Movies The Terminator is better than T2: Judgement Day

T2 has the following over T1;

- Better villain
- better soundtrack
- better tone
- better pacing
- Edward furlong
- shot with far more money
- more original
- more influential
- Arnie's far better here
 
I always laugh at the idea that T1 had the better villain. The T-1000 was a phenomenon.

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T1 is an unapologetic rampage and is great in its own right. The feel and grit of the movie is like an old school video game packaged as a slasher movie. If that's what draws you in then you'll like T1 more and probably won't like T2 since it tries to include other elements. With respect to most aspects of film-making though, T2 is the better film.

Oh and lol at people discounting T2 because it had a bigger budget. That's such a silly argument. The action scenes and effects were done perfectly and much of it still holds up.
 
The first is probably the better movie, the second the more entertaining, rewatchable one. Arnie's performance in T1 is the best I've ever seen from him. Perfection.

That said, Robert Patrick did a phenomenal job in T2. Played it perfectly as well, I just preferred the first.
 
T2 arnold would get the ladies.

T1 arnold would get the cops called on him just for walking around.

both amazing films that can't be compared but T1 was a completely different terror than T2.
 
AngryWeasel said:
Boah. Basically the same as the Alien / Aliens debate.

First one is more concise and horror oriented, the second one brings variety and the big guns.

All are good.
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Yep both went from sci Fi horror to sci Fi action, all four movies are 10s in their genres
 
T1 cause it's raw, gritty, and horrifying. also had better atmosphere and better villain.

T1000 could do everything but they had arnold, sarah was jacked, and they had rifles, machine guns, grenade launchers, and miniguns and tons of spectators that witnessed what was happening.

in T1, nobody knew what was going on and two young flesh and blood were up against the destroyer of mankind, and all they had was a rinky dink revolver, a stolen shotgun, and some home made pipe bombs. they had no chance.

it's not fair to compare the two but T1 takes it overall, and it think it still holds up. for some reason the awful stop motion makes it more disturbing.
 
AngryWeasel said:
Predator 2 is good. Alien 3 also while we're at it.
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Alien 3 is a good movie, but killing Neut and Hicks off screen was a shitty thing, casting a dark light on it almost right off the bat

I'm with OP though, love Terminator 1, and always prefer it. That film gave me nighares as a kid.

Liquid Terminator in T2 sprinting was pretty terrifying too, but like Aliens to Alien, it was more action film than anything. Regardless its great movie. I loved how they added to the lore.
 
tobiaswins said:
Well let’s break down your points.


“Better villain”

Not really, I felt the T1000 was not only better visually but more of a threat.

“better soundtrack”

Not even close, T2 was wayyyy better.


“better tone (gritty, less hollywoodian)”

I’ll give you this one, we’ll expect for Bill Paxtons part, it was a bit cringy.

“better pacing”

Debatable but I do see your point.

“No Edward furlong”

Gotta disagree here, I thought Furlong played his role pretty well.

“shot with far less money”

This doesn’t automatically mean a better film, and in this case it doesn’t.

“more original”

I guess so, since it was the first time Cameron told the story.

“more influential”

Again not even close, T1 was a hit but T2 was a cultural phenomenon.

“Arnie's far better here”

Ok on that we agree.


Like yourself I love both, but T2 is considered by many including myself to be the best sequel of all time for a reason. It doubled down on almost everything that made the original good. Better action, acting, and effects also Sarah Connor was wayyyyyy better in the sequel. I will agree that the tone was better in T1 much like the tone was better in Alien vs Aliens. More survival horror than action. Still prefer T2 but hey I definitely respect your opinion.
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T2 isn’t better than Godfather 2, not even close. I'd put it alongside TDK, ESB as some of my absolute favorites though.

Being said, T1 had Reeves and the love-story wasn't shoe-horned, it actually made sense in the film.

T1 was more influential film-wise, T2's main influence is special effects but the trope and action was already done, multiple times (just in a different setting).

Being shot with far less money makes it more impressive, because it means: they’ve had less expectations sure but also far less thing they could do yet they managed to make the film very tight and focused.

Furlong isn't a good actor, and had some annoying scene, just some where Arnie protects him are good to me.

T800 scene where he is ripped in his face makes him far more scarier than the T1000

Being said each to their own, I rate them like a 9.5/10 and 9/10 I think.

T2 is very good, only thing is that it's a bit more hollywoodian and I do not like furlong into it.
 
650lb Sumo said:
The Terminator budget: $6.5 million
Terminator 2 budget: ~ $100 million

and still 1 is the better film.
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I think the smaller scale allowed Cameron to focus more on the drama and also how it was shot, Cameron's films are always well shot but after this point I think its more "competently" shot were as Terminator the camera work itself has more flare to it.
 
AngryWeasel said:
Boah. Basically the same as the Alien / Aliens debate.

First one is more concise and horror oriented, the second one brings variety and the big guns.

All are good.
Click to expand...

Agreed good comparison. I like both of each of them for different reasons so I end up rewatching the original or sequel depending on my mood.
 
Robert Patrick was perfect as the T-1000. The way he makes the terminator start to get sadistic pleasure as it kills more and more was great.

As many others have said it’s the same as Alien and Aliens. In both the first was more of a survival horror type movie and the sequels move to full sci-fi action.

I think in both cases I prefer the sequels. T2 just holds up so well on repeat watchings. Sarah Connor is one of the top female action leads out there and is the perfect counter to people complaining on men not liking female action leads. Linda Hamilton fucking killed that role.

Also just for shits and giggles fun seeing them together and their friendship.
 
I agree
Arnie as scary robot >> Arnie as corny nice guy robot

also any movie with an 'annoying genius kid' character automatically suffers a -1 penalty

I do prefer the aesthetic of T1 and also prefer Alien over Aliens so maybe it all figures....
 
Zer said:
I agree with OP 100%. T2 is fun and a great movie, but in terms of mood and aesthetics T1 is way more appealing to me. T2 has a lot of spectacular effects and set pieces but it has a Hollywood blandness to it and the Furlong + Good Guy Terminator angle is pretty lame
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Agree too

T1 was far more serious and gritty...

T2 was great but the humor seemed forced and out of place.



And the T1 soundtrack in the chase scenes.
 
Scerpi said:
Agree too

T1 was far more serious and gritty...

T2 was great but the humor seemed forced and out of place.



And the T1 soundtrack in the chase scenes.
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Even my Uncle Ricky drowned in lava and did the thumbs up thing. We thought it was corny as hell
 
T2 was dogshit. They ruined the character.

The whole movie was one big throbbing Puss
 
Zer said:
Even my Uncle Ricky drowned in lava and did the thumbs up thing. We thought it was corny as hell
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Fucking Uncles are always awkward as fuck....

Especially when they're... Wait, I'm not supposed to talk about that
 
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IMO Alien aged better than Aliens.

But Terminator 2 aged far better than Terminator.
 
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