Arnold Schwarzenegger is synonymous with the Terminator, one of the most renowned sci-fi movie series of all time thanks to the pulse-pounding action stuffed throughout the trilogy. Universal must have realized that they had a winner in Terminator so they attempted to bring that incredible action to a theme park attraction, and more specifically a revolutionary 3-D movie. Bringing such a popular movie to the screen definitely is a daunting task, but I can say with confidence that Universal passed the test with flying colors.
Anchoring the Hollywood segment of the park, Terminator has a very futuristic looking exterior that definitely captures the power and intimidating nature of the films. Just make sure that you get showtimes for the attraction, since unlike with Disney’s 3-D films, they don’t just show them back-to-back-to-back. Instead there are huge gaps in between showtimes. But don’t worry, the theater is gigantic so as long as you know when the attraction begins, you will definitely be able to obtain one of the theater’s many seats.
Well, the attraction begins with a very well executed pre-show where Cyberdyne pitches their innovative, futuristic devices to make life more convenient and easier. However, Cyberdyne’s pitch is interrupted by Sarah and John Connor who warn that Cyberdyne’s advanced robotic systems will remove the human element completely, making for a world dominated by robots. Their biggest concern is an incredibly intelligent defense system- Skynet. One last note about the pre-show though, that “super” hostess really got on my nerves with her high-pitched voice.
Once entering the gigantic (I just can’t stress how huge it is), I donned a pair of 3-D glasses and was treated to a truly revolutionary 3-D attraction. While the Simpsons definitely has any comedy one could ever want in a theme park attraction down pat, T2 crams far more action into its 10+ minute film than most movies can stuff into a 90-120 minute film. It’s just remarkable and there isn’t a dull moment at all in the film, as it just jumps straight into the action from the get go! Arnold reprises his role from the films and does an incredible job along with the other actors at capturing the overall atmosphere and serious tone featured in the movies.
The 3-D was flawlessly executed and some of the best I’ve experienced, possibly only triumphed by Animal Kingdom’s Tough to be a Bug. In fact, it was so good that I felt it was even underutilized at times. Nonetheless, whatever 3-D effects Universal did include were just stunning, especially the breathtaking liquid man when he claws at the audience. That scene just made me jump, as it was sudden and strikingly realistic.
One last element that was really ingenious and flawlessly executed were the live-action portions. The transition from the big screen to live-action performances by strikingly similar actors was flawless, and I was just left in awe by it. Not only that, but 4-D effects are also utilized such as smoke, and my personal favorite, the Terminator animatronics which definitely enhance the overall atmosphere and tone of the attraction immensely. Oh yeah, and one of my favorite scenes definitely is when a Terminator murders that hostess, much to my and everyone else’s delight (it got a massive round of applause)!
T2 is just an incredible all-around attraction from start to finish that anyone, especially a fan of the series, should definitely plan on hitting while at Universal. Just the effects, especially the stunning 3-D and flawless transition from live-action to the big screen and vise-versa, are awe-inspiring. Also, the pulse-pounding excitement lasts the entire duration of the attraction, which is incredibly long, even for a 3-D show, a definite plus. The only real negative about the attraction is the finale- immediately after the conclusion of the film, Universal dumps the 1000+ guests who have just seen the attraction into a very small gift shop, leading to everyone being packed in like sardines. Nonetheless, T2 is just an all-around great attraction that combines the pulse-pounding action one has come to expect from the Terminator series with stunning special effects.
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