Terminator 2: Judgement Day has been my favorite movie since I first saw it the early 90s. Unlike other 90s films that 10-year old me enthusiastically endorsed (Congo and Speed 2: Cruise Control, anyone?), T2 has maintained a stranglehold at the top of my list. What separates T2 from boring movies about creepy talking gorillas is its rich texture. There is much more going on in T2 than cyborgs from the future wreaking havoc while running around Los Angeles, and upon inspection it is not difficult to see that. There is one sequence in T2 that illustrates this and I want to delineate how the scene represents the greatness of the film. But before I begin a brief synopsis of T2 is in order.
In the late 90s humans made intelligent computers that became self-aware and launched a global nuclear attack that destroyed the world. The human survivors were rewarded with a war against intelligent machines. The machines had mankind on the verge of extinction until John Connor emerged as leader of the human resistance. He was able to guide the humans to certain victory, but in a final attempt to win the war the machines sent a shape-shifting cyborg known as the T-1000 back in time to kill John Connor before the war even began. The humans countered by sending a less advanced cyborg to protect him. That is the story of T2 in a nutshell.
The T-1000 makes an attempt to kill John Connor by going to the mental hospital where his mother, Sarah Connor, was incarcerated after going crazy due to the events of The Terminator. The strategy is that John will either go to the hospital where the T-1000 will be waiting or the T-1000 will be able to disguise himself as Sarah and kill John using deception. While at the hospital the T-1000 comes across a security guard making the evening rounds, and what happens in this scene illustrates the greatness of T2. The scene can be watched by clicking HERE.
The above scene is highly effective because, like the rest of the movie, it operates beautifully on a visual, emotional, and intellectual level.
Starting off, the visual effects of T2 were revolutionary at the time of its release in 1991. If the film were released in 2013 it would be an Oscar candidate for best visual effects, and it's easy to see why: the movie is cool to look at. Watching the T-1000 slowly emerge from the black and white tile is hauntingly mesmerizing. The visuals in Caffeine Hit go several steps beyond being slick. In this case they function to give a clear demonstration of the menacing capabilities of the T-1000. They also function to heighten an overlooked element of the film.
T2 is classified as a science fiction action film, and while this is not inaccurate it ignores the fact that T2 has a lot in common with certain horror films. In Caffeine Hit we see that the T-1000 can be anyone and anything. Also of concern is that the T-1000 has no remorse about brutally killing people. This creates a claustrophobic atmosphere also seen in great horror films such as The Thing or Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Furthermore, the visual of the T-1000 rising from the floor is a nightmarish image similar to something you would see from Freddy Krueger. This all goes to create a heightened sense of fear you do not normally see in sci-fi action films. Another thing you do not often see in these films a black humor.
Funny is not a word most people would use to describe Caffeine Hit, but there is some world class dark humor in there. The paper coffee cup the guard is waiting to be filled up has four cards on the side and one on the bottom. After it's filled he looks at the cards on the side and lifts it up to see the card on the bottom, at which point he's excited to see he has a full house. He casually declares "Must be my lucky day." Seconds later we discover that is not the case. Granted, this joke will not cause your sides to ache, but it illustrates how much is packed into T2. It's also something you might not notice due to the tension of the scene, yet this is why I like the movie so much. There are always new things to pick up on even if you've seen the film dozens of times.
Terminator 2 a well-orchestrated symphony of cinema with individual components that are amazing by themselves, yet work together perfectly. I'll certainly be writing about this film in the future, and come to think of it, I have not watched T2 in a while. Maybe it's time to get reacquainted.
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