I need your clothes, your boots and the passcode to your iphone... so that we can listen to this weeks episode of BYOB which is Terminator 2 Judgement Day. This film has it all, action, chase scenes, amazing practical effects, brilliant performances, impressive CGI and heart stopping tension.

It's always quite fascinating watching a lead actor or actress in this mode where they just seem to steal the show. Like they are perfectly in tune with the film. Spoiler alert - Arnie is very much in the discussion for MVP as you would imagine... But there's also a really interesting discussion to be had around what it takes to be that level of successful. Arnold Schwarzenegger is no doubt a complex character and had to work unbelievably hard to make it to Hollywood but also to be a leading man in Hollywood.

The film itself isn't a horror, but it's not really a thriller either. Having seen the slasher like nature of the first film, this seems more like a cautionary tale, with thriller like elements. Yes, it's an action film but at the same time the action seems to be used to progress the story telling and to evolve the characters. There's also an incredible amount of quotability in this one. 'Chillout Dickwad', 'Hasta La Vista, Baby', 'I need a vacation' give us some really nice moments of comic relief but also ask questions of whether the t-800 has actually learned 'humour' as a concept as well.

Beyond that the film serves as a bit of a warning about AI and the path that we as humanity seem to be taking ourselves on. We see through the character of Sarah Connor what can happen if you allow yourself to become cold and distanced from humanity whilst at the same time the potential damage that AI could have if allowed to get out of control.

Bring Your Own Blockbuster isn’t just a film review podcast, we try our best each week to dive deep into the themes and discussions that make cinema so special - and we’d love to hear your feedback on the film. What did meet it mean to you? What did we miss? Get involved and tell us what you think on social media, you can find us everywhere at @byobpod

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Broadcast on:

07 Aug 2023