Humanity has been beaten near extinction. It's own creations stalk the few survivors through the radioactive waste that was earth, and it's men cling desperately to their last hopes. The final battle takes place in the past, where a lone warrior is sent to stop an inhuman assassin who hunts humanities only salvation. Yes, that's right. Where else could we be but the Terminator franchise? This should go with out saying, but the Terminator movies will be discussed in this article, so spoiler alert. If you haven't watched these TWO movies, do that now. This lucrative franchise, a product of director James Cameron, has terrified, inspired, and generally made an undeniable impact on people and pop culture around the world. A hallmark of Arnold Schwarzenegger's career, Terminator is one of the most recognized si-fi movie franchises of all time. Arnold Schwarzenegger never would have said "I'll be back" at a speech as Governor of California if it wasn't for The Terminator. This '84 action blockbuster starred Sarah Connor, the mother of humanities savior, portrayed by Linda Hamilton, who meets Lt. Kyle Reese, played by Michael Beihn. Reese claims that he was sent back from the future to save her from the most unstoppable killing machine ever seen on the face of this earth: Arnold Schwarzenegger. Psychologist Darien Leader has written that The Terminator is cinema's way of "dealing with the problem of masculinity." Other prominent themes are computer reliance and the threat of AI rebellion, as seen by the human/machine war. This film also displays themes of the power of love and the determination of mankind, as seen by Connor's eventual victory. The Terminator grossed 94 million dollars, adjusted for inflation. Terminator 2: Rise of the Machines (1991) features thirteen year old John Connor (the aforementioned savior of humanity), played by Edward Furlong. A juvenile delinquent, Connor knows nothing about the impending apocalypse until another, more advanced Terminator is sent back in time to kill him. But fear not, for humanity again sends a protector, this time in the form of, you guessed it, Arnold Schwarzenegger. T2 expands on the ideas presented in the first movie, exploring what it means to be human, and whether a machine could ever meets these requirements. T2 grossed 405 million in the box office, adjusted for inflation, making it the most successful terminator movie ever. Now, yes, there are several other Terminator movies, but for the sake of this comparison, and the integrity of the Terminator franchise, we will assume James Cameron called it quits with Terminator right after T2, locked up the rights, and immediately began work on Avatar. A panel of qualified, reliable Wamogo students were called in to answer one of life's most pressing questions, and the box office numbers tell the rest: The majority supported supported T2. Kevin Maeder, grade 12, said "I just think the liquid metal was a better villain and the ending had more feels in 2," adding that terminator vs. terminator was "freaking awesome." Senior Matt Kusaila concurred, saying "I personally like the part when Arnold says hasta la vista to the T-1000 and just shoots him." It seems a combination of better special effects, the fantastic acting of Edward Furlong (John Connor) and Robert Patrick (T-1000), a more sophisticated theme, and more, better catch phrases from Schwarzenegger pushed the scales in favor of Terminator 2: Rise of the Machines. Disagree with our decision? Tell us why in the comment section! Leader, Darian (1996). Why do women write more letters than they post?. London: Faber & Faber. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-571-17619-9. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchises/chart/?id=terminator.htm http://www.hitfix.com/the-dartboard/whats-the-best-terminator-movie
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AuthorLuke Kelly is a senior at Wamogo Regional High School. He created his first blog when he found out it would be a graded assignment in his Journalism class, and he doesn't know why he bothered with an "about me" section. Archives
February 2016
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