You can choose how to transition James Cameronpp Terminator 2: Judgment Day. One can either recognize it as one of those best 90s movies ever, an iconic entry into the sci-fi film canon or even as one of the greatest action films of all time. That’s a pretty lofty position to be in, and part of that is because there are scenes both iconic and terrifying that are still burned into our minds. Now it looks like the new Netflix anime series, Terminator Zerowants to make one of Cameron’s greatest T2 moments even more awful. And believe it or not, I’m strangely super pumped about this one more post TV schedule 2024.
The Terminator 2 scene that Terminator Zero has made even scarier
Because Netflix has released a new trailer for the Mattson Tomlin-penned series, which will debut on the platform on Terminator Zero’s release date on August 29. So it is only fitting that on the date earmarked for Judgment Day itself in the timeline for it Terminator filmswe’re going to see a new version of Sarah Connor’s Judgment Day nightmare. For reference, here is the original sequence from T2:
For a young child who gets an early taste of the apocalypse, it is perhaps the longest two minutes and change ever. And it’s a moment that remains one of the defining points of what makes a good one Terminator film work.
It’s a terrifying scene to get a remake of sorts through an apocalyptic vision, this time through the eyes of young computer programmer Malcom Lee (André Holland). It’s because of the good old anime method. Experiencing Malcolm’s custom-made hell in his nightmares is already more intense because his two children are right there with him as it happens. The stakes are much higher with the personal connection in mind, which is why watching your body slowly disintegrate from a nuclear explosion is even more horrifying. Of course, the very gory animation used to get the point across also makes the difference.
Seriously, whoever decided to give us that long close-up of Mr. Lee’s eyes, which are the only organic material left on his person, deserves a raise. Still, I despise them for all the right reasons, especially when this new spin on an old classic makes me even more excited to see what Zero has up his sleeve.
Why this moment has me weirdly super pumped about Terminator Zero
So why does the downfall of humanity, a really gory death and injury to children get me pumped Terminator Zero? Well, before you get any of the wrong ideas, it’s not just because these events happen. Rather, it’s because it’s specific elements that I feel the great franchise has been missing for quite some time.
As someone who enjoys half of the cinematic sequels that were made, I can attest that the danger that once felt ever-present in the series has been missing. Keeping a harder edge to the story, as well as a 90s plot, definitely allows for honing in on all that classic Terminator vibes as fans that I myself have wanted to get back to.
Transferring this tale to the visually striking medium of animation also helps heighten the tension, as we’ve now seen Zero doing things with the human body that even CGI can have trouble depicting. With a potentially incredibly brutal playground at work and the concept of creating another AI to fight Skynet’s predicted war on humanity, it’s truly uncharted territory for this landmark sci-fi saga.
It has been known Terminator Zero will be bloodybut all the unknown variables are what make this chapter so exciting. As is the case with the darkened highway at the end of T2we really don’t know what’s waiting in the dark. Friend or foe, I am more than ready to see what lies ahead, and as soon as humanly possible.
Terminator Zero will be both a dream and a nightmare for the eager Netflix subscription holder at its debut. All episodes will be available to stream on August 29th, a date for you all die hard fans are already stuck in your minds. In the meantime, you can revisit Judgment Day through various streaming platforms, including Pluto TV, Peacock and Paramount+, at the time of this publication.
