WithTerminator Zeroabout to hit Netflix, there’s no time like the present to revisitThe Terminator’s extensive history and lore. WhenTerminator 2: Judgment Dayhit theaters in 1991, it’s unlikely thatJames Cameronknew what sort of success he had on his hands. Uniting a powerful cast that includedArnold Schwarzenegger,Linda Hamilton,Edward Furlong, andRobert Patrick,T2surpassed the original 1984 film in nearly every way — completely blowing expectations out of the water for audiences and critics alike. Still considered by some to be the greatest action flick of all time,Judgment Dayspawneda plethora of sequels and imitationsthat never quite lived up to the original. One of these very “sequels” came from the mind of James Cameron himself in the form of the Universal Studios theme park attraction,T2-3D: Battle Across Time. Yes, it was real, and it interfered with Cameron’s entire continuity.
What Is ‘T2-3D: Battle Across Time’ Anyway?
It’s hard to believe that a theme park like Universal Studios could conjure up such a blockbuster filmmaker to helm their next big attraction, but that’s exactly what Universal did with James Cameron forBattle Across Time. Framed asa continuation ofTerminator 2, it was the theme park’s (and, by extension, the studio’s) idea to “integrate a film show with a live show,” as Cameron himself put it inThe Making of Terminator 2-3D: Battle Across Time. This meant that an entire short film was made forBattle Across Time,reuniting Cameron with his four principal cast members fromJudgment Day.This also meant a live show team would exist in Universal Studios itself, playing the same characters audiences just saw on the screen. It took Cameron and his crew three weeks of night shoots in the Arizona desert to put together the immersive 12-minute short, which cost $24 million to bring to life (viaOrlando Sentinel). Constructing a massive Future War set,Battle Across Timebecame the closest thing we got to seeing Cameron’s vision of the dark Skynet-ruled future at the very center of the story.
As far as the story is concerned,the plot ofBattle Across Timepicks up not too long afterT2, presumably a year later per the 1996 release date (thoughJudgment Daywas released in 1991, the film takes place in 1995.) As Sarah and John infiltrate a Cyberdyne Systems lab with full intentions of blowing it to kingdom come, a T-1000 arrives in the past to ensure Skynet’s future. Just then, Schwarzenegger’s T-800 returns, rescues John, and brings him forward through time where they escape the liquid metal Terminator and take the fight to Skynet. Upon entering the pyramid-shaped central control, it’s discovered that Skynet is guarded by a massive liquid metal Terminator called the T-1000000. First sending John back to the present 90s with his mother, the T-800 proceeds to sacrifice itself to destroy the computer program and save not just the past but ending the Future War as well. Sarah’s final narration echoes that ofTerminator 2, in which she notes that she owes the Terminator her life for saving her son and the world.
This Mini-Sequel Recaptures the Magic of ‘Judgment Day’
There’s no denying thatT2-3D: Battle Across Timemanages to recapture some of the magic of James Cameron’s first twoTerminatorfilms. These movies, despite taking place in the past (1984 and 1995, respectively,) always focused on the fate of humanity in the future. Running with this theme, Cameron and company (which includedJohn Brunoand the infamousStan Winston, who served as his co-director) expertly crafted a story with immense fan service. We had long seen flashbacks of Kyle Reese’s (Michael Biehn) time in the future, just like the opening sequence ofT2, which offered us a picture of what John Connor would become. But never had we seen our present-day heroes interact with the Future War themselves.Battle Across Timeoffers us a chance to see the Future War in all its chaos, and how our heroes might engage in mortal combat against Skynet itself.
Not only doesBattle Against Timefollow the themes ofJudgment Day, butthe characters continue to feel like natural progressions of themselves. Sarah and Johnhave continued the present-day war against Skynet, hoping to stop the artificial intelligence from ever being born. The T-1000 is as threatening as ever and the T-800, well, he’s learned a few more jokes since he lowered himself into the vat of molten lava. Technically, this T-800 isn’t the same one we knew from before, but if Sarah and John really did change parts of the future, perhaps this Terminator was sent back by a future John to ensure present John was comfortable with the machine after his previous adventures.
Beyond just the short film itself, there was plenty to love about the entireT2-3D: Battle Across Timeattraction as well. Though the last one closed in 2020, theTerminator-inspired theater contained memorials to the fallen Miles Dyson (Joe Morton), a brief cameo from Dr. Silberman (Earl Boen), and plenty of Cyberdyne T-series models that have yet to be fully operational. The full production itself (which can still be viewed on YouTube) is very impressive. The waythe live show integrates seamlessly with the motion picture eventwas well-planned by Cameron and his crew, and might even giveWaterworld: A Live Sea War Spectaculara run for its money. (Okay,Waterworldis still incredible, but thisTerminatorattraction certainly gave fans everything and more.)
