For me Terminator 1 was arguably the best, the darkest, and the most ruthlessly terrible. It would be the best if it wasn't made so long ago with ancient technology, but the performing arts from everyone in that movie was really well done in my opinion. It was very realistic. Terminator 2 can also arguably be the best, because of its technology, but I mean I don't even reckon that Edward Furlong who played John Connor was the best John Connor out of them all, he was whiny and annoying. He was okay, but I much preferred the ones in part 3 & 4. Sarah Connor in part 2 as much as people loved her character, was more one-dimensional terrible-a$ $ , which is cool I guess, but I personally believe she was better in part 1. Arnold always does pretty much the same excellent job and saves the movie.
See the thing is, EVERYONE hails the first two, especially the second, and they deserve it, but the latter movies, also contain things in them which really really ADD to the franchise.
Especially if you see these movies for the first time in your life. I rewatched the entire series a few days ago from part 1 to salvation (and I saw salvation for the first time), and I'll say this: All of them had things unique to add to the table, and neither ONE movie was "the best," I really got quite bored with 2 to be honest with you. Because of all the hype and then when you see it you're like, yeah..it's fantastic and all, but the others don't SUCK compared to this….so what's up w/ppl?
I reckon people are missing Linda Hamilton, the original cast, and the music, and the tone of the movies, and just ….the storyline, all of that and despise on the latter flicks more or less because they don't include the same ol' we've seen in the first T movies.
Terminator 3, in my opinion was non-stop action, and I believe had even more than T2 did in its continuous motion. It was the most amusing movie of all of them, with the most humor, even if unintentional. Claire Danes, was just amusing, because it seemed like she was this innocent girl that just …didn't want any part of anything (heck even being in a terminator flick, lol)< and her screaming and crying nearly, especially in the truck, was hysterical. "Just d9e you b9tch!"
Nick Stahl did a fantastic job as Connnor, and later on Christian Bale really DOES look like a developed up version of nick stahl. they did pretty well with the casting of the john connors, and I'll say that ..Nick Stahl delivered a much better performance than both Edward Furlong or Christian Bale did. Edward was okay, and smart for his age, but way too whiney, I don't know why for the life of me people loved that performance more than the others, and Christian Bale was rather emotionless/ruthless, and lacked the creature empathy that he possessed in the earlier flicks, and heck,..was even "less" creature than his half creature half-cyborg counterpart, Marcus ( who in my opinion delievered a much better performance, and I nearly had a tear in my eye when he died).
Linda Hamilton is just incredible, and it sucks that she wasn't in the latter movies,but I believe that they did alot they could, provided that the actors didn't want to do the flicks. They included them in dialogue, tapes, pictures, even Arnold's face was used in Salvation.
T3 was entertaining, and a pretty worthy follow-up to the first two, even though yes they could have done more with it and it sucks that Sarah connor "died" but...it's not a terrible movie by any means, and Salvation, is THE ONLY movie right now that focuses completely on the future (minus the first few minutes) and also offers some very convincing performing arts and fantastic characters. The guy who played Kyle Reese was fantastic, as was Helena Bonham Carter in a very small but really well played role. The action was terrific!
I personally liked all of them, but don't reckon that the first two were vastly superior to the latter ones at all.
So why all the despise?
they're not that terrible at all!
Perhaps because I walked into them with no expectations...
If anything, yes I liked Linda Hamilton the most arguably,and Arnold,..it's a tie,..and if they ever brought back cameos from the others that would be fine too. Salvation was a decent movie, but in my opinion had the weakest casting. Bale as Connor worked but, his performance wasn't the best, and his wife...I don't know...Claire Danes as miscast as people said she was, delivered a much more real, creature, and amusing performance, which was entertaining to watch. The other girl, who played kate in salvation was okay but..in no way superior.
I liked all of them.
That is very right the first two movies, they were more scary and less amusing, but even the humor adds to it. It depends I guess what you're looking to get out of the movie. The Terminatrix did an incredible job too. I mean she really did. Fantastic part.
I don't know, I really loved all of them.