Your Favorite Terminator from the Original Trilogy

[Derek Reese]

What's your favorite Terminator from the original Arnie trilogy?

[Derek Reese]

For me, it has to be T2. That was my introduction to the series and it still stands out as my favorite. Its a script that still holds up and I love all the tie-ins to this chapter of the series - particular T2:3D (even if there is a bunch of errors tied into it).

[rossbondreturns]

I've got the be the guy that swims upstream and say T3.

Why do I like T3 the most I think it's how everything about it points to my 2nd Fave (varies between them) The Terminator.

Unlike T2 where the very complex and exceedingly FULL to the gills script kinda drags you along whether you like it or not (I pretty much Abhor the logic behind the majority of the film after Dysons house). But the script for t3 and The Terminator is, just the basics, just the minimal ammount needed to propel the story forward. It gives creative folks like myself a lot to work with, and allows us to come up with our own ideas and possibilites.

I loved how T3 was told on the Run and over the shortest amount of time yet for a Terminator film. I loved how all the pieces clicked together in a very satisfying manner and how there was an undertow of just off putting evil, (something from T1 that I never felt once in T2) throughout its entirety.

T3 is also only One of Two films to leave me in a Jaws State- AKA without spit. My mouth and throat were so dry by the end of T3 I couldn't even swallow because it hurt.

So yeah my fave fluctuates between The Terminator and T3. Right now it's T3.

[ReeseDN38416]

The original film was my favorite. It's just beautiful. And the story is a perfect time loop as a friend of mine pointed out.

But really Sarah and Reese's story is the heart of the franchise. It's so touching. There were so many surprises.

[jdub87]

Terminator 2 just barely. The first one is close.

Ross, I get what you're saying for sure. I enjoy T3, though it isn't my favorite by any means. It definitely has it's moments.

[saskaia]

The Terminator, the one and only original. Soft Sarah comes into her own by the end and Kyle.... the perfect hero. As much as I adore T2 nothing can replace the original for me.

[gothamite66]

I don't think I can choose between T1 and T2. I both love them for different reasons. T1 for the kyle/sarah relationship, T2 for the action and effects.

I didn't really care for T3.

[tzigone]

Hands down T1. I love it. I love the Kyle/Sarah relationship, I find the Terminator intimidating and frightening in it's very non-humanity, very much robotic nature. The "it absolutely will not stop" is something I really felt in T1. I like the pacing, enjoy the exposition, find the characters compelling. I just love it.

I really like T2. The effects are obviously much better. I love John and his valuing of life and his leadership bits and have the Extreme Edition/Director's cut/whatever it is called, and those new scenes made a big difference to me. However, I do not find machine-vs-machine nearly as compelling a fight as man v. Terminator. The more of an underdog, the more the emotional resonance. I also find the character of Uncle Bob very dull. Sarah and John interest me - he does not. Also for me the climax of the film is blowing up Cyberdyne. That's the big victory. Of course surviving and destroying the T-1000 is important, but it doesn't resonate with me, really. I lose interest after Cyberdyne is destroyed.

T3 - I strongly disliked. I hated, I mean absolutely loathed the "fate cannot be changed" message. After giving "we" win in T2, anything less now is stealing defeat from the jaws of victory - and that is not my thing. Strongly disliked John's attitude and lack of common sense (he saw the other one melted and knows that more than one Terminator can share the same mold, so why does he think this is the same one?!). I liked only two parts, really. Firstly, I liked Kate's existence in the future. I like that John is not alone, that he has a family, that he is not solely the mission. Secondly, I like Silberman's cameo. It's ridiculous, but I just love him running away after he sees Arnie.

[rossbondreturns]

I will say this only once.

T2 never said 'We win."

Though many many people incorrectly think that's the case.

The point of fact is that even Cameron knew that the film couldn't end with a definitive win scenario.

He created a loop that is self fulfilling and self perpetuating.

And now that the Present loop is joined we move to the future.

[Deep Art Frummy]

Sept 22, 2008 15:54:13 GMT -5 tzigone said:

T3 - I strongly disliked. I hated, I mean absolutely loathed the "fate cannot be changed" message. After giving "we" win in T2, anything less now is stealing defeat from the jaws of victory - and that is not my thing. Strongly disliked John's attitude and lack of common sense (he saw the other one melted and knows that more than one Terminator can share the same mold, so why does he think this is the same one?!). I liked only two parts, really.

Agreed.

T3 was a complete disaster and the only thing that made that movie watachable was the severely depressing ending.

