A Few Words About A few words about…™ Terminator 2 — in 4k UHD Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Josh Steinberg]

I'm pretty sure I read a quote from Cameron while the conversion was still in progress about how they were making some changes to the film to make it look more like if he had shot it today using digital technology, so I think the intent here (for better or worse) was to create a new version of the film. Since I'm satisfied with how it looked in 1991, I don't see the need for this, but I guess Cameron did.

I have mixed feelings on the 3D conversion (I don't have the UHD version). The presentation I saw in theaters in August looked incredibly flat, to the point I thought there was a technical issue affecting the presentation in that specific theater. The theater looked into my questions but ultimately stated that there was no issue with the presentation I attended. I did just get the 3D disc and I sampled a few minutes here and there, and the 3D effect was indeed far more pronounced than what I saw in the theaters.

So ok, great, the 3D is finally in 3D. But then I'm still left with the fact that it's not the version of the film that I'd prefer to watch. There are very few times where I'll opt to watch a 2D version over a 3D version of a movie, but this will probably be one of those rare exceptions. As cool as the 3D potentially is, I'm not sure how often I'll watch it if the feeling I'm left with at the end is "I feel like I'm missing part of the movie."

 

[Dave Moritz]

I am under the impression that they found the video quality to be unacceptable and that is why the release date was changed for the 4K UHD Blu-ray release. I had seen part of an interview where Cameron said the only change he made was a fix to the scene where the window pops out of the truck as it impacts the flood control channel and then is back in. I will not be happy if when my 4K UHD disc arrives and it looks horrible, hope this release has been fixed and the video quality has been repaired! At this time Amazon is telling me it is scheduled to arrive around Jan 2-4, 2018 and I really hope I am not going to end up totally disappointed in the transfer!

 

[Camper]

The included Blu-ray is an oddball mix of the 2017 re-master and the 2015 version (which people seem to think is the best of all the Blu-ray releases.

The scenes from the theatrical portion are from the brand new re-master (with little grain) and the extended portions are from the 2015 release. The exception to this is when a scene is extended (rather than being a completely new scene.)
Rather than an even more jarring change in the middle of a scene they decided to use the 2015 version for any scenes that were extended. I think an example of this is the scene where John and the terminator are getting weapons from the bunker. That scene had a couple of added lines about whether the terminator feels fear. That entire scene is from the 2015 rather than a mix.

This will actually be a fun watch because of all the odd choices they made. And probably they will re-release it in a couple of years in a superior release.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Credit oddity about the Blu-ray included with the 4K:

It includes the laserdisc commentary hosted by Van Ling, one that had 26 participants (including Ling).

However, the credits for the BD state it has 23 participants.

I haven't had a chance to relisten to the track, so I'm wondering if 3 people got edited out of the track on the new BD!

 

[Blu_rayfan66]

Please forgive me in advance Robert...but I'm really surprised that you have not reviewed the 4K UHD of 'Bridge On The River Kwai' yet...???
'Coming Soon' I hope?

 

[brap]

This will actually be a fun watch because of all the odd choices they made. And probably they will re-release it in a couple of years in a superior release.

Sorry to be a downer, but this is starting to have a checkered history. We may see a perfectly mastered edition of T2 when we see a blu of Halloween with the 1999 DVD color timing. I take a love-the-one-you're-with attitude and will be picking this up anyway.

I watched this in 3D in the theater with my 8 year old. His eyes light up when talking about it because he got to watch a rated R movie. Now he is at 2 with the Matrix.

 

[Dave H]

I watched this tonight and must admit I was more bothered by the change in colors than the "degraining".

Yeah, the image does have that "plastic" look to a degree, but not as badly as with the Skynet BD or some of the other usual DNR culprits.

The colors are really different than in the past, though. The movie always leaned blue, but it had other hues as well - and now they're GONE.

When I flipped between the 4K and the 2015 BD, I was shocked at just how different the colors looked - and having seen "T2" on 87-skillion different formats over the last 26 years, I'm pretty sure the "old colors" were correct...

It looks like they even completely changed the color of the lasers.

https://www.caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&a=0&d1=11116&d2=11117&s1=109100&s2=109125&i=0&l=0

 

[3D Projectionist]

Have been enjoying T2 for oh what is it now 26 years or so and was over the moon when this got the intended 3D clean up and makeover. Having now watched it at the cinema in 3D and also on our home 8ft screen so many times it was nice to spot a few small specs of dirt still being retained in transfer for the new release retaining its film authenticity.