James Cameron Broke His Own Time Travel Rules With ‘Battle Across Time’
While long-timeTerminatorfans have often consideredBattle Across Timeto be the “true” sequel toTerminator 2, there’s one glaring plot hole that so many have struggled to forgive. In standardTerminatorlore,time travel works in a uniquely unfortunate way. Whenever someone issent back to the past from the Future War, they are sent back completely naked and nothing dead can enter the time portal, which means that only living creatures can pass.No clothes, no boots, and certainly no motorcycles (not to mention shotguns) would be able to survive the journey through time. The only reason Terminators can go through at all is because of the simulated flesh they wear on their person. This is why both Kyle Reese and Schwarzenegger’s Terminator arrived naked in the past, helping these movies secure their standard “R” ratings.
WithBattle Across Time,James Cameron either forgot this distinct time-traveling feature or elected to ignore it. As the T-800 jumps back through time to the present, he does so fully clothed, riding a motorcycle. Likewise, when he pulls John back to the future with him, both action heroes make it to the Future War with all their clothes still on. This might seem like a small and silly detail, one that doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. But any die-hardTerminatorfan (such as this author) knows better. We know that time travel means clothes are ripped apart, and mechanics like vehicles and weapons are shredded, with only the naked bodies of our heroes making it through. That’s the way it’s always been, and the way, according to the original film, it should be. Perhaps it sounds ridiculous, but there’s a practical and story-based reason why this is the case.
The 10 Most Rewatchable Arnold Schwarzenegger Movies, Ranked
I totally recall these movies being great.
If time travel in theTerminatorfranchise allowed the traveler to go backwards or forwards at will, and with any object on their person, what’s to stop Skynet from sending back an army of Terminators? Why would the A.I. settle with simply ruling the future? Clearly, by helping invent time travel, the artificial intelligence hadsomethingit wanted to change. It’s possible that Skynet was hoping to use this technology to change the entire outcome of the war, not just by assassinating John Connor as a boy or in the womb, but by securing its own existence.Terminator: The Sarah Connor ChroniclesandTerminator: Genisyswould elaborate a bit on this idea, but without the living tissue limitation, Skynet would be all-powerful. No doubt, a “family-friendly” attraction such asT2-3D: Battle Across Timewouldn’t be allowed to exist at Universal Studios with a naked Eddie Furlong or Arnold Schwarzenegger running around, but at least it would be internally consistent with the lore of the franchise.
‘Battle Across Time’ Might Not Be Canon, but Was a Welcome James Cameron Follow-up
All of that aside,Battle Across Timehas often been praised by fans as a return to form for the franchise, and, as James Cameron’s final directorial contribution,the best send-off as an official third Cameron-directed picture wasn’t in the cards. ThoughTerminator 3: Rise of the Machinescontinued the saga with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Edward Furlong was recast and Linda Hamilton was killed off. Other installments have often been considered lackluster by general audiences (though each has its own merits,) with other films, shows, video games, and comic books all taking a crack at the story. It wasn’t until 2019’sTerminator: Dark Fatethat Cameron would be involved again from a story perspective as the film’s producer, reuniting himself once more with Schwarzenegger, Hamilton, and albeit briefly, even Furlong.
It’s no secret thatDark Fatewas as big a disappointment as any of the other film continuations (even causing Hamilton to turn her back on the series for good), thus pivoting the franchise in a new direction. While fans rightfully still fawn overT2: Battle Across Time,there are still other stories in theTerminatoruniverse waiting to be told. The upcoming video gameTerminator: Survivorsis set to follow a band of humans in a post-Judgment Day world before John Connor builds his Resistance. Likewise, Netflix’sTerminator Zerotakes the franchise to Japan for a stand-alone story set in the days leading up to the originalJudgment Day. Just asAlienandPredatorhave had to reinvent themselves to stay alive this long,Terminatoris now also attempting the same. Here’s hopingJames Cameron’s next potentialTerminatorprojectgoesback to the franchise’s horror rootsand recaptures the magic ofThe Terminatorthe same wayBattle Across Timedid withTerminator 2.
Terminator 2: Judgment Dayis available to stream on Paramount+.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Watch on Paramount+