I HATED Stahl's version of John Connor. However, I can't entirely blame Nick for that. I enjoy a lot of his other work and I can't help but feel that the writers dropped the ball by making him weak. You'd think by his early 20's he'd have grown into a man and displayed all of his "tranining."

The fact that Skynet had no core and was just software was completely weak as hell.

I hated Claire Danes as Kate Brewster, which in turn, also made me hate the character.

The T-X sucked, but Kristanna Loken sure is great to look at. It's too bad that trying to give the T-X all of those weapons was overkill.

The movie was nothing but a CGI-fest, a wannabe T2, it was the same plot all over again, only with weaker characters and terrible writing (not to mention, terrible directing).

It makes me wish that James Cameron would just come back and correct everything that those fools did wrong. I HATE THAT MOVIE!

[tzigone]

Sept 24, 2008 20:18:54 GMT -5 rossbondreturns said:

I will say this only once.

T2 never said 'We win.

Yes, I know it was never explicitly or definitively stated. That doesn't matter to me. The audience is deliberately and intentionally left with no ominous, stupid (in the way of horror movies destined to have 8 sequels) ending where one last piece is shown yet undiscovered or any of that crap. The entire theme of the movie is that they can change fate. And they do it. And the audience is left with the impression, though not proof, of success. That's good enough for me to say that taking it away very much sucks.

Also, I despise the notion of people not being able to change the future, being stuck with no choice in their own fates. Probably why I hate so many Greek myths. It's a coward's mentality to me. Why try to change it if it can't be changed? It's defeatist, and I hate that. And it also makes all the movies and all the shows meaningless - doesn't matter what they do, because the future is going to exactly "X" no matter what.

[rossbondreturns]

Okay they made John weak...when did this happen?

They did not as far as I can tell make him weak.

They made him into a very tragic character one that had lost his mother and as far as he knew his purpose in life. Listless, maybe...what's his point for being. Weak...nope can't agree with you there.

Skynet did have a core. (But they cut the big reveal and scene).

And I must disagree about the theme of T2.

The theme was about second chances. A second chancefor Sarah to raise John. A second chance for Dyson to save humanity. A second chance for them to try and stop Skynet.

However just because you get a second chance doesn't mean you can affect change.

The NNP my be designed by Cyberdyne but there are other parts of Skynet that were designed elsewhere. After all the old adage says you don't put all your eggs in one basket. That is especially true of Military designs.

Also, because of the way the timeline works The Future War must happen in order for the Terminator to be sent back now.

It's a war of futility.

And humans are on the short end of the stick as unfortunate as that may be.

[Derek Reese]

Second that, Ross.

And to add to it, the Connor's kept fighting in each and every film prior doing their damnest to change their fate. They attempted to shut down Skynet in T2 and that was successful and John was determined to do the same in T3 BUT the Terminator had other plans, so he ended up being safely put away in a bomb shelter setting things up for T4. There was no lack of effort. John thought he was going to the center of what passed as Skynet, but the Terminator instead ensured his own safety for the Future War.

So the Connor's did very much try to change their own fate, but fate had its own cards in store for them. Even Future!John himself must have been aware of the circumstances either that or Future!Kate because the Terminator did ensure both of their existences in the Future War.

[Deep Art Frummy]

Sorry guys, but I'm just not able to agree on this matter.

John was in fact, too weak for T3. That's one of the biggest complaints by popular demand (that, and the fact Sarah was killed by cancer, yet another weak storyline).

T3 should have never happened to begin with, unless James had some sort of involvement in it.

Even minor stuff like Arnold saying "talk to the hand" or putting on those ridiculously fairy sun glasses was just a slap in the face to the Terminator franchise.

Maybe some day someone like Quention Tarantino would go back and correct this mistake of a film.

[Derek Reese]

First off, let's breakdown the history of the situation. Cameron married Linda forever ago and the two were happy for a bit. The situation didn't last so in the diviroce, Linda asked for the rights of Terminator, which she sold to C3, who hold the rights to now and attached to the very series that you're watching now. Cameron went onto do Titantic and otehr films. He was even offered the chance to come back and T3 by Arnie himself and stepped back. He didn't feel the same.

Secondly, Terminator is a studio franchise now. Cameron has no say in what happens to the franchise in general. The moment he gave up his hand of the rights, he legally lost control in the long run.

Thirdly, Linda was asked if she wanted to come back as well. She expressed zero desire. Even though in early drafts the character was taken on.

That's not including the previous drafts that have surfaced over the years. Facts are facts in regards to the process and regardless of what one thinks T3 remains canon with T4.