Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)

The sequel to the 1984 original which spurred a number of now infamous quotes such as ‘asta la vita baby’ and the reoccurrence of ‘I’ll be back’.

James Cameron returns to the director’s chair as we re-visit Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), nearly 10 years after she is visited by a Terminator who has been sent back in time to kill her before she can conceive her son, who is destined to become a powerful leader and strong enemy for the machines in the future.

This time, a more advanced Terminator, the T1000 (Robert Patrick) has been sent to earth in a bid to kill John Connor now (apparently) 10 years old, before he is able to grow up and become the leader of the future. Back in the future, an adult John Connor has captured and reprogrammed a Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to protect him.

At the beginning of the film we’re introduced to John Connor (no age is actually given for John but we’re led to believe he is 10 which isn’t really believable), which is Edward Furlong’s first appearance as an actor. We learn that his mother, Sarah, has been locked in a mental institute for some time after she was arrested trying to blow up the building of a company who is connected to Judgement Day. Fans who have seen the first film, Terminator, will know that as Kyle Reece told her, Judgment Day will occur on Aug 29^th 1997 and will see the entire human race burnt to a crisp as machines finally get smart and take over the world as we know it.

Hamilton has transformed on screen since 1984, and in Terminator: Judgement Day has been transformed into G.I Jane, having obviously packed on the muscle for the role, showing how Sarah has continuously prepare herself for the event, regardless of whether she is locked behind bars (she also appears to have not aged a day in 8 years).

Robert Patricks takes the place of the ‘bad’ Terminator, appearing on screen as the advanced T1000. Although boasting nowhere near the same stature as Arnie, there is something about Patrick’s facial expressions and demeanour which makes him almost as terrifying as Arnie was back in 1984 as the ruthless and cold hearted killer. However, he possesses the ability to also play the part of the good guy, a policeman, at the beginning of the film when he looks for John, something Arnie would never have been able to pull off in a film like this.

Arnie makes a proud return to the screen, this time as friend, not foe. As he is no longer aimed with the goal of killing everyone in sight, he is able to have more range with his acting, although still manages to play the robotic nature of the machine brilliantly, similar to T1, where is able to convey the darkness and feat that you should feel when you see him, with just a simple look.

Having died at the end of T1, fans wouldn’t expect to see Kyle Reece, but there is a touching moment when he comes to Sarah in a dream (this scene was not in the original theatrical release and was only inserted in video and DVD release), warning Sarah that she must protect their son. The dream soon changes to an image of children playing in a garden while she is cut off from them by a wire fence. She is soon realises that she is seeing the dreaded Judgement Day  Aug 29^th 1997 judgement day and sees everything burst into flames, waking herself up from the daydream. 

What’s good about T2 in comparison to T1 is that the majority of the film isn’t spent hiding and running from the Terminator, which T1 was predominately all about. Instead, it’s focuses on the trio’s attempt to stop a terrible catastrophe from occurring with three different parties: the future, the present and the past (being the arm that Skynet collected following the termination of the T100 in T1). The T1000 is obviously going to be hot on their tracks in order to complete his mission in killing John Connor, but for a good section in the middle of the film, this aspect of the story is not the be all.

Arnie gets the chance to reprise this role but with about 1000% more dialogue that the first film which usually, would be a problem in most cases where Arnie is in a film. However, the relationship between him and Furlong is played so nicely and how they bond makes for some kind of touching viewing. This is made more so as the film comes to a close and John refuses to leave his friend who attempts to defeat the T1000 and save the boy and his mother. His love for the Terminator has grown so much in such a short space of time as he becomes a somewhat unconventional father figure, that when the Terminator dies (or rather, terminates), you can help but feel for John’s loss.

The special effects greatly surpass those which were in the first one, but its nice to see some glimmers of the retro feel T1 had, in particular, the rays of light from the weapons that are shown in the first scene of the film, and the red light pupil that the T101 sports. The effects used to create the molten version of the T1000 are amazing and armed with the many shoot outs and explosions that occur, this makes for one of the best action films of the 1990’s. The presence of similar music from T1 (mainly at the opening and ending credits) also makes for a nice addition to the film.

One of the greatest accomplishments of the film, from a geeky side, is how the special effects team managed to increase the sophistication of the ‘dummy’ T101. In T1, one of the worst aspects of the special effects (for obvious reasons, as it was 1984) were the shots where we the shot contained a dummy Terminator, rather than Arnie, allowing for his face to break away, be blown up and so forth.