I don't know anyone in my area who has a 4K player but as the film was recreated for 3D we are really enjoying the Blu-Ray.

Well done Mr Cameron and Co.

 

[Will*B]

When one looks at the still-frame comparisons from the above link, the UHD frames actually look okay, especially in terms of detail when compared with the BD.

As someone who owns the UHD however, I can confirm that the uptick in detail is marred by the rest of the transfer's problems. For a proper upgrade to my Skynet version I bought years ago, I've just ordered the 2015 BD from Amazon for $10...

 

[Carlo_M]

Disappointing to read of this release’s quality. T2 is like my movie version of the “guess I’ll have to buy the White Album again” in Men In Black. I own so many versions of this film but will, for now, pass on the 4K until they do it justice.

 

[TonyD]

Yeah I’m gonna pass on this. If it had the other three versions included in 4K I’d be in but I don’t need another version that’s just the theatrical.

 

[dpippel]

Luckily I haven't opened my copy yet, so back to Best Buy it goes. Why is it that some films are just cursed as far as home video releases go? The rights issues with T2 over the years read like the Hatfields and the McCoys. What a shame.

 

[Alberto_D]

Is James Cameron so short on money to can't hire Lowry Digital services to reduce grain without turn character's skin texture looking like plastic ?
Or was it a decision to avoit that the scenes with CGI compsition looking quite worse than the scenes without digital intermediation ???
Back then the digital intermediation was used only in FX scenes which required computer work, and the quality wasn't really good as today.

They can turn the original footage (film)m great, but can't turn the digital files (or digital files from 90's that was recored back to film) looking great. And I must remamber this movie was shot in super 35mm

 

[Spencer Draper]

Another reason why I have never upgraded from the LD boxsets. It's apparently too much to ask for a proper transfer of the original film with its groundbreaking CDS mix intact and the extended special edition as a branchable option.
It's also apparently too much to ask for a properly transferred Terminator with the mono as lossless, or The Abyss done right or True Lies...anyone noticing a pattern? Funny how I have to hang onto all my LDs...

 

[Dave Moritz]

Thank you for your review Robert very much appreciated. I did how ever end up keeping my copy of Terminator 2 that just arrived today. There where some things I was not happy about and the absent of film grain was one of them. But at the end of the day I felt it still looked better than the 1st blu-ray release and with the added bonus of lossless audio I kept it. Lionsgate should have done a better job at this release given that it is Terminator 2 and that the studio is not doing 4K any favors by not releasing a perfect or near perfect release of Terminator 2. But it looked just good enough to keep and not go through the mess of returning knowing that there is no reissue coming anytime soon. It was inexpensive enough so it just makes me think twice about pre ordering another movie any time soon.

Robert do you have lionsgate email address so I can tell them what I think?

Equipment:
Pioneer Elite SC-05 Receiver
Samsung UBD-K8500
Samsung UN55F9000 55" 4K UHD TV
Upgraded Samsung Evolution Kit
Altec Lancing A-7 Voice Of The Theater (L&R)
Bowers & Wilkens HTM61 S6 (Center Channel)
Advent Marble (Surround Side & Back Channels)
HSU Research VTF-3 MK5 HP 15" Subwoofer
Audioquest Cinnamon HDMI from Samsung 4K UHD player straight to evolution kit on Samsung 4K TV

 

[Fozl]

Maybe it`s not perfect or close to 4K standards. But it's the best version of the movie i have ever seen in Home Theater

 

[TonyD]

Maybe it`s not perfect or close to 4K standards. But it's the best version of the movie i have ever seen in Home Theater

Have you watched the 2015 Lionsgate release?

 

[Ryan Barrett]

Just took a look at my 4K disc. It is an abomination. Typically, I am open minded enough to judge what something looks like in motion vs pictures, but this looks like total trash. I figured that I would find some type of "silver lining" here, but the final product here is inexcusable. If you're on the fence, cancel your order - to my eyes, the Skynet edition looks better. Even the text in the opening credits look bad. It's easily the worst transfer I've ever seen on the UHD format. It's probably one of the worst discs in my collection (bluray or otherwise).

 

[Carlo_M]

Have you watched the 2015 Lionsgate release?

I don’t think I own this one. Is this a better presentation than previous blu rays?

 

[titch]

I don’t think I own this one. Is this a better presentation than previous blu rays?

Slightly more film grain than the 2009 Skynet edition, but otherwise likely from the same master. I tried to watch it after watching the remastered Terminator and it didn't look good.