Terminator 2: Judgement Day
dir. James Cameron (1991)
Terminator 2 ups the ante while staying true to the original film’s nightmare thriller vibe. The effects hold up, the humour works, Edward Furlong does pretty well. Linda Hamilton is peerless in reinventing Sarah Connor from 80s victim/survivor to iconic 90s badass.
Dark Angel, Season 2
(Fox, 2001-2002)
Jessica Alba picks up where she left off. Joshua and Alec reflect a lightening of tone, while the general influx of transgenics—plus a relative autonomy from season-spanning plot arcs—allows for more imaginative scripting and a wider variety of standalone episodes.
The Terminator
dir. James Cameron (1984)
Though irrevocably lodged in the 1980s, the original Terminator nevertheless stands up well as a nightmarish SF thriller. The final effects are a bit ropey but Hamilton, Biehn and Schwarzenegger nail their roles, allowing James Cameron’s straightforward plot to carry the day.
Terminator: Dark Fate
dir. Tim Miller (2019)
Scripted by committee and rife with pointless action. If James Cameron, David Goyer and the rest of the fast food brains trust had collaborated with Warner Bros. to make Terminator versus Road Runner, the result could hardly have been any less tense.
Mardoc
by Ronald A. McQueen (Hale, 1981)
Unintentionally reactivated by a corrupt corporate government, a genetically engineered sleeper agent (think James Cameron’s Dark Angel) sets out to topple the established order. McQueen’s novel is a curious yet memorable mix of SF politics and super-powered insurgency. Intriguing, though plainly written.