At times, the resemblance was satisfactory but at others, it just showed how at that time, the technology wasn’t up to speed. The scene in T2 where the T101 sacrifices himself to an army of policemen and gets pummelled by bullets gives you a chance to see a few glimpses of the new and improved model. Looking increasingly like Arnie and with a more sophisticated metal shell of the face, this scene, compared to T1 is a great example of just how far cinema special effects had come in 8 years. This is displayed again towards the end of the film where the T101’s face breaks away as he is beaten up by the T1000 and we are presented with a half human/half metal skeleton of the T101.

One weird edition, and minor complaint, to the technology of the new Terminator is that when severely injured, he makes a bizarre high pitched howling noise...not at all sure why or what it’s meant to symbolise as Terminators are meant to be impervious to pain, as we learnt in T1, as they aren’t human and don’t have the capacity to hold human feelings. However, the T101 apparently learns to understand human emotion, embracing John before he takes his slow trip into the pool of molten, destroying all evidence of his existence.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day may not meet the Oscar highs of Cameron’s other films (Titanic, Avatar), but you cannot deny it is a fast paced, thrilling action film which doesn’t include too much of the shiny crap that can be found in more modern action films. Put simply, if you like action, explosions and seeing Arnie doing what he does best, then this is definitely a film for your viewing.

**** 4 out of 5

Peter Parker Returns in The Amazing Spider-Man

This summer is by far one of the busiest yet in terms of blockbuster films that promise to wow audiences with action galore. One of the most highly anticipated films by far, is The Amazing Spider-Man, which is due for release in the UK on 3^rd July.

There has been some confusion, including with yours truly, about exactly what this film is. Some thoughts initially believed it to be another instalment of the first films, starring Toby Maguire, just with a new actor. Others believed it to be a prequel (a common trait in cinema at the moment) but then that would lead to the question “Haven’t we already seen how Peter Parker turns into Spider-Man?”

The Amazing Spider-Man is none of the above but in fact is a re-boot of the story as a whole, which apparently is meant to stem closer to the story of Parker that was depicted in the Marvel comics. Directed by 500 Days of Summer director Marc Webb, and starring English actor Andrew Garfield (Never Let Me Go) in the starring role, the reboot looks less at how Spiderman came to be, and more why.

Peter looks into the disappearance of his parents (fans will remember that he grew up living with his aunt and uncle) and what connection this has, if any, to how he came around to being the hero we know him to be. Sticking more closely to the relationships Spiderman builds in the comics, Peter’s love interest in the film is Gwen Stacy (who appeared briefly in Sam Raimi’s Spiderman 3), played by the beautiful Emma Stone.

Many die hard fans may have wondered how this, seemingly awkward, English actor could pull off Peter Parker and Spiderman in a way that would satisfy their portrayal of this beloved character, but the trailer shows for itself that Garfield has more than succeeded in making the move into the mainstream effortless and creating the character all for himself. Be prepared to be amazed by the amazing Spiderman!

And We’re the Three Best Friends that Anyone Could Have...

Oh yes, that’s right - it was announced today that The Wolfpack will be returning to our screens in 2013 as production for Hangover 3 starts in September.

It’s reported that the third instalment of the film is to be set in Tijuana, although other reports suggest Las Vegas will again play host to their antics. Regardless fans can guarantee that they will yet again have the chance to watch Phil, Stu, Alan and Doug do some f**ked up s**t that they’re gonna remember (once the hangover wears off) for a long time to come!

Speaking following the announcement, actor Ed Helms who plays Stu said: ““When you read on the page, ‘This crazy thing happens to these guys…’ to me, I’m reading, ‘Oh, this is something really fun I get to do with my buddies,’” Ed said. “It’s like the most fun thing in the universe to make those movies, so we’re gonna crank up again and see what happens.”

There were a few comments from fans after Hangover: Part II that it wasn’t as good as the first instalment; whereas others felt that it bettered it, which I think may have something to do with the increased screen time of the hilarious Ken Jeong who plays Mr Chow.

As director Todd Phillips has confirmed this will definitely be the last trip for the Wolfpack, I’m sure fans can expect something great and some more side splitting, gross humour. Time will tell when we get a glimpse of the first teaser trailer. Let’s hope they’re quick on production!

30 Days of Night (2007)

In the sleepy town of Barrow, Alaska, 70% of the town’s population leave the town as those who choose to stay must endure 30 nights with no sunlight. Those who choose to stay have adapted well to the harsh conditions that the area faces, but the next 30 nights will be like no other.

