EriqX / Media / Movies

TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY

TRANSFORMERS

Super-powerful robots are sent back through time to present-day earth. One is sent to protect, one to destroy. Spectacular action scenes are used sparingly in between plot-advancing drama and character development.

Super-powerful alien robots descend to earth. One group to protect, one group to destroy. Spectacular yet un-original action scenes are seemingly few and far between the tacked-on romantic subplot, embarrassing dialogue, and adolescent humor.

George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone" is used to illustrate the T-800's badass factor, and generate a little excitement for guaranteed action to come.

Tomoyasu Hotei's "Battle Without Honor or Humanity" (of Kill Bill fame) is used to put the movie on hold, and take time to sell you a new Chevy Camaro.

Technology from future robot studied in present to create future robots via time-travel paradox. The technology must be destroyed in order to save the future.

Technology from giant cube which previously crashed on earth after floating through space and occasionally creating life could potentially be used for evil. Must be destroyed.

Technology from future robots is symbolic of mankinds thirst for knowledge, technological advancements, and desire to create without regard to possible consequences.

Technology from alien robot [Megatron] is used to explain away mankinds ability to create, invent, or advance technical knowledge without a giant robot luckily crashing in the antarctic.

Main character's parents are realistic, ignorant. Both die.

Main character's parents are stereotypical, ignorant. Both live.

Supporting character dies for cause after it is established he has a wife and child to come home to.

Supporting character survives idiotic motorcycle scene and returns safely to his wife and child.

Racial equality addressed with presence of a significant African-American character, who is intelligent, well-spoken, a loving family man, and the pinnacle reason for technological advances in the overall storyline.

Racial equality set backward with the presence of a stereotypical donut-eating hacker, as well as a jive-talking "black" transformer, who is somehow the only transformer to die (aside from the bad guys).

The Terminators are originally human designed and built, so they know english. The T-800, being a learning machine, is taught slang in order to better fit in.

The Transformers are alien, but took the time to learn "our language" from "the World Wide Web". This results in nothing but slang, and allows them to stick out even more.

In one amusing scene, the Terminator stands on one leg in order to demonstrate that he is programmed to obey his human protectorate's orders. Then proceeds to nearly kill local hoods.

In one scene, the Transformers fail to follow direction or apply common sense begged by their human protectorate, and proceed to trash a well manicured lawn whilst proclaiming "My bad".

In remarkable attention to detail, the world seen through the Terminator's eyes identifies and scans nearly every object of interest in its path, producing information on size, weight, as well as make and model information on cars and vehicles.

In an embarrassing lack of attention to detail, a main character identifies a Nokia cell phone as Japanese for no particular reason, despite the fact that Nokia is not only produced in Finland, but is also the nations largest company.

With respect to humanity's struggle for survival, and immediate risk to main characters, romantic interests are not pursued.

With humanity's struggle for survival a distant second or third on the list of priorities, there is plenty of screen time for generic, puberty-fueled, John Hughes-style adolescent distraction.

Main character's dog is killed by Terminator.

Main character's dog identified as a rodent by Transformer, allowed to live.

Sarah Connor's voice-over occasionally adds emotion and humanism to developing story.

Optimus Prime's voice-over is pasted over swooping shots of various GM products, and attempts to make up for lack of story.

ATM hacked by acceptable use of current technology.

Defense mainframe hacked by undetected cargo on Air Force One cargo hold, utilizing a C:/ prompt. 25 year-old computer is later utilized (for some reason) to initiate a morse-code broadcast over the radio.

Heroic female character comes across as strong and intelligent. Her traits are developed by training, dedication, and belief.

Female character used as eye candy, is admittedly shallow, purposefully hot. Ability to cross two wires together explained by juvey record.

T-800 reaches understanding of his human companion ("I know now why you cry"). Has to self-terminate.

Bumble Bee requests to stay with human companion, gets to live happily ever after with him, and even lets him fuck on his hood.

"Humanity is self-destructive and should die" theme is naunced, carefully presented throughout film, and coldly observed by the Terminator ("It is in your nature to destroy yourselves"). Ultimately, opinion is left for the viewer to determine.

"Humanity is self-destructive and should die" theme is summed up by formulaic and out of place voice-over by Optimus Prime, who has "seen good in humans" despite the fact that he had only been on earth for several hours at that point.