The Terminator or Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1 Viewer)
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There's more of an artsy and eerie feel to the first one, second one fits the blockbuster-guns-blazing-modern-special-effects-and-explosions type.
I think both were good at what they did. But my personal experience is this; First one I first watched when I was about 7,8 years old on tape, a few years after release I guess, and for some reason Arnold scared the fuck out of me. So as a kid it was certainly an unpleasant experience. I didn't watch it again until maybe late 90's.
The second one I went to the movies when it came out as a teenager. I left the theater with my mind blown. It was simply the shit back then.
So, 2nd one takes my vote based on that.
I think both were good at what they did. But my personal experience is this; First one I first watched when I was about 7,8 years old on tape, a few years after release I guess, and for some reason Arnold scared the fuck out of me. So as a kid it was certainly an unpleasant experience. I didn't watch it again until maybe late 90's.
The second one I went to the movies when it came out as a teenager. I left the theater with my mind blown. It was simply the shit back then.
So, 2nd one takes my vote based on that.
First was very good, because it was the first time meeting the destructive force that was a Terminator.
However, the second part brought a even bigger bad-ass in T-1000 and seeing those two clash troughout the film was amazing, even if the ending was a bit unrealistic.
Both are great films, but the second part is one of the best sequels ever.
However, the second part brought a even bigger bad-ass in T-1000 and seeing those two clash troughout the film was amazing, even if the ending was a bit unrealistic.
Both are great films, but the second part is one of the best sequels ever.
First , without question.
First off, Kyle Reese is a much better character and protagonist than the T-800 or John Connor.
I loved the horror element to the original. More gritty, brooding and darker than the sequel.
I felt in the second film, Cameron probably had less freedom to do what he wanted, given the unexpected success of the original.
The original is a classic. Great story, great characters, great tension and atmosphere.
The sequel is a very good popcorn flick.
First off, Kyle Reese is a much better character and protagonist than the T-800 or John Connor.
I loved the horror element to the original. More gritty, brooding and darker than the sequel.
I felt in the second film, Cameron probably had less freedom to do what he wanted, given the unexpected success of the original.
The original is a classic. Great story, great characters, great tension and atmosphere.
The sequel is a very good popcorn flick.
Although I agree with this, I still feel the second film is simply more fun.
Arnie was incredible in the first film, and this is exactly the reason why T2 was so good. It's because as strong as Arnie was, T-1000 was much more powerful and they went head to head time and time again. Also the actor who played T-1000 did a fantastic job, one of the best villains in a sci-fi film for me.
Damn, I think I'm gonna have to watch both again.
15-20 years ago I would have definitely said Judgment Day, especially considering the FX breakthrough, the better action (last 40 minutes of breathtaking, non-stop action), the expanded scope, the superior hero (Arnold T-800 >>>> Kyle Reese), more interesting storyline... but... Was overly exposition-happy (Cameron lost faith in audience ability to pick up on themes and subtext and went mental with exposition through narrative and totally unnecessary conversations on destructive nature of man), mediocre villain compared to first, silly deus-ex machina ending,
Today... I love the fucking ridiculous eeriness of the original. It's a brilliant sci-fi horror hybrid. Arnold is far better as the villain than as the hero. And in my opinion the stop-motion special effects on the T-800 in the first film have stood the test of time better than the early CGI used on the T-1000. The story is leaner, the narrative more myopic, but at the same time it feels more cohesive, razor-sharp even, I like its starkness, its grittiness. That dark, gritty, atmospheric horror aspect of the first film got lost in the second, which was much more the straight-up action sci-fi film. I prefer the first as a masterpiece of the lower budget sci-fi horror hybrid genre.
It's the same Alien vs Aliens thing... I choose the lower-budget gritty, dark, atmospheric sci-fi horror every time.
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First one terrified me too as a 7 year old on VHS. Saw it at a friends place, couldn't sleep that night one minute I was so scared.
Same deal with Alien, which I saw about the same time. Scared the shit out of me.
I was such a wimp haha.
I would have guessed you would choose the sci-fi/horror hybrid aspect of the first in both series over the blockbuster action style of the 2nds.
I loved both Judgment Day and Aliens when I was a kid/adolescent so much. Still think they're good films, but the originals take the cake in my opinion. Atmosphere is just incredible in both, even if I'm not as big a fan of Alien and Sigourney Weaver.
