[Movies] Is Terminator 2 the Greatest Action Movie of all Time?

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Shegokigo

Shegokigo

If we're going to vote for "dumb" action I'm voting Machete 100%.

Oh and I think Assy Mcass was the name of the Ally McBeal porn parody.
 
filmfanatic

filmfanatic

I propose we do a simple analysis. We take certain elements of each film, break them down and compare the quality of each element to each other and whichever film has the more superior elements is the best action film ever.
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

Can't do that, we end up with Rambo winning again and I was already cool with the previous decision to say they all rocked.
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

There are no rules, as a different movie would be picked depending on criteria.

There is no "complete package". Well, except for Rambo.
 
Frank

Frank

Any time a movie features a cyborg from the future protecting a boy from a liquid metal killing machine, add a million points. If it doesn't feature those things, subtract a million points and repent your sins.
 
Frank

Frank

Conan was mentioned earlier during a Stallone/Schwarzenegger pissing match.

Conan is fucking awesome and has one of the most epic scores of all time.
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

I do hold Conan to be one of my all time favorite movies, it started one of my favorite genres.

When I was younger, I thought the Cop that the liquid metal guy chose to copy was so lame. I was like, "He's not intimidating at all. What a punk". It wasn't till I was older that I realized that was the point of it, making it much more awesome.
 
checkeredhat

checkeredhat

I will add that Die Hard is my FAVOURITE Action Movie. I rewatch it way more often than Terminator 2, but even if you're narrowing it down to one genre (action), the term "best ____ movie" is still too broad to really judge all films in that genre equally. Even within one genre, there are a hundred subgenres and unique tones within the films.

So we have to look at every factor in the mix, and while Die Hard has more humour, and has an element of fun and rewatchability to it that is missing from T2, Terminator 2 wins for pop culture impact.
And it has amazing special effects on its side. I'm not saying special effects trump everything, obviously. But on most other factors you'd judge an actin movie on, they're equal, while in special effects, Terminator 2 was a groundbreaking film. A real legitimate watershed moment in CG animation which gives it an overall much larger impact on the entire film business as a whole. This was the first film that literally HINGED on CGI for a major character. The T1000 just completely fails as a villain without it, and if it hadn't worked, ILM would not have listened to the suggestion to make the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park CG, (Which ILM and Spielberg both were already very hesitant to do, and only did after Steve "Spaz" Williams-the same guy who did the water alien in Abyss and every liquid scene of the T-1000 in T2- went home and animated a T-Rex walk cycle on his own time after being told not to) which was really the turning point.
That, and the lasting pop-culture impact I think tip T2 over the top.

Rambo probably has atleast as big an impact on the genre and on pop culture as Terminator 2, but really, Die Hard just doesn't measure up, even if it may be more enjoyable.
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

What puts Rambo on top of T2 if you're being "analytical" is not it's impact on culture, but it's powerful story on the state of America at the time. The acting, while seemingly unrealistic, was sadly not. The movie didn't need a "comedy sidekick" or "hey look at this hot chick kick ass", it was the story of a man, who could not escape who he was or his past. Someone, somewhere, always made him go back until he finally came to accept it in the final film.

The final scene in Rambo, where he gives up and breaks down is head and shoulders over anything in T2 or any of the other action film titles.
 
ElJuski

ElJuski

Staff member
okay, hey now, the other Rambos are pretty lousy--albeit fun. First Blood is actually a decently scripted action film about America's war complex and its xenophobic and violent implications.
 
Shegokigo

Shegokigo

That's pretty much what I said. The only thing the rest of the Rambo movies was get "bigger" and carry a small vestige of the storyline.
 
Bowielee

Bowielee

I really don't consider First Blood and the rest of the Rambo movies to be the same series. First Blood is just a really well thought out story about a disenfranchised war veteran who is pushed to extremes. The rest of the movies are typical action movie fare.
 
checkeredhat

checkeredhat

Shegokigo said:
What puts Rambo on top of T2 if you're being "analytical" is not it's impact on culture, but it's powerful story on the state of America at the time. The acting, while seemingly unrealistic, was sadly not.
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To be honest, I've never seen First Blood or any of the Rambo Movies. That's why I didn't really comment on the people arguing for Rambo over Terminator. It could be a superior, I don't know. I was just clarifying my position on Die Hard vs T2.

Actually I think the only Sylvester Stallone movie I've seen at all was that one with Wesley Snipes and Sandra Bullock. So none of his good ones. I should add First Blood, and the Rocky movies into my list of movies I have to watch this year. I've been meaning to see them anyway.

For whatever reason, my dad really didn't like Sly and so I never got to watch any of his movies growing up. Not that I was forbidden to or anything, it just never came up.
 
Bubble181

Bubble181

Tinwhistler said:
I'm in the opposite camp: I've seen (and enjoy greatly) First Blood..but have seen none of the other Rambo movies.
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You've seen all the important Rambo films, don't worry.


Also, my vote for best action movie is the clearly-superior-in-every-way Mortal Kombat 2. :zoid:
 
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