Just when you though it was safe to go into the future again… Lionsgate is releasing a brand new Blu-ray version of “Terminator 2.” I wondered when this was going to happen, considering this movie has more releases than just about any other move in history (with the possible exception of “Evil Dead”). This new release is also timed perfectly with the release of the long-awaited “Terminator: Salvation” 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 version of “T2?” Initially my answer was no. The “Ultimate” and “Extreme” Editions that were released way back at the beginning of 2000 seemed to be the definitive versions. Both sets offered more in the way of special features than any one person could possibly watch in their lifetime. They were well-packaged DVD sets that pretty much set the bar for DVD releases at the time.

Of course, times they do change, and when Blu-ray hit the scene you just knew that “Terminator 2” was high on the list for release. And release it did back in 2006 in a fairly good set that offered what had to be the best possible picture available for this film. But wouldn’t you know it… just a few short years later Lionsgate is releasing what I think is the first ‘double-dip’ on Blu-ray. This “Skynet Edition” offers a more interesting viewing, including both the theatrical and extended versions of the film.

So when the inevitable NEW Blu-ray release of “Terminator 2” came across my desk I had to spend several days watching with wonder at the improvements. While the picture did not necessarily look better than the previous Blu-ray, the sound was much better. This time we are given a DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 6.1 Surround track at 48kHz/16-bit, which allows for an incredible mix of the sound effects, music and dialogue.

I was curious as to how many new special features there would be, considering the various releases that have seen the light of day. The answer is… relatively few. It would appear that the studio has taken nearly every special feature ever created and re-created them in new ways, including a lot of picture in picture formatting. It would take me weeks to determine is anything might have been left out, so for now I am going to hang on to my other releases.

As they have been assembled here, we have two commentaries. The first was recorded by James Cameron and William Wysher for the “Extreme Edition”, which at the time was an amazing feature as Cameron had never recorded any kind of commentary for any of his films before. Listening to it again reminded me of what a terrific commentary it was. Cameron is so passionate (obsessed?) about his work and it shows through his thorough detailing when speaking. Then, when you are ready to watch the film again, the second commentary is more of a pieced together track made up of comments pulled from various interviews with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong and most of the film’s creative team. You’ll also find the two famous deleted scenes (was hoping for more!) and theatrical trailers.

As for the HD content, you have “Visual Implants” which utilizes the aforementioned previous special features to make a sort of visual commentary. I’ve seen most of this material before, but it is rather interesting to see it this way. There is a “Trivia Overlay”, which is exactly like the old pop-up video style trivia tracks from the old DVD days, a “Production Data Overlay” which is similar but uses technical details more than trivia, and “Linked Data Modules” which is a branching feature that takes you to specific featurettes and back again.

“Source Code” allows you to read the screenplay along with the movie, while “Schematics” shows the storyboard as you watch the feature. “Query Mode” asks the viewer questions throughout the movie to test your “T2” knowledge (impress your friends!) and the “Processor Tests” offers up a few games. Of course, there is also a “Data Center”, which you can access through BD-Live.

If you already own all of the rest of the “Terminator 2” DVDS, you may not really want this Blu-ray version. But if you are a completist, it’s worth picking up and checking out for the excellent audio track and interesting (if not a little difficult to navigate) versions of the old special features.

Directed by: James Cameron
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong
Extras: Two Commentaries, Deleted Scenes, Theatrical Trailers, Trivia Data Overlay/Production Data Overly/Linked Data Modules, Source Code/Schematics, Query Mode, Processor Tests, Data Center
Specifications: (Widescreen 2.35:1), English 6.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 5.1 Dolby Digital EX Audio
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: 5/19/2009
MPAA Rating: R (For Strong Sci Fi Action, Violence and for Language)
www.lionsgate.com

We'll give Terminator 2: Skynet Edition Blu-ray a B.