. But that`s as far as the negativity goes! Because supplied here, are extras worthy of any monumental movie.

There`s just so much here feature-wise, and to try and get through it all in one sitting is just plain madness. On the second disc there are three documentaries, all around 20-30 minutes in duration. Firstly we have "The Making Of T2: Judgment Day", which is your run-of-the-mill "making of" featurette, but is very informative & enjoyable. Then there`s the more promotional "T2 More Than Meets The Eye", which looks at the story in general, and the whole writing process from director & script-writer James Cameron`s perspective. And rounding off the trio is something not related to the movie at all, but more a theme park attraction, in "The Making Of: T2-3D".

Things get very technical as you browse down through the menus into the "Data Hub", which keeps allot of the text-related material. The screenplay, storyboards, text features, and thousands of stills are on offer here. I`m not really a fan of these kind of additions, but that`s the beauty of this, there is absolutely something for everyone. My kind of action comes in the form of the HUGE archive of video clips, and a decent little selection of deleted scenes.

The commentary compiles various interview segments that were done and edited together for this track. The track has a narrator, introducing people and also, adding information on his own. Some of the people who we hear from on this commentary track are Composer Brad Fidel, actors Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwartzenegger, Robert Patrick, director James Cameron, sound designer Gary Rydstrom and many of the special visual/physical effects crew who worked on the film. It all strings together rather nicely and provides a top-notch listen.

Conclusion

By anybodys standards, this is quite a remarkable release from momentum, and is terrific value for money. Never have I seen a DVD with more supplemental material or as well presented as "Terminator 2: Judgment Day: The Ultimate Edition." Add that to the breathtaking sound and picture presentation, and you`ve got the finest DVD that has ever been produced.

Definitely a disc to showcase the capabilities of your DVD player. The best film backed with the best DVD of all time in my opinion. A long time may pass before something is able to beat this one.