The "All things TERMINATOR" thread.

[ajp4mgs]

I was with you guys for a while but then came back to the thread and was hit by a taxi and now I've finally regained consciousness.

Yeah, sorry about that.

Good points. Fortunately the T-800 and Kyle going back in time was off screen so I can then say that when the humans stormed the complex they found the TDE, realized what it was capable of and how it worked, saw naked Arnold walking toward the light (let's say his back was to the soldiers which is why Kyle couldn't recognize him,) Kyle sprints toward him while discarding his clothes and effectively dives through at the same time that the T-800 enters. Then they're both basically passengers on the same "trip" but emerge in different locations.

Of course I realize that that explanation really only holds up if only the first film is canon but I've always preferred the perfect and poetic loop of the original anyway. For T2 to work under the same logic I'd probably have to say that there's some kind of lag between when the TDE is activated and when it can actually send travelers through time. Like the first T-800 enters the energy field and is frozen in some kind of impenetrable force field for a few minutes while the machine is charging up or something. The humans see what is happening and send in Reese who also then gets frozen. Skynet sees Reese enter the field and says oh yeah well here's the T-1000. T-1000 enters the field with different entry coordinates, the humans freak out as the machine is almost at full power, reprogram Uncle Bob and send him in right before the TDE hits full power and sends all four travelers at once. Think Starkiller Base with a single blast branching off to different yet simultaneous (so to speak) end points.

During the journey the four travelers exist in bubbles (that we actually see on screen when they arrive) that are temporarily outside of space and time so that if one set of travelers does something that would normally negate the existence of the other travelers then the latter are still protected. Definitely a stretch to include the events of T2 into my scenario but in my mind it works. And just in case it needs to be said in my canon they do *not* create a happily ever after future where no future war exists. So even after Sarah's hopeful speech about the dark highway at night someone still continues Dyson's work, retrieves the arm that Arnold lost in the steel mill, and the war happens just as we saw in the flashbacks of both films.

So what you're saying is that there's absolutely no way you'll be adopting the multiple timelines explanation.

I once again find myself admiring the creativity here, even though I'm personally quite happy with no judgment day or future war post-T2, and happy with how fully the multiple timelines makes sense of T1 and T2 together. If you ever write any SW or Terminator fan fiction, go ahead and add me to the list of customers please. Always a good and fun read.

BTW, at the Starkiller reference.

 

[e30ernest]

I was with you guys for a while but then came back to the thread and was hit by a taxi and now I've finally regained consciousness.



Good points. Fortunately the T-800 and Kyle going back in time was off screen so I can then say that when the humans stormed the complex they found the TDE, realized what it was capable of and how it worked, saw naked Arnold walking toward the light (let's say his back was to the soldiers which is why Kyle couldn't recognize him,) Kyle sprints toward him while discarding his clothes and effectively dives through at the same time that the T-800 enters. Then they're both basically passengers on the same "trip" but emerge in different locations.

Of course I realize that that explanation really only holds up if only the first film is canon but I've always preferred the perfect and poetic loop of the original anyway. For T2 to work under the same logic I'd probably have to say that there's some kind of lag between when the TDE is activated and when it can actually send travelers through time. Like the first T-800 enters the energy field and is frozen in some kind of impenetrable force field for a few minutes while the machine is charging up or something. The humans see what is happening and send in Reese who also then gets frozen. Skynet sees Reese enter the field and says oh yeah well here's the T-1000. T-1000 enters the field with different entry coordinates, the humans freak out as the machine is almost at full power, reprogram Uncle Bob and send him in right before the TDE hits full power and sends all four travelers at once. Think Starkiller Base with a single blast branching off to different yet simultaneous (so to speak) end points.

During the journey the four travelers exist in bubbles (that we actually see on screen when they arrive) that are temporarily outside of space and time so that if one set of travelers does something that would normally negate the existence of the other travelers then the latter are still protected. Definitely a stretch to include the events of T2 into my scenario but in my mind it works. And just in case it needs to be said in my canon they do *not* create a happily ever after future where no future war exists. So even after Sarah's hopeful speech about the dark highway at night someone still continues Dyson's work, retrieves the arm that Arnold lost in the steel mill, and the war happens just as we saw in the flashbacks of both films.

I'm not sure the whole frozen in place thing would work? Wouldn't that mean both Skynet and humans would be sending their operatives through the same TDE? Also, humans will need time to capture and reprogram a T-800. If I recall correctly in T1, the T800 was a very new infiltrator. Humans will need some time to work out how that machine works and how they can use it.

Please note I just scanned through your write-up. In the middle of work, took a 5 minute break to nerd-out.

 

[Khev]

Yeah, sorry about that.

Don't be, people waxing eloquent about these crazy sci-fi plots is the most fun part of this board.

So what you're saying is that there's absolutely no way you'll be adopting the multiple timelines explanation.

