MovieChat Forums > The Terminator (1984) Discussion > Alternative Terminator sequel

Alternative Terminator sequel

posted 6 years ago by Starman (412)
6 replies | jump to latest

T2 was never a very good film to me as a Terminator film connected to the first film, normally sequels are better than originals in my experience, but in this case it was highly inferior, I remember when I was 11 year old and saw this film and how dissappointed I was, many of us didn't want to see Arnold Terminator as a good guy, and making it a family film what started as a pure pulp horror. The sequel completely butchered the potential this franchise had after the 1st film... the seriousness of the original was gone, once the light-heartedness and cgi started appearing, it was a let down for many of us kids back then, we liked it, but as a sequel to Terminator it failed to fulfill the potential of its tone it had established. It was becoming more Hollywodized and dramatized to be taken seriously, (how much can we take it more seriously once you get another Arnold terminator with the same face and body, only a good guy, the believability was stretching right there), the first film felt grounded down to earth like it could have happened in our life, 2nd film felt more like a film to enjoy, but not really something to relate to as something that could happen in life with each presented scene. It sacrificed so much, so much... people forget that because it is a quality film that works on its own, but forget what following films could have done... One reason to believe Cameron always does sequels more different in tone, action oriented and epic in scope, which is what ppl can expect from the next Avatars.

If anyone has any idea, what stories or ideas would you suggest for your ideal sequel to the first Terminator film?

I know I had my own ideas for a sequel before the sequel even came out, and I know the story in my mind at the time was completely different.

[–] NotoriousRio (12927) 6 years ago

Set in the future with Michael Biehn as Kyle Reese and telling the story of how he met John Connor, My T2 would actually be a prequel, and its tone, a serious war movie about grunts against Skynet, at the end of the movie Arnold would cameo going back to 1984, with Michael Biehn hot on his heels.

Arnold would not star in it, he could instead star in Predator or Commando sequels.

[–] Starman (412) 6 years ago

Yes, the best story ever, prequel, the same way like Indiana Jones TOD was a prequel as a 2nd film, but Cameron would have had to direct it. I think it would need to be made in between 86-88, to keep Michael Biehn around the same age, and also because I think Cameron still had more edge in the 80's. I would love to see all those concentration camps, and how John Connor has become such a hero among his people, make it an epic story of one man's life, from Kyle Reese's point of view, but without his voice over, let the audience see what happens, maybe even include flashbacks to his childhood.

They still could make that kind of a gritty film (without Biehn though).

If there was a second sequel and third alternative film (also directed by Cameron), imo it would have to focus on an alternative future, how the war is about to start... but still keeping up with the tone of the previous films.

[–] bozo_500 (13398) 6 years ago

when people left the theatre in 84 and were imagining a sequel they'd have probably thought of another lowish budget hard R horror action film from Orion in 2-3 years time with Arnie as the bad Terminator again punching through chests and wasting cops. but T2 was a more family friendly Terminator film/less realism and more a summer blockbuster 'movie'. almost like Cameron had remade The Terminator as a boarderline PG13/R family action movie. In a way its a shame Arnold became such a huge star after Terminator 1. If he hadn't been maybe T2 would've been a more lower budget affair, Cameron directing a hard R film(18 in UK like T1 not 15 as T2 was) after his Abyss flop- much more horror based (like T1 and the NOW terminator comics at the time) with Arnold as another bad T800 sent back by Skynet to kill John (who would only have Sarah as protection no good T800 sent back to help). No fancy expensive liquid metal T1000 so the budget could've been spent more on the future war opening and wed have seen the end of the war and the time chamber scenes as originally planned for T2 (Biehn as Reese being sent back after the T1 T800) before a second T800 appears kills everyone including John (like TGen) and the goes back to 1995. Alternatively could've had the 2 Arnolds thing one good one bad like Cameron said he considered before going with T1000 (and eventually happened briefly in TG).

Maybe in an alternate timeline we got that with a Terminator 'II' in 1987

[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

FYI I absolutely loved T2 when it came out, and watched it many times. I loved the sense of everyone's expectations changing as the story went on, I loved the action sequences, I adored the but he'd -uo crazy Linda Hamilton, and for once I even liked the kid!

Just so you know that not everyone shares your feelings about the existing sequel.

[–] Starman (412) 6 years ago

I know that not everyone likes or dislikes something, there's millions who like that film just like there's millions who don't, they just don't even appear in the theatre, let alone talk about it. It's more positive to talk about things that appeal to us, this thread is about that by making a point.

[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

Fair enough, and even if I was given to insisting that other people like the same things I like, "T2" is not the film I'd be insisting everyone else had to love.