In the days leading up to the last day of sunlight, a familiar has been recruited by a gang of ruthless vampires who are on a mission to make the townspeople lambs to the slaughter, taking full advantage of their vulnerability in the dark. Removing all types of communication and protection from them (mobile phones, dogs), those who are left have an agonising month in which they must wait for sunlight to return, and stay alive.

Vampire films, like zombie films, have appeared a number of times in our cinemas over the past decade. With films such as the Underworld franchise, the Blade trilogy and everybody’s favourite, the Twilight Saga, it seems cinema, and it’s fans has become enthralled by this type of fantasy genre but 30 Days of Night luckily, is not like all of the films listed above.

One of the main problems that occurs with vampire films when it is humans vs. Vampires, is that often, the humans are left as sitting ducks, they’re portrayed as vulnerable and in the cases where there are female characters present, screaming, whinging, snot covered drama queens who you desperately want to see kill as soon as is possible. The beginning of 30 Days of Night I felt was a bit slow and as the main lead, Eben, played by Josh Hartnett, drove around the town, helping the townspeople (as the Sheriff) and avoiding his estranged wife Stella (played by Melissa George). For a few moments it got a little lost as you tried to grasp who was who, who was staying, what had been damaged and what it’s purpose was. Throw in Eben’s annoying brother Jake (who kind of replaces the snot covered crying girl in my opinion), and you’re left wondering when it’s all gonna kick off.

Added to the mix is The Stranger, brilliantly played by Ben Foster who is just the right level of creepiness, letting you as the viewer know that something sure isn’t right in this ol’ town. He shows up, warning Eben that he is soon to be a dead man and it becomes apparent he knows more than he’s letting on. My only quibble is that he isn’t in the film for longer but I suppose he serves his purpose well enough in the short space of time that he’s on screen.

As the first victim is slain, the terror and fight for survival begins. These vampires are similar to those you may have seen in previous vampire films but new to me, they have adopted an odd, banshee scream as a way in which to communicate with one another. For around 2 weeks, Eben, Stella and the other survivors manage to stay safe and out of sight in the comfort of a neighbour’s attic and you wonder just how they’ve managed to stay alive for so long. We also get to learn more about the relationship of Eben and Stella but as holes in the story go, get no further than he didn’t want a family. In terms of where she lives now, how long she’s been gone, etc, well, you’ll have to make that part of the story up for yourself.

As you would expect from a film of this calibre, as we near the end, more of the group are killed, leaving the primary characters and a few tag-alongs who haven’t really been too pivotal in the story remaining. During this time there is a harrowing scene where we discover Eben’s friend, Billy, has slaughtered his entire family, fearing they would turn into vampires (none of them had been bit). Luckily, we feel better later on in the film when he gets his comeuppance and is actually bitten by a vampire. Moving to the generator which will not only give them a good view of the town but also add additional security, the group is separated and after finding a young boy who’s been used as bait, Stella takes refuge under an abandoned car, unaware that the gang of vampires will soon have her surrounded.

!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!

In a bid to force the remaining survivors out of hiding, the vampires break the town’s oil pipe, setting the town on fire. Realising Stella has two choices: burn to death or risk being killed by the vampires by attempting an escape, Eben takes drastic action. Knowing he can only destroy the lead Vampire if he possesses the same abilities, Eben injects himself with the blood of Billy (who is now dead after having his head hacked off by an axe). After the obligatory fight scene where Eben gets his ass kicked, there is an awesome ‘YEAH!’ moment when Eben punches right through the back of the vampires head, killing him instantly as the rest of the vampire gang flee the town before the sun rises.

After saving Stella and realising his fate, Eben chooses to see his last moments with Stella, watching the sun rise and ultimately, killing himself. It’s a touching moment as watching the film, this is the last ending I would have expected but as he burns to death in the sun a strange look in Stella’s eye left me wondering if maybe she was a bit vampirish...

30 Days of Night is a great example of a survival film and luckily, there was little focus on the strategy, history etc of the vampires themselves and more focus on the survival of the townspeople and their relationships. The lack of the survivors suddenly adopting the skills of an action hero was also welcoming, as this is a trait often included in films which just makes them laughable. There are a few jump in your seat moments but the majority of the terror that’s felt when watching this film comes from the dark imagery that’s used, along with the creepy edition of some of the vampire victims, including a little girl vampire who the group slaughter with an axe...shame. I was also disappointed that Jake (the younger brother) survived but hey ho!

If you like vampire films this is definitely worth a watch but if you’re looking for Kate Beckinsale in leather kicking ass with guns...well, you better watch that instead.

