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[Rat Rage]

The Quinfecta:

The Thing is a bad movie. The first minutes before the dog transforms are suspenseful, but after that, everything becomes an unintended comedy.

 

[GateofD]

The practical effects still look good today and better than the last 2 movies.

 

[Dr. Samuel Hayden]

It was well made and not brainless slop like every Terminator movie that came after.

 

[YCoCg]

I think it's also a case where most things to do with the movie was also firing on all cylinders, take the song accompanying the movie, they got Guns 'N Roses for it, one of the biggest bands on the planet at the time with a lot of people anticipating the upcoming "Use Your Illusion", just look at this damn video and feel the hype


Arcades were still a major thing and whilst the game isn't super amazing it hit all the beats and was addictive for its time and they got this out there across the world!


And then you had this thing popping up on consoles just after the Home release


So not only do you have what's pretty much the pinnacle of Action Movies but you also had it backed up on multiple fronts in such a way it stayed in peoples minds via both music and gaming.

 

[Laptop1991]

Great film, written brilliantly and the acting is superb, Arnie's model going from the hunter to defender was a great idea and introducing Robert Patricks more advanced Terminator was another great idea, they just dont make these decisions and choices in films nowadays like back then.

 

[Melfice7]

Everything about it is well done, how can that not work?

 

[MLSabre]

The bad guy is terrifying and manages to feel incredibly menacing while not being as physically imposing as Arnold was in T1, and while speaking just a handful of lines throughout the whole movie.

His menacing run is just amazing. Big props to Robert Patrick for bringing T-1000 to life. The character just wouldn't be the same without his amazing performance.

 

[Mr Reasonable]

 

[chromhound]

Favorite movie of all time.

Heard Cameron was working on the next one (AI would be the antagonist of the movie)

 

[Zephyranthes]

It was made at a time when movies were still allowed to be driven by the fulfilment of a creative vision; a notion that Hollywood mostly doesn't care about anymore.

 

[dragonyeuw]

On top of all the well earned superlatives expressed in this thread, I would suggest with the current A.I push that it's very topical.

 

[digoutyoursoul]

Excellent pacing, great set pieces and effects , solid chemistry with the cast, superb score, just a very well made action movie.

I remember the hype and excitement for it when it first released, fun times.

Back then the potential of spoilers were limited and it often relied on a friend or someone else seeing a film before you and spilling the beans.

I prefer the first one but T2 is fantastic in its own right.

 

[Pasta la Vista]

Yeah it was such a huge deal when it released too. I saw it 5 times in the theatre. Nothing like that anymore.

 

[Liopleurodon]

 

[Sub_Level]

Say….thats a nice bike.

 

[EverydayBeast]

why is it still good all these years later. I can watch it everytime. Why is it so epic?

Actually story telling, assigned roles, actor credibility, and we do have the key piece of AI issue, I know many who think terminator after 2 is horrendous.

 

[Halo is Back]

Because it was a damn good movie, no, it was the perfect action film. Most modern action movies still can't hold a candle to it.

 

[UnravelKatharsis]

I'm going to go with....heart. Just off the top of my head, the genre change mixed with great character development and heart probably had a huge impact on movie goers at the time. The scene where Sarah looks over at the terminator playing with John and mentions how the Terminator is like the father he never had. The movie is just full of moments like that. The type of feel good cinema we go to the theater for.

Yes, it's a combination of that and all the other things it does well. Obviously great action set pieces too. But the heart is what sticks with you long after you finished the movie.

Imagine a surprise like "Arnold's terminator is the good guy" being accomplished today. It'll never happen again with trailers having to give away the whole movie.

 

[Neff]

His menacing run is just amazing.

I get annoyed when people call it 'the Tom Cruise run'

 

[Chuck Berry]

T2 and Predator have perfect scripts and also perfect execution. Those 2, alongside Die Hard, are the trinity of action perfection. Smart action movies made by smart people.

I'd have to squeeze Commando or Aliens in there somewhere