Today... I love the fucking ridiculous eeriness of the original. It's a brilliant sci-fi horror hybrid. Arnold is far better as the villain than as the hero. And in my opinion the stop-motion special effects on the T-800 in the first film have stood the test of time better than the early CGI used on the T-1000. The story is leaner, the narrative more myopic, but at the same time it feels more cohesive, razor-sharp even, I like its starkness, its grittiness. That dark, gritty, atmospheric horror aspect of the first film got lost in the second, which was much more the straight-up action sci-fi film. I prefer the first as a masterpiece of the lower budget sci-fi horror hybrid genre.
It's the same Alien vs Aliens thing... I choose the lower-budget gritty, dark, atmospheric sci-fi horror every time.
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First one terrified me too as a 7 year old on VHS. Saw it at a friends place, couldn't sleep that night one minute I was so scared.
Same deal with Alien, which I saw about the same time. Scared the shit out of me.
I was such a wimp haha.
I would have guessed you would choose the sci-fi/horror hybrid aspect of the first in both series over the blockbuster action style of the 2nds.
I loved both Judgment Day and Aliens when I was a kid/adolescent so much. Still think they're good films, but the originals take the cake in my opinion. Atmosphere is just incredible in both, even if I'm not as big a fan of Alien and Sigourney Weaver.
15-20 years ago I would have definitely said Judgment Day, especially considering the FX breakthrough, the better action (last 40 minutes of breathtaking, non-stop action), the expanded scope, the superior hero (Arnold T-800 >>>> Kyle Reese), more interesting storyline... but...
Today... I love the fucking ridiculous eeriness of the original. It's a brilliant sci-fi horror hybrid. Arnold is far better as the villain than as the hero. And in my opinion the stop-motion special effects on the T-800 in the first film have stood the test of time better than the early CGI used on the T-1000. The story is leaner, the narrative more myopic, but at the same time it feels more cohesive, razor-sharp even, I like its starkness, its grittiness. That dark, gritty, atmospheric horror aspect of the first film got lost in the second, which was much more the straight-up action sci-fi film. I prefer the first as a masterpiece of the lower budget sci-fi horror hybrid genre.
It's the same Alien vs Aliens thing... I choose the lower-budget gritty, dark, atmospheric sci-fi horror every time.
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First one terrified me too as a 7 year old on VHS. Saw it at a friends place, couldn't sleep that night one minute I was so scared.
Same deal with Alien, which I saw about the same time. Scared the shit out of me.
I was such a wimp haha.
I would have guessed you would choose the sci-fi/horror hybrid aspect of the first in both series over the blockbuster action style of the 2nds.
I loved both Judgment Day and Aliens when I was a kid/adolescent so much. Still think they're good films, but the originals take the cake in my opinion. Atmosphere is just incredible in both, even if I'm not as big a fan of Alien and Sigourney Weaver.
Today... I love the fucking ridiculous eeriness of the original. It's a brilliant sci-fi horror hybrid. Arnold is far better as the villain than as the hero. And in my opinion the stop-motion special effects on the T-800 in the first film have stood the test of time better than the early CGI used on the T-1000. The story is leaner, the narrative more myopic, but at the same time it feels more cohesive, razor-sharp even, I like its starkness, its grittiness. That dark, gritty, atmospheric horror aspect of the first film got lost in the second, which was much more the straight-up action sci-fi film. I prefer the first as a masterpiece of the lower budget sci-fi horror hybrid genre.
It's the same Alien vs Aliens thing... I choose the lower-budget gritty, dark, atmospheric sci-fi horror every time.
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First one terrified me too as a 7 year old on VHS. Saw it at a friends place, couldn't sleep that night one minute I was so scared.
Same deal with Alien, which I saw about the same time. Scared the shit out of me.
I was such a wimp haha.
I would have guessed you would choose the sci-fi/horror hybrid aspect of the first in both series over the blockbuster action style of the 2nds.
I loved both Judgment Day and Aliens when I was a kid/adolescent so much. Still think they're good films, but the originals take the cake in my opinion. Atmosphere is just incredible in both, even if I'm not as big a fan of Alien and Sigourney Weaver.
Like you said in the first part of your post, as an older man today I'd pick the first easily, BUT people from my generation who were teenagers when it came out, you know, going to the movies and watching Judgement Day on the big screen was simply an unforgettable experience.
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Oh and Alien > Aliens. Obviously.