*** 3 out of 5

Bourne is Back - But Not As You Know Him

There are very few sequels/trilogies/quadrilogies where I can honestly say that I enjoy every single film from the collection and don't have any niggles with certain aspects of how they've carried the story, etc. The Bourne films are a great example of this.

Although I would love to find the time to, I very rarely read the books that many of my favourite or most enjoyed films have stemmed from and nor do I usually get round to reading them after I've watched them, with the very odd exception. I've been told by a number of people that the Bourne collection is one of the best in terms of books but I can only say what I know and therefore declare that I think it is one of the best film series that has come out in a long time.


Matt Damon played the part of Jason Bourne superbly and the great combination of his acting skills, physical ability and the lack of over the top-ness that can often come with films of this genre made for each and every film to not only be great, but get better as the story continued. One of the things I liked the most about the Bourne films is that unlike other spy films, the action you see is almost believable. Unlike earlier types of spy films (for example Mission Impossible), everything that Bourne does is not far fetched. This is something which we have seen mirrored in other modern spy films, for example James Bond's Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. Everyone has their own preference in terms of who is the best Bond, but what is great about Daniel Craig's portrayal is it's real, it's gritty and when Bond is getting the crap kicked out of him, it's clear to see and it takes a bit more than a quick re-do of his hair for others to not notice that he's been through the ringer.


When I heard that a new Bourne film was in the pipeline, I was a bit confused as we saw in the final Bourne film, 2007's Bourne Ultimatum, Bourne, or rather, David Webb, discovered his real identity and how he had become the machine we saw on screen. So, you can understand my confusion as to where the character had to go next. Alas, I was wrong.

To be released in the UK in August, The Bourne Legacy focuses on a new character, Aaron Cross, played by the brilliant Jeremy Renner. Also starring Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton (already I'm excited based on this fantastic cast), the new spin will suffer a similar dilemma to Damon's Bourne. Not much else has been released in terms of the storyline other than the trailer so for now, sit back, relax and get ready for the new breed of Bourne...

Zombieland (2009)

Dawn of the Dead. Resident Evil. I Am Legend. Shaun of the Dead.

Before vampires, werewolves and such were thrust onto our screens, one of the most common themes of film, and even TV in some cases, was zombies...and lots of them. Although there are many that approach this subject in a serious manner (Dawn of the Dead, I Am Legend), there are some which use a combination of panic, ass-kicking and comedy to turn getting eaten by zombies into a jolly good time.

Case in turn is Zombieland, directed by Ruben Fleischer, which combines the comedy of many modern comedy films (Superbad, etc), with the same, albeit not much, emotion as your typical rom-com (or zom-rom-com as Simon Pegg refers to Shaun of the Dead as and is rumoured to be the inspiration behind this film).

In the starring role is Jesse Eisenberg, who plays Columbus. Before watching the film I’d read that Jamie Bell and Taylor Lautner were in line to play the part and after watching the film, wasn’t sure how this would work as Eisenberg is more or less playing the same kind of character that he always does – the geeky, awkward guy who is always trying to get the girl and ends up being the unlikely hero. This isn’t a dig as his abilities as an actor are blatant from watching The Social Network (wait, isn’t that another geeky, awkward character...?), but it is apparent that Eisenberg, like many young actors of this generation has become stuck playing the same kind of character throughout much of his career. Columbus is a self-confessed geek, scaredy cat with too many fears to list (top one is clowns) and suffers from severe IBS, made worse by the unknown of Zombieland (and his worry of zombies and clowns in bathrooms).

The opening scene of the film which sees numerous zombies getting annilated by various weapons, is shot amazingly well, although due to the level of gore may not be for the squeamish. Would have been great if this kind of level was continued throughout the film, but this, I imagine, is due to budget and the actual killing/survival not being the main core of the film.

When we meet Columbus after the credits, his lack of socialisation and attitude is apparent – especially as he attempts to kill his first zombie (who happens to be the first girl in his dorm), known only as dorm number 408 (who was originally to be played by Emma Stone).

Zombieland doesn’t try to be overly emotional or look too much into the battle and struggle that survivors of a zombie attack would experience which to me, is one of the best things about this film. Instead, it focuses on how four different people have coped with the drastic change that has been inflicted upon them as a result of this catastrophe and in short, have developed their own, dysfunctional family unit as they realise that they’re previous families have now all been killed. Columbus, for one, has developed a series of rules that he follows in order to survive what he has dubbed Zombieland (1# cardio 2#Double tap 3#Beware of bathrooms and so on).

