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Terminator 2: Judgment Day - Extreme DVD

With "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," moviegoers and fans saw the introduction of not one, but two terminators, two members of the Connor family, and two times the action, special effects, and science fiction hoopla of the original 1984 predecessor. Once again we're thrust back into the plight of Sarah Connor (reprised by Linda Hamilton), now incarcerated in a Los Angeles mental hospital while her rebellious son, John (Edward Furlong), resides in the care of foster parents. Meanwhile, within the city limits, strange electrical storms bring about the presence of two terminators: one a replica of the original assassin that once hunted Sarah (also reprised by Arnold Schwarzenegger), the other a liquid metal prototype (Robert Patrick) with metamorphic capabilities and regenerative functions. ***

If you're familiar with the previous film, then odds are "T2" isn't going to seem that out of the ordinary as far as its plot is concerned. We get the expected chase sequences, the random one-liners that have since become classics in the world of cinema, and the tricky, thought-inducing time-travel/future-vs-past structure that still remains something of a mystery as far as logic is concerned. But writer/director James Cameron, who's no stranger to one-upping himself with his films, goes for broke with it all, riding to success on sheer filmmaking energy that comes as a result of his adept use of sophisticated special effects- the most prominent of their time- and an homage-like tone that pays tribute to the original film while building on its established tone of dread. Hamilton remains as invigorating an actress as she was seven years prior, and Schwarzenegger makes the most of his character's learning the ways of the human. While in my book it's not quite up to par with the original, there's still more than enough here to make "T2" the classic that it has become.

One of the main complaints I read on a number of DVD websites concerning the previous release of "Terminator 2" in that spiffy Ultra Edition was that its image transfer, while stunning in most respects, was burdened by intrusive edge enhancements. Well, look no further, because the back cover of this edition doesn't say "Best picture and sound ever!" for nothing. An exceptionally good-looking transfer, the film's 2.35:1 aspect ratio is awash with a number of advantages. Color saturation is simply awesome, with flames that burn a radiant, bright orange, and fleshtones that remain accurate. Contrast is very nice, with solid blacks and good shadow detail throughout; only in one or two instances are there any signs of compression artifacts visible here. Edges are once again very sharp, and as previously stated, the halos have been reduced significantly, for a look that is very pleasing. Grade-A! ***

The sound for "T2" could easily match wits with some of the more modern 5.1 tracks you see on movies like "The Matrix" or any number of action films. Mastered in Dolby Digital 5.1 with EX enhancement, this is one of the more pleasing audio experiences I've had in a long time. Much cleaner than the remastering for the original "Terminator" by MGM in 2001, the track exhibits an impressive sense of you-are-there envelopment, with terrific channel connectivity and ambiance through the use of the surrounds. Sound effects are clean and imaged nicely, while the low end keeps things alive and kicking with some lavish .1 LFE activity, especially during the many explosions. Aggression is all the rage here, and it's very much appreciated. Dialogue sounds natural and audible throughout, and front-end separation is very good. For reference quality, you can't go wrong with this one.

Having already been released in a terrific special edition in 2001, the question to be asked in this: Do we really need another "Terminator 2" DVD? Clearly being released to make money off of the upcoming "T3: Rise of the Machines," this new Extreme DVD boasts all-new features, and for the most part, they are worth the price of paying for yet another edition of the same movie. ***

Also included with the movie is what is called the "Extreme Interactive Mode," which allows for a number of informational sources to play along with the film. In the upper left corner of the screen subtitles appear periodically to tell us what type of shot we're watching, how it is composed, and what elements are involved; sweet! In the bottom, we have the general factoids, which give us lots of direct and indirectly-related info on the production and other things "T2." Quite frequently a small icon will appear in the upper right corner, and by pressing the play button, you are taken to things like conceptual art with commentary, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews breaking down key scenes. Some of this may overlap what was already said in the commentary, but it's still a nice add-on (thankfully enough, you can access this feature and the commentary at the same time, too). ***

Then we move on to the second disc, which is home to a number of features, beginning with the featurette "No Feat But What We Make." Featuring a great deal of interviews with Cameron, effects producer Stan Winston, and a number of other filmmakers and special effects creators, this one offers musings about the role of "T2" in the world of effects, and how it paved the way for more advanced methods of making movies through a digital means. Then we have the "T2: On the Set" montage, which shows us life on the set with a collection of production behind-the-scenes footage, images, and horseplay on the set. These are very nice, but if you don't have a DVD-ROM, then that's pretty much where your journey ends. ***

Now I've never really been that big on DVD-ROM to begin with, considering I don't really have one myself, and must inquire the services of a friend's PC in order to complete those reviews where a prominence of this material exists. And for the "T2" Extreme Edition, DVD-ROM is all the rage. We have two different programs available where one can morph images into either a T-1000 or a T-8000 Terminator, and where you can set up a machine and keep up with its progress via the net. The thing that's going to have everyone talking, however, is the "T2: High Definition," which is the entire theatrical cut of the film available in Windows Media Player 9 format. Touted as being "better than standard DVD players," the image certainly looks very good, but how many people do you know who have all the PC requirements for playback, much less a DVD-ROM drive? And 5.1 sound right from the PC? Give me a break; it's like a conspiracy to keep us glued to our computers. Maybe the machines of the future aren't necessarily a fluke. ***

And that pretty much does it for this new edition of "T2." ***

Note: In a packaging gimmick, Artisan has supplied this new edition with a metal slipcover, but watch out! Upon trying to remove the inner case from this outer shell, the plastic on the case inside tore, and the artwork was damaged. I'm not sure if all of them will be as tight a squeeze, so be wary.