Just when you though it was safe to go into the future again… Artisan Entertainment is releasing a brand new DVD version of “Terminator 2.” This is timed perfectly with the release of the long-awaited “Terminator 3” movie that is poised to be released onto movie screens. The thought that was on my mind when I first heard about the new release was, “Do we really need another DVD version of “T2?” Initially my answer was no. The “Ultimate Edition” that was released a couple of years ago seemed to be the definitive version. That 2-disc set offered more in the way of special features than any one person could possibly watch in their lifetime. It was a well-packaged DVD set that pretty much set the bar for DVD releases. Then the new “Terminator 2: Extreme Edition” fell into my hot little hands. And I’ve changed my answer to a YES! What’s amazing about this set is that it offers very little in comparison to the “Ultimate Edition”, yet in a way it offers much more. The features are all new and a little unusual.

There’s a new documentary feature that doesn’t deal with the making of the film directly, but more with the effect many of the technical advances invented for it has had on modern filmmaking. It’s a fascinating documentary that may seem to be aimed more for the techies in the Terminator fandom.

As for the feature that really makes this a must add to your collection is the inclusion of a commentary track. Sure, the other edition had a commentary track with some of the cast and crew, but this track is a little bit different. This commentary is done by the man himself… James Cameron. You heard me right, the one and only James Cameron lends his voice and insight to this disc, and this, almost above all else makes this a set to own. Cameron, along with co-writer William Wisher sat down to watch this extended version in Feb of 2003 and offer a fascinating conversational look into the making of the movie.

The Extreme Interactive Mode actually turned out to be my favorite feature. It’s similar to the recent release of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” where little tidbits of information come up on the screen. But it takes this ‘pop-up’ video style even further. You’ll catch outlines of matte lines, arrows pointing to cameos by the crew, and even branch away from the movie by clicking on a Cyberdyne logo that appears throughout the film. When you click on it, you cut to some behind the scenes footage and additional materials that are scene specific. I went nuts over this feature.

The ‘On the Set’ Retrospective is pretty short, coming in at eight minutes, but the footage is well worth a look. The other cool extras can be accessed on your computer’s DVD-Rom drive. There are two programs that allow you to manipulate your own photos to make then ‘Terminated.’ In one, you can access a photo of someone on your computer, and then by lining up a skull overlay to match their features, you can have the program ‘eat away’ portions of their face and show endoskeleton understructure. Then you can save the picture with a caption and email it if you like. The other is a morphing program that allows you to morph a photo of a friend into someone else, or into a T-1000 if you wish. There is also an online game, but I didn’t get the opportunity to check that out yet.

One of the things I didn’t address was the transfer of the film. The one available on the previous release was the best you could get at the time, but this one takes the process several steps further. It’s digitally mastered frame by frame from a brand new 1080p high definition digital telecine transfer. Admittedly, I have no idea what that means, but my techno geek friends assure me that for people who have high-end audio and video components, it makes as much difference as there is between video and DVD. And for those who enjoy watching movies on their computers, the second disc has the complete theatrical version of the film in Microsoft Media Series 9, playable in high resolution and 5.1 sound right from your PC.

The new “Terminator 2: Extreme Edition” may seem on the surface as being just another re-hash of the same material, but it isn’t at all. It’s actually a really impressive follow-up to the “Ultimate Edition.” It’s more of a companion DVD set than a replacement. Together, these two sets offer die-hard fans of the series every little snippet of information available on the film. (Until they dig deeper into the vaults for the “Terminator 2: Super Duper Edition”) Even if you have the earlier release, I think you’ll find this new set more than worth your time.

I do want to offer those who choose to pick up this edition one word of caution. The packaging (which is really cool-looking by the way) has a metal embossed slipcover over the DVD’s snap case. It’s similar physically to the Ultimate Edition slipcover, except that it is closed all the way around to the back. When I pushed the snap case out, the plastic spine got caught and shredded the plastic all the way down the side. When you open yours, squeeze that side of the slipcase slightly and SLOWLY slide out the case. Make sure it’s not catching before you push it all the way out. You may have to do this every time you take the case out and put it back in.

Directed by: James Cameron
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, and Edward Furlong
Extras:
Disc 1- Special Edition Version featuring 16 minutes of additional scenes, All New Audio Commentary by James Cameron and William Wisher, Extreme Interactive Mode with Graphic Commentary and Rare Behind the Scenes Footage
Disc 2 - “No Feat But What We Make” documentary, T2: On The Set Retrospective Montage, Infiltration Unit Simulator and T2 FX Studio, Skynet Combat Chassis Designer
Specifications: Widescreen (2.35:1) Enhanced for 16x9 Televisions, English Dolby 5.1 Surround EX Digital Audio, Dolby Headphone Audio Track
Studio: Artisan Home Entertainment
Release Date: 6/3/2003
Region 1
MPAA Rating: R (For Strong Sci Fi Action, Violence and for Language)
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