Early into the film we are introduced to Tallahassee, played by the brilliant Woody Harrelson. We are led to believe that Tallahassee has one main aim (to find a twinkee) but it becomes apparent as the film continues that the bold and reckless manner in which he’s adopted is to hide the pain of losing his puppy, which we soon come to realise isn’t a puppy at all, but is his toddler son. He exudes the kind of attitude and spunk that Columbus wants to have and his random outburst make this character a joy to watch.

Although unsure of Columbus at first, Tallahassee takes him under his wing as he continues with his search for a twinkee which finds them at a supermarket where they discover sisters Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin). Rock chick Wichita is sexy, cool and no-nonsense so obviously, Columbus soon forms a pretty serious crush on her. Her little sister Little Rock, relies heavily on her older sibling but it is soon apparent that she, however young she may be, has adapted well and quickly to Zombieland.

Throughout much of the remainder of the film there is a tug of war between the two camps as the level of distrust the sisters have for others is noted as they try to leave the boys stranded on a number of occasions. It is only when they reach California and Tallahassee takes them to the top of the top of A-list celebrity houses (Bill Murray) that her guard begins to drop.

Following a fantastic cameo from Murray, whereby he has been taught how to expertly apply zombie make up (so he can continue with his day to day life), and an accidental gun-fire, the two elder teenagers come closer and Columbus’ feelings for the kick-ass Wichita are made obvious. Although there would be many viewers who may think that his geeky and almost wuss-like persona is not enough to charm Stone’s character, there is something about him which makes their connection almost believable.

Following a near miss with Columbus (who is ‘cock blocked’ by Tallahassee), Wichita and Little Rock leave, visiting a theme park before they head off. Unfortunately for them, the presence of the glowing fairground lights is a beacon to zombies nearby, making them a vulnerable and easy target. Weirdly, they opt to jump onto a ride (similar to Blackpool’s Pepsi Max ride) in a bid to escape the zombies. However, as the ride jumps up and down and lasts just a few minutes, maybe not the best getaway plan which reduces Little Rock to shoot the system, leaving them suspended in the air with no ammo.

Deciding to go opposite ways (Tallahassee looking for a twinkee still, Columbus looking to finally get a kiss from Wichita) the boys decide to separate. Clumsily attempting to get away on a motorcycle, Tallahassee can’t help but feel sorry for his geeky partner, opting to stick with him in order to get the girls who by now, are attracting quite a crowd at the ride.

Cue the final battle of the film where Tallahassee discovers he has finally developed a skill which is that he is fucking awesome at killing zombies. Columbus finally has his chance to be a hero, although must face a dreaded zombie clown and the day is saved.

If you’re a lover of Shaun of the Dead, this is definitely a film for you. Harrelson helps to make this film the fun-fest it is and helps to increase the awkwardness and anti-hero persona that Eisenberg depicts so well. For the boys, Stone is the eye candy you’re looking for (increased thanks to her darkened hair in the role), who, when armed with a gun, is someone you definitely wouldn’t mess with. The character of Little Rock I feel was developed in order to create some softness in the Wichita character but no offence to Breslin who is great in the film, but I feel that Stone’s character would be just as good, if not better, had she been a lone character who had maybe developed even further devious schemes in order to make it in Zombieland.

Definitely worth a watch and although the entire cast is sparse, it’s a great cast none the less.

*** 3 out of 5 stars

The Dark Knight Rises Once Again

This wasn't going to be my first post on here but after hearing about the moving montage that was shown at the MTV Movie Awards last night, I felt compelled to mention the new Batman film as my first edition onto the blog.


In July we will finally get the chance to see Christopher Nolan's third film from the Batman series, The Dark Knight Rises (not sure if this is to be called a trilogy or not?) and will once again have the chance to see Christian Bale reprise his role as the Dark Knight.


Anyone who has already seen one of the many teaser trailers that have been appearing on the internet will know that when we return to Gotham City, it is in a state of panic, in part due to Bane, played by Tom Hardy who is set to take the place of the main bad guy in The Dark Knight Rises. I for one am intrigued to see just how Hardy has altered, as it has been well documented that he has packed on the muscle for this role. I am also wondering if the absence of Heath Ledger will be felt after his Oscar winning performance as the Joker in 2008's The Dark Knight. However, with the appearance of Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who I've always thought bares a striking resemblance to Ledger) who will be portraying John Blake, I think fans will be consoled by a fantastic edition to the cast.


There's been a huge uproar by Batman fans of the inclusion of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman and with the failure of 2004's Catwoman, starring Halle Berry, it is understandable why many doubt her ability in this role. I for one however, will be waiting until the films release to see if Hathaway has what it takes. For now, let's enjoy a teaser of what we can look forward to this summer!