Home/Episodes/Terminator 2: Judgment Day

‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan

January 26, 2021 · Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) · Action · Adventure · Sci-Fi · 1:27:33 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

Categories

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes: naked Arnold in biker bar, John Connor arcade sequence through bike chase, springing Sarah Connor from asylum, attack at Joe Morton's house▶ 32:07
Chris RyanPraised the Galleria sequence as 'one of the most thrilling 20 minute sequences in movie history' and discussed asylum escape scene▶ 34:02

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill SimmonsArnold worked for a month to learn the one-handed rifle reload and accidentally gave Edward Furlong a mild concussion with the rifle during filming▶ 45:30
Bill SimmonsRobert Patrick took sprinting so seriously that he was actually catching up to the motor scooter and they had to tell him to slow down▶ 49:25
Chris RyanReferenced that the hosts would mention in research how the helicopter pilot, motorcycle work, and big rig truck stunts pushed boundaries beyond what had been done in movies before▶ 43:06
Van LathanRobert Patrick reprised his T-1000 role for one scene in Last Action Hero▶ 50:23

What's Aged the Best

Bill SimmonsSupports the police criticism pick, contextualizing it against late 80s issues and contrasting with Colors (1988) where cops were heroes▶ 54:55
Chris RyanAgrees about police as bad guys, noting Cameron's healthy skepticism about police force and dehumanizing aspects▶ 54:42
Van LathanThe idea of the police as the bad guys - first movie where someone in police uniform is the bad guy▶ 54:32

What's Aged the Worst

Bill SimmonsEdward Furlong's inconsistent performance (like a scattered basketball stat line), the reveal that Arnold was a good guy (though notes people don't remember this was significant), and the 'Why do you cry?' scene being corny▶ 57:34
Chris RyanEdward Furlong's uneven performance, comparing it to LaMelo Ball's inconsistency with occasional flashes of brilliance▶ 57:51
Van LathanEdward Furlong's performance - showed glimpses of being one of the best but couldn't get out of his own way creatively and personally▶ 58:07

Casting What-Ifs

Bill SimmonsSean BeanDiscussed multiple casting what-ifs: Sean Bean as T-1000 (would have been cool), Billy Idol considered for T-1000, Charlie Korsmo originally cast as John Connor, and Denzel Washington offered Miles Dyson role▶ 1:01:19
Chris RyanSean BeanLikes the idea of Sean Bean as T-1000 despite it being fucked up for Sarah Connor, but doesn't believe Charlie Korsmo as juvenile delinquent▶ 1:01:42
Van LathanDenzel WashingtonAcknowledged Charlie Korsmo was having a moment but questioned Denzel Washington casting as too ambitious, though agreed Denzel wasn't A-plus list yet in 1990▶ 1:02:35

Joey Pants Award

Bill SimmonsSarah Connor's doctor (from both films), John Connor's arcade friend who looks like the kid from Big but isn't▶ 1:04:13
Chris RyanThe twin security guards▶ 1:04:22

Dion Waiters Award

Bill SimmonsJoe MortonJoe Morton (after ruling Robert Patrick ineligible for too much screen time)▶ 1:06:07
Chris RyanJoe MortonDiscusses Joe Morton's performance, particularly the Cyberdyne tour scene▶ 1:06:25

Apex Mountain

Bill SimmonsArnold SchwarzeneggerYes for Arnold Schwarzenegger - this was his apex mountain looking at his four movie run leading to this▶ 1:13:14
Bill SimmonsTerminator 2: Judgment DayYes for multiple categories: insane asylums (with Silence of the Lambs), chin-ups, arcades, one-liners with 'Hasta la vista baby', and summer blockbusters as events▶ 1:14:43
Chris RyanTerminator 2: Judgment DayAgrees this is apex mountain for summer blockbusters in his lifetime▶ 1:16:57
Van LathanTerminator 2: Judgment DayThis is apex mountain for the Terminator franchise▶ 1:20:22

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill SimmonsMultiple questions: What happens to Sarah Connor going forward? What would really happen if a liquid nitrogen truck flipped? Why didn't everything change when Miles blew up Cyberdyne?▶ 1:23:13
Chris RyanSarah Connor probably starts a blog, opens a tamale stand, becomes a fitness instructor. Also noted there's never any traffic in Terminator movies▶ 1:23:20
Van LathanHow does the T-1000 regenerate with cop clothes on? Also discussed that subsequent movies explain judgment day can't be stopped▶ 1:24:44

Who Won the Movie

Chris RyanArnold SchwarzeneggerArnold - agrees it's a great performance on top of his action star persona, when he was the biggest star in the world▶ 1:27:04
Van LathanArnold SchwarzeneggerArnold - describes it as 'the jersey that's going up in the rafters' of all his great movie teams▶ 1:27:24

Movies Referenced (46)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
The Terminator (1984)IMDb ↗Lb ↗15Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan▶ 1:31
The Matrix (1999)IMDb ↗Lb ↗6Van Lathan, Chris Ryan▶ 11:30
Avatar (2009)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 1:14:02
Cape Fear (1991)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 10:40
Kindergarten Cop (1990)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons▶ 9:59
Sleeping with the Enemy (1991)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 21:45
Titanic (1997)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons▶ 14:02
Total Recall (1990)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons▶ 9:59
First Blood (1982)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 1:31
True Lies (1994)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Van Lathan▶ 25:38
Aliens (1986)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 19:29
Bolt (2008)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 48:43

Actors Referenced (50)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Arnold SchwarzeneggerIMDb ↗Lb ↗44Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris RyanTerminator 2: Judgment Day, The Terminator▶ 2:11
Robert PatrickIMDb ↗Lb ↗15Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van LathanTerminator 2: Judgment Day▶ 5:41
Joe MortonIMDb ↗Lb ↗9Bill Simmons, Van LathanTerminator 2: Judgment Day▶ 17:22
Denzel WashingtonIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 8:27
Linda HamiltonIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill Simmons, Chris RyanTerminator 2: Judgment Day, The Terminator▶ 18:44
Laura DernIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Jurassic Park, Marriage Story▶ 23:10
Mario KassarIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Van LathanFirst Blood, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Stargate▶ 1:09:01
River PhoenixIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Chris RyanMy Own Private Idaho, Stand by Me, The Mosquito Coast▶ 44:48
Boys ClubIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan, Van Lathan▶ 23:12
Charlie KorsmoIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Van LathanCan't Hardly Wait▶ 1:02:28
Chris HemsworthIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Van LathanThe Avengers▶ 28:13
Edward FurlongIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill SimmonsTerminator 2: Judgment Day, American History X▶ 40:34

Writers Referenced (2)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
James CameronIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill SimmonsAvatar, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day▶ 13:37
Roger EbertIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 24:50

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Klaus TrackIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Van LathanThe Dictator▶ 49:14