The Terminator 2 is considered one of the greatest sci-fi/ thriller drama of all time. But what makes it so relevant even by today’s standards?
The Terminator 2: Judgment Day… A movie, a legend. This masterpiece was released in 1991 and was the direct sequel of the first The Terminator (1984) movie. Unfortunately, only two Terminator movies were released. Some of you might think there were more movies, but you are wrong. There were just two. Everything else is only a Mandela (side) effect. The two Terminator movies were a box-office success, making the main star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, a famous ten-word example. This is mainly because, with just a few words, he managed to star in a more than two-hour drama. I think he had even fewer lines in the first The Terminator movie. But does a Cyborg, a predating one, need more? We can also write a lot about the first movie, but this article is a tribute to the second masterpiece.
The scenario, the characters, the special effects, and the whole production of Judgment Day were massive. Even the support roles were well-written, and you could feel their thrill or relate to them. Of course, it has its top picks. The two cyborgs (Robert Patrick and Arnold) felt like they were the sent curse or Nemesis of Skynet. Linda Hamilton could break your knee, and you would still thank her. Edward Furlong as John Connor was a true revelation, etc.
The chases, the sets, the machines were a breath of fresh air. Don’t tell me that even now, when you hear the term robot, the iconic endoskeleton isn’t one of your first thoughts. I just won’t believe you. And of course, who can forget these words that can describe the entire movie: “Hasta la vista, baby,” and “I’ll be back.” Especially the second one would have been any other ordinary word. But this movie levels it up.
So why did I write this article? I am not even an expert. I don’t even write something that you don’t know already. Well, I still have my reasons. Actually, one reason. The core meaning of the movie. It is not James Cameron’s exemplary guidance or the success. It is not even the main story that suffers from its plot holes. No, not at all. Its deeper meaning is different even from its predecessor. The first movie was a “stereotype” of good and evil. The bad machines rebelled against the good humanity and decided to our extinction. This is something you could expect. Especially back in the ’80s, technology was taking its first massive steps to our homes. There was the so-called “Fear of the Machines”. And perhaps it was justified.
However, as the ’90s took over, something changed. And this is what the second movie had successfully delivered. Machines and technology, in general, are not something we should fear or not. They are something we should learn to co-exist and be moderate with. Like everything in this world, too much of anything or bad-purpose control might have horrible consequences. On the other hand, balance and righteous control for the greater good is the best option. The two archetypes can be found in the two Cyborgs. T-1000 was the bad flip of the coin. It was the menace. The evil option if things go wrong. A dystopia. And what makes it even worse is that it might be possible. Humanity’s history is full of similar examples.
T-800 on the other hand, was the merit option. A future where people and machines (technology) would co-exist in the best possible way. A future that seems bright. The one that we should expect. As the movie states, we shape our future, nothing is pre-written. All things have effects and side effects. We are responsible for our decisions and actions. Machines and technology are no exception. We are responsible if we are the ones who cry out of despair or the ones who cry like John Connor for his Terminator in the emblematic scene. The one which T-800 knows that it is better to be self-terminated because it is the best option. This world wasn’t ready, yet. And this scene fills tears in my eyes to this day. Life is cruel and unfair.
So, what is the whole meaning of this article? That JimCKD is crying like a baby with touching scenes of a movie? Or that he wishes to have his personal-friendly Terminator? Well, although the second option sounds tempting, no. The whole point is one. Do not fear the technology. We, as humans are responsible for it, as for anything else. Whether the future will be bright or not is in our own hands. We shape our future. And no technology will be responsible for this. We can make this world better and we know it. Technology would be our assistant or our weapon. The choice is yours. As for me? I’ll be back.
