Of course. I'm a Terminator.
A review by Mike Shea Movie Rating: ( * * * * * ) DVD Rating: ( * * * * * )
T2 has been my home theater staple for almost six years. When I bought that brand spanking new Sony home-theater-in-a-box and wanted to impress my friends with the sounds of presswood speakers and dazzle at my 25" TV, I would whip out T2. Later when I wanted to show folks the wonders of Laserdisc, my THX certified version of T2 would spin in the massive and loud LD player. Even now there has already been a DVD version of T2 released about a year ago, but I find myself dragging my unsuspecting friend into my apartment like a spider who drags his prey into a web of electronics and old soda bottles to gaze in amazement at the new DTS version of T2.
I won't get too far into the plot of the movie since most everyone has seen it about a million times. It still holds up as one of the best action movies of all time and even the plot can hold it's own. We get all of Cameron's attention to detail (for fun, trace all the guns back to their original owner!), we get the irony of watching Sarah Conner go from a waitress at Big Buns to a cold hearted killer, we get to watch about fifty car wrecks, so many that they often appear off to the side of the screen rather than in full view. There are some annoying things with the kid, but if you are watching the directors cut of the movie, a lot of the chatter starts to make a lot more sense (the chip in the head for example). I would have loved an alternate ending, but overall I can't complain too much, it is a hell of a good movie.
As soon as I powered this disc up and set up the DTS soundtrack I knew I was in for a treat. The THX logo in the beginning alone is worth the cost of this disc. This limited special edition is easily the best version of this film so far and trust me, I have had them all. It contains a Dolby Digital 5.1 EX and a DTS ES track for those of you blessed with a rear center (I myself am not). It has a commentary with numerous folks including Cameron and friends. Every trailer imaginable is there as is every making of feature ever presented over MTV or E! The disc comes as either a DVD-18 (dual sided, dual density) or as a pair of discs. Either way it is top notch. It even comes in a special metal case! Being a typical guy, wrapping anything in metal makes it better so I was all over it from the moment I heard of it's pending release.
From: Grant ( t2@grantics.com ) on 10 September 2000
Subject: T2 - The Ultimate DVD Edition
This edition (with the metal case) is the "Ultimate Edition," not "limited special edition" or "collector's edition" as you call it. There are several home video releases of T2 out there so you have to be careful with the edition names.
You say "I would have loved an alternate ending." I read there are 3 versions of the movie included (Theatrical Version, Special Edition Version, and the Easter Egg/Future Coda ending). Please comment. Don't these include different endings?
For instructions on getting to the Easter Egg, see the customer review by Thomas E. O'Sullivan on the Amazon.com T2:UE product page.
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From: Mike ( mshea@liquidtheater.com ) on 11 September 2000
Subject: T2: Ultimate New Ending Code
Yes, indeed. There is in fact a code to unlock an alternate ending. Here is the description to unlock "the future is not set" ending:
I watched the alternate ending and I am still disappointed. It is good to see, but it is also good that it isn't the real ending. If it were, there isn't a whole lot of room for a sequal (it takes place 30 years later in a peaceful world, how boring!). What I wanted was an alternate ending where the Terminator didn't self terminate. It never made sense to me. Why not just put him in a cave somewhere with a bunch of plastic explosives packed into his head so they could blow him up if someone got him? Why not use him as an advisor in the war against Skynet later on? I still hope for a strong Terminator 3 movie.
I renamed this review to the "Ultimate Edition". Thanks for the correction.