Pretty much, lol. I'm just too attached to the "all or nothing" stakes of one single universe. Of course I realize that my preference and interpretation is no more valid than yours and a-dev's. And I get having a preference for the parallel universes if it satisfies your intellectual appreciation of the premise which thereby allows you to more comfortably invest in the emotional drama. Like I said I do think it comes down to preference but kudos to you guys for pushing me to wrack my brain for new interpretations that allow me to enjoy my take without having to turn off my brain *too* much.

I once again find myself admiring the creativity here, even though I'm personally quite happy with no judgment day or future war post-T2, and happy with how fully the multiple timelines makes sense of T1 and T2 together. If you ever write any SW or Terminator fan fiction, go ahead and add me to the list of customers please. Always a good and fun read.

Thank you and likewise!

BTW, at the Starkiller reference.

 

[The Clown Prince of Crime]

I've never seen this interview before.

It's cool to see him in full costume out of character. He looks so cool.

 

[Chainedstream]

Cool interview! Annoying that it’s dubbed...

 

[a-dev]

He looks like a very good animatronic. Perfectly cast.

 

[JAWS]

Just watched T1 again.. My son wanted to watch it.. I was not in the mood as i had seen it somewhat recently but watched with him anyways.

Seriously, what a perfect film. I was drawn right in again even though I have seen in so many times and just watched over the past year... Perfect pace, perfect cast, perfect look and feel.

Cameron peeked with this film.

 

[a-dev]

I see Screen Rant are talking about Terminator 7 and propose the not so original idea that Terminator needs to return to its horror roots with Arnie's T-800 as the villain....

 

[Bravomite]

Phew! that's all it is... when this thread was bumped I was worried that ajp and a-dev's second volume of time travel rules in terminator had just dropped and I would need to clear my schedule for the next few days to catch up.

Terminator 7 hahaha! Oh man just make the future war movie and close the loop already.

 

[jye4ever]

Just watched T1 again.. My son wanted to watch it.. I was not in the mood as i had seen it somewhat recently but watched with him anyways.

Seriously, what a perfect film. I was drawn right in again even though I have seen in so many times and just watched over the past year... Perfect pace, perfect cast, perfect look and feel.

Cameron peeked with this film.

You need to post more often

 

[karamazov80]

I see Screen Rant are talking about Terminator 7 and propose the not so original idea that Terminator needs to return to its horror roots with Arnie's T-800 as the villain....

You know you want more Terminator movies. Since each sequel has been better than the previous one, they are nearing film perfection at this point.

 

[a-dev]

You know you want more Terminator movies. Since each sequel has been better than the previous one, they are nearing film perfection at this point.

Skillfully worded. When I thought I could counterjab that you were unwittingly saying T2 is superior to T1 I realized you specified that each sequel has been better than the last, thus T2 receiving the ultimate insult

 

[karamazov80]

Eat me!

 

[abake]

Funny, I actually started watching T2 again last night, and not having watched it for ages, I could finally accept that I really don't like it.
Sure, it's kinda fun in an annoying way, but there's just too much poorly written, poorly acted stuff in it...

Let's start with the acting: Furlong is atrocious. The kid can't act to save his life. Hamilton over-acts her "tormented bad ***" role in every single scene. Every time she glared intensely from under her unkempt hair I wanted to gouge my eyes out. The actual stand out is Arnold! He's the only one doing decent acting... Actually no, theT-1000 dude is brilliant.
The writing: Little John Connor is infuriating. The second he shows up I wanted to kick him in the teeth. What an annoying brat. And he's the one I'm supposed to root for? Arnold's Terminator is the most asinine, idiotic AI ever conceived. "We have to save my mom!" "No, the bad guy will be there" "Why did you let me fall?" "Because I have to do what you tell me to" "Then let's go save my mom!" "Ok" WTF? I'm being glib, but that is the gist of it.
And don't even get me started on shooting the Mental Institution's guard and no alarms going off, or cutting up your arm just to show you're a machine (when you could just show all your bullet holes), thus hampering your options of blending in in order to actually accomplish your mission...
It really isn't a very well written movie.
I'm scared of watching T1 now, which I love. What if it is also this badly written and acted?

 

[jye4ever]

Funny, I actually started watching T2 again last night, and not having watched it for ages, I could finally accept that I really don't like it.
Sure, it's kinda fun in an annoying way, but there's just too much poorly written, poorly acted stuff in it...

Let's start with the acting: Furlong is atrocious. The kid can't act to save his life. Hamilton over-acts her "tormented bad ***" role in every single scene. Every time she glared intensely from under her unkempt hair I wanted to gouge my eyes out. The actual stand out is Arnold! He's the only one doing decent acting... Actually no, theT-1000 dude is brilliant.
The writing: Little John Connor is infuriating. The second he shows up I wanted to kick him in the teeth. What an annoying brat. And he's the one I'm supposed to root for? Arnold's Terminator is the most asinine, idiotic AI ever conceived. "We have to save my mom!" "No, the bad guy will be there" "Why did you let me fall?" "Because I have to do what you tell me to" "Then let's go save my mom!" "Ok" WTF? I'm being glib, but that is the gist of it.
And don't even get me started on shooting the Mental Institution's guard and no alarms going off, or cutting up your arm just to show you're a machine (when you could just show all your bullet holes), thus hampering your options of blending in in order to actually accomplish your mission...
It really isn't a very well written movie.
I'm scared of watching T1 now, which I love. What if it is also this badly written and acted?

