The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement Day are two movies that have an interesting take on atomic warfare and nuclear energy. The Terminator was released in theaters in 1984, costing 6.4 million dollars and grossing over 38.4 million. Terminator 2 cost 100 million dollars and grossed 500 million worldwide. These movies deliver a strong message about the potential dangers of technology that I have overlooked my entire life, until recently.
In the world of "The Terminator" a company called Cyberdyne Systems makes huge leaps in technology and creates an artificial intelligence called Skynet. Skynet is able to learn, think, and strategize, but more importantly has absolute control over everything Cyberdyne owns. This includes manufacturing of weapons, cyborg soldiers, nuclear warheads, and time traveling machines. As an AI, Skynet sees that humanity is a threat to its own existence and seeks to have us all eliminated. Skynet launched nuclear bombs on the world and continued the war by manufacturing robot and cyborg soldiers. In 2029, John Connor leads the human resistance (most of humanity is wiped out) and is about to win the war against Skynet. In the last acts of retaliation Skynet sends a cyborg back in time to the year 1984 to kill his mother before he is born. This background information is the prelude to the two Terminator movies.
The Terminator(1984) shows us the potential danger of technology that goes unchecked and the havoc it could reap on mankind. By the end of the film, the message is that we still have hope and can change the future if we choose to. In Terminator 2: Judgement Day(1991), in my opinion, the message was just opposite. In addition, another message from the series is that we have delved too deep into technology and that it now guides us. Once certain ideas have been put into motion they cannot be undone and you cannot kill an idea. I do not agree with this entirely, also James Cameron often has pessimistic views on humanity. Regardless, this is an interesting view to have while watching the movie next time.
http://www.terminatorfiles.com/saga/t1/
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