Now this is more like it! It's taken twelve years, but the second sequel to what used to be a low-budget franchise is here. And in many respects, it's worth the wait.
When last we left John Connor, he was rescued by a cybernetic emissary from the future (Arnold Schwarzenegger) from being assassinated by another one. Seems he's fated to lead the resistance at Judgment Day, the end of the world, when mankind faces its most dire adversary in the form of a race of cyborgs.
Now John (Nick Stahl) is eighteen, still trying to fade into the woodwork, in order to avoid being tracked by more evil cyborgs. A newer, stronger model, the T-X (Kristanna Loken), has been sent to Earth in order to eliminate about two dozen of John's future compatriots, and she just happens to stumble upon his bloody DNA while pursuing his future wife, Kate (Claire Danes).
Of course, Ah-nuld is back, this time as a DIFFERENT Terminator, but one decidedly inferior, who is in charge of keeping John and Kate safe. The bulk of the film plays like a Road Runner cartoon, with our three heroes trying to avoid termination by the sullen faced and indestructible T-X. It tickled me to think about how much better Arnold is at English now, yet here he's forced to revert to his 1984 vocabulary.
The end result is what I like to call a good "popcorn" movie. It won't win any awards, and probably little critical acclaim, but it's a diverting and at times exhilarating time-killer, that admittedly doesn't bear close examination.
By Bill Wilson
Thursday
August 7th, 2025
11:37AM
