Terminator 2: Judgement Day 3D

There's little to say about James Cameron's action masterpiece that hasn't already been said countless times. Managing to one-up the already brilliant original with a perfectly paced story, an ingenious character flip (bad guy Arnie becomes good guy Arnie), and some of the best action sequences to this day, it still remains Cameron's best (in my opinion, it is superior to Aliens). 

The major difference with this re-release however (one that Cameron has been fighting for for years) is that it has been converted into the infamous 3D format (something that Cameron played a huge role in making mainstream with 2009's Avatar). 

I have extremely mixed feelings on this decision. On one hand, it is clear that a lot of love went into the conversion process and it is admittedly used more sparingly and in a far less invasive manner than I've previously experienced. I will also admit that, despite being a long time cynic of the format, it does add something to a number of shots throughout the film and certainly amps up the intensity of the action (dialogue-driven scenes, not so much). 

However, I again experienced the classic issue of painful headaches after the film, a problem which so quickly drove me away from 3D in the first place. This was a particular annoyance in many of the more ferociously-paced sequences, of which there were plenty. For this reason, I really can't justify the decision to re-release such a classic in this way. Elsewhere, the quality of the restoration is so good, with the liquid metal special effects on the T1000 even shinier than before, that a simple 4K re-release would have sufficed perfectly. 

Regardless, it is a perfect opportunity to revisit the days when the Terminator films had been untarnished by its numerous pointless successors and when young actor Edward Furlong, seen here playing John Connor, was still a promising prospect. It's actually quite sad seeing him here with the knowledge that, apart from another starring role in American History X, the actor would fall off the radar due to numerous addiction issues. It's a real shame as he's very likeable and charismatic as the young John. 

The film is also a lot more humorous than I remembered with the back and forth between the robotic Schwarzenegger and rebellious Furlong delivering a number of big laughs. Linda Hamilton's performance as Sarah Connor is also as powerful as ever, with Hamilton's balance of resilience and subtle vulnerability making for as mighty a female action hero as Sigourney Weaver's Ripley.

Terminator 2 is an undeniable masterpiece that demands to be seen again. I'm just not sure it's necessary for it to be seen again in 3D. Cameron's faith in the format is clear and I admire his restraint in not spoiling the film to achieve this re-release. Regardless of any number of re-releases or the multiple failed efforts to revive the franchise, it will be impossible to taint the ultimate sequel to end all sequels.