Terminator 2 is THE END

TERMINATOR 2 SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE END

By Jerry Saravia

 "I knew my character arc was so complete in the first two" - Linda Hamilton on why she turned down 'Terminator 3'

Once James Cameron's thrilling, nonstop action spectacle "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" reached its

action-filled climax and its denouement concerning a friendlier Terminator than the gritty 1984 tech-noir classic that started this whole time-traveling mess in the first place, it was clear that the Terminator's days were over. Skynet, the artificial intelligence computer network that initiated nuclear war, was no more - it had no existence in the future. After the good Terminator finally destroys the lethal T-1000 Terminator (Robert Patrick, our liquid terminator) and then asks the young rascal John Connor to destroy him since a terminator cannot self-terminate, it meant no killer cyborgs in the future, no nuclear war, done. A whole decade later, "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" burst onto to the scene, an unnecessary sequel yet still a fairly decent one with a bleaker outlook. As much as I enjoyed it, it was clearly a cash-in on the first two films and it completely contradicted the second film. (SPOILERS AHEAD for those who have not seen any of these films) Skynet manages to activate a nuclear war after all and as the returning Terminator insists, "It was inevitable." IT WAS? Yeah, to the studios maybe but let's be clear: I think James Cameron always thought that the story was over. There was no more story to tell. (NOTE: "Terminator Salvation" will not be discussed since I have yet to see it.)

Now there is yet another "Terminator" flick called "Terminator Genisys," which director James Cameron has already declared the true third film in the franchise. That may or may not be and my interest was a little piqued when I saw the newest trailer, which definitely let loose a major twist that should not have been so hastily unleashed. But to me, "Terminator 2" was the end. It had a finality to it and it really was more of a continuation, not a traditional cash-grab of a sequel, of Sarah Connor's quest to save her teenage son John Connor (future leader of the resistance against the machines of a post-apocalyptic universe) from the deadly T-1000 terminator. Sarah and John's story made the sequel more of an emotional journey, harkening back to the love story of the original film between Kyle Reese and Sarah (Kyle turned out to be the sire of John Connor, which brought up all sorts of questions). Yes, there are the requisite explosions, astounding action sequences that make your jaw drop and fight scenes that are as awesomely staged as ever (the longer cut of "Terminator 2" is the greater film experience). Without characters to care about, the movie would've been nothing more than catnip for action aficionados who do not care about complex relationships. Linda Hamilton brought a toughness and a touch of post-Ripleyness to her Sarah Connor - her scene in a mental institution where she angrily pronounces the end of the world will make you shiver and get you misty-eyed. Edward Furlong as John Connor is not some weak kid - he is resourceful and proves to his mother he's got the bravery to be a leader. Schwarzenegger is as alert as always as the protector this time, not the killer. And Robert Patrick was the very definition of a killer antagonist - imitating his victims with his chameleonic capabilities and then killing without provocation.

"Terminator 2" set a whole new standard for the post-apocalyptic action picture - it comes up aces in all departments, has eerie, nightmarish scenes of nuclear devastation, and moves at a brisk, unrelenting pace. It just makes no sense for additional sequels to have emerged in its wake.