IT'S hard to believe it's 26 years since Terminator 2 was released, mostly because James Cameron's action blockbuster has lost little of its special effects-laden lustre.
The pioneering 'liquid metal' CGI sequences involving Robert Patrick still look very cool in sharp contrast to many other computer-enhanced FX from the 1990s, and Cameron managed to repeat the trick he performed with Aliens by delivering a sequel which actually built upon the previous instalment rather than just rehashing it.
Not every director would have succeeded in adding a bratty kid (Edward Furlong), corny one-liners ("Hasta la vista, baby") and a 'tamed' Terminator who refrains from doing any actual terminating ("You just can't go around killing people!") into the mix in an attempt to broaden their film's appeal, but big Jim got it done in style – sweetening the deal by transforming returning star Linda Hamilton into a convincingly buffed-up action woman for the occasion and pulling off a string of superbly staged set-pieces throughout.
The Avatar man is also maybe the only director who actually understands how to use 3D properly, making his newly enhanced version of T2 a must-see for fans.
Terminator 2 3D is in selected cinemas from today
