Terminator 2: Judgment Day might be one of the best science fiction movies ever made not named Star Wars but it is a shame that this was not the perfect 4K UHD release in terms of a DNR-riddled video, though the new featurette and audio were both great.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
(1991)
Genre(s): Science Fiction, Action
Lionsgate | R/Unrated – 137 min. – $22.99 | December 26, 2017
Date Published: 12/26/2017 | Author: The Movieman
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THE MOVIE — 4.5/5 |
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Plot Synopsis: It has been 10 years since the events of Terminator. Sarah Connor’s (LINDA HAMILTON) ordeal is only just beginning as she struggles to protect her son, John (EDWARD FURLONG) — the future leader of the human resistance against the machines — from a new Terminator (ROBERT PATRICK), sent back in time to eliminate him while he’s still a child. Sarah and John don’t have to face this terrifying threat alone, however. The human resistance has managed to send them an ally, a warrior (ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER) from the future ordered to protect John Connor at any cost. The battle for tomorrow has begun. A tomorrow filled with poor sequels that muck up the timeline. Quick Hit Review: I’ll be honest, I’ve never been a huge fan of the Terminator franchise but Terminator 2: Judgment Day is one hell of a science-fiction actioner that anyone can watch without seeing the previous movie nor do you – or should you – bother with no less than three follow-ups that screwed things up so much they’re doing a soft reboot with James Cameron taking a producing role. But back to T2, this film has been out for now 26 years and still holds up incredibly well be it the somewhat simple story or the visual effects which still is mind-blowing and just goes to show James Cameron’s visionary mind that later gave us Titanic which managed to bring in men (for the action) and women (for the romance) and Avatar and its upcoming sequels. Arnold Schwarzenegger of course is at his element here perfectly portraying an emotionless robot that you do manage to care about by the end; Edward Furlong makes for one of the better John Connors; Robert Patrick was just a bad ass Terminator; and Linda Hamilton kicks all sorts of butt and is THE Sarah Connor (though I did like Lena Headey’s version on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles). |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 4.5/5 |
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This 2-disc release comes with a glossy, fingerprint-magnet, slip cover. Inside is a redemption code for the Digital HD copy. If there is one thing I’m happy about, at least this wasn’t a mere re-pressing of Lionsgate’s old disc. Also included are the Special Edition (2:33:13) and Extended Special Edition (2:35:55) versions. Audio Commentaries:
The first one, as you might imagine is culled together from audio interviews and spliced in to the appropriate scenes while the second is more of a proper track and probably was the preferred track to listen to. T2: Reprogramming The Terminator (54:07; HD) is a new and lengthy making-of featurette that includes interviews with Schwarzenegger, Cameron, Patrick, Furlong and others set against scenes from the movie, storyboards and behind-the-scenes footage. Shame they couldn’t wrangle Hamilton to participate. The Making of T2 Documentary (30:54; SD) is from 1991 and probably was some TV special made as a way to advertise the film. Still worthy with some nice behind-the-scenes footage. Deleted Scenes (3:18; HD) – There are only two scenes here but each include commentaries, one with James Cameron and Robert Patrick, the other with Cameron and Linda Hamilton. Trailers (6:33; HD):
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VIDEO – 3.0/5 |
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As you might already know, at least if you visit any Blu-ray related message board, this Lionsgate release of Terminator 2 might finally get a 4K UHD release (and to a puzzlement of some, no 3D version) but man this was a flawed transfer. I will say, some scenes did actually look pretty good, sharp detail and vibrant colors (and in that regard, I actually found it to be a bit more consistent). However, I did notice many scenes that were DNRd, where faces did have a waxy texture to them, and not only that, and the process did remove any natural grain. I’m not sure how this happened but it was disappointing. Note: Only the theatrical version is in 2160p, the other two editions, only available on Blu-ray, are 1080p high-definition. |
AUDIO – 4.5/5 |
| Not entirely sure why, but this *only* comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 instead of Atmos or DTS:X, but even so, this actually sounds excellent though I highly suspect this is the original track from the original Blu-ray release(s). Still, dialogue levels are crisp, clear and clean but where it excels is with the action sequences which provide some nice depth. |
OVERALL – 3.0/5 |
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Overall, Terminator 2: Judgment Day might be one of the best science fiction movies ever made not named Star Wars but it is a shame that this was not the perfect 4K UHD release in terms of a DNR-riddled video, though the new featurette and audio were both great. |