 

[karamazov80]

Funny, I actually started watching T2 again last night, and not having watched it for ages, I could finally accept that I really don't like it.
Sure, it's kinda fun in an annoying way, but there's just too much poorly written, poorly acted stuff in it...

Let's start with the acting: Furlong is atrocious. The kid can't act to save his life. Hamilton over-acts her "tormented bad ***" role in every single scene. Every time she glared intensely from under her unkempt hair I wanted to gouge my eyes out. The actual stand out is Arnold! He's the only one doing decent acting... Actually no, theT-1000 dude is brilliant.
The writing: Little John Connor is infuriating. The second he shows up I wanted to kick him in the teeth. What an annoying brat. And he's the one I'm supposed to root for? Arnold's Terminator is the most asinine, idiotic AI ever conceived. "We have to save my mom!" "No, the bad guy will be there" "Why did you let me fall?" "Because I have to do what you tell me to" "Then let's go save my mom!" "Ok" WTF? I'm being glib, but that is the gist of it.
And don't even get me started on shooting the Mental Institution's guard and no alarms going off, or cutting up your arm just to show you're a machine (when you could just show all your bullet holes), thus hampering your options of blending in in order to actually accomplish your mission...
It really isn't a very well written movie.
I'm scared of watching T1 now, which I love. What if it is also this badly written and acted?

. . .but no worries about T1. Still amazing in every way and I'll fight anyone who disagrees.

 

[Jay Virtual]

Probably an unpopular opinion but T1>TSCC>T2.

Those 3 are my canon and the other sequels do not exist.

 

[JAWS]

You need to post more often

Ok.. Here is one.

Same son (almost 16) who wanted to watch T1 with me then had a friend over and watched T2.

After it was over he was like.. "Um.. Yeah.. I... I don't know.. I just dont get it.... How is this on so many "best of" lists? How do people think this is the best action movie ever made? How does anybody think this is better then the original? "

I was so proud


For the record my son has no issues with disagreeing with me about films and he is pretty well rounded with the types of movies he likes and enjoys.. So he was not just trying to stay on my good side

He didn't hate it.. I think he just feels like I do. Its a huge step down from the first one and feels that it is very overrated on channels like Watch Mojo and other top 10 movie lists channels.

 

[JAWS]

Funny, I actually started watching T2 again last night, and not having watched it for ages, I could finally accept that I really don't like it.
Sure, it's kinda fun in an annoying way, but there's just too much poorly written, poorly acted stuff in it...

Let's start with the acting: Furlong is atrocious. The kid can't act to save his life. Hamilton over-acts her "tormented bad ***" role in every single scene. Every time she glared intensely from under her unkempt hair I wanted to gouge my eyes out. The actual stand out is Arnold! He's the only one doing decent acting... Actually no, theT-1000 dude is brilliant.
The writing: Little John Connor is infuriating. The second he shows up I wanted to kick him in the teeth. What an annoying brat. And he's the one I'm supposed to root for? Arnold's Terminator is the most asinine, idiotic AI ever conceived. "We have to save my mom!" "No, the bad guy will be there" "Why did you let me fall?" "Because I have to do what you tell me to" "Then let's go save my mom!" "Ok" WTF? I'm being glib, but that is the gist of it.
And don't even get me started on shooting the Mental Institution's guard and no alarms going off, or cutting up your arm just to show you're a machine (when you could just show all your bullet holes), thus hampering your options of blending in in order to actually accomplish your mission...
It really isn't a very well written movie.
I'm scared of watching T1 now, which I love. What if it is also this badly written and acted?

That's about how I feel.

I still enjoy it overall but its more to do with the idea of it and the two Terminators then anything else. I agree about the acting and the writing.
"Now I know why you cry" Barf

Its still the 2nd best in the series. I may have seen this when I was just a bit too old and it didn't help that i was (and still am) a huge T1 fan.

IMO Cameron is an overrated filmmaker. He has T1 and ALIENS to hang his hat on (which is a pretty awesome hanger) T2, True Lies are kinda on the same level. Harmless entertainment. If people loved on True Lies like they do T2 I would probably not put it up there with T2 in Cameron's 2nd tier

The Abyss.. Now there's a film I have not seen in a long time... A long time. Is it any good still. I liked it at one point but have never cared to revisit it after all these years.

Titanic and Avatar. Meh..


I hate being hard on T2 because it has its die hard fans (Die Hard, there is the film that should be #1 on every action movie list). But each time I enjoy it I feel just like abake does for a good deal of its running time.


As far as how abake will feel about T1.. Its a low budget horror movie. That plays in the films favor. Something that I think is lacking from T2. T2 is a bit too polished looking and drops the horror from more of a family friendly film.

 

[JAWS]

. . .but no worries about T1. Still amazing in every way and I'll fight anyone who disagrees.

He speaks the truth.