One of the biggest selling points of Terminator Salvation was its claim to be the first film to move The Terminator onto a future battlefield (in the first three Terminator films, the future war between humans and machines existed only as background). But that simply isn’t true. In fact, as early as 1996, the great James Cameron, father of The Terminator, personally filmed the true future battle of the Terminator series. It was T2 3-D: Battle Across Time.
T2 3-D: Battle Across Time isn’t simply a 3D movie, but an entertainment attraction combining a live interactive game, a stage show, and a 3D film (actually 4D). Apparently, there were only three places in the world where you could see it (basically Universal Studios parks in the United States and Japan), which is why its name among fans is far less familiar than that of the other mainline Terminator films.
After completing this 3D version, James Cameron never again took personal charge of the great series he had created. Once the captain left the helm, the series started going off course with the third film. Fortunately, in a sense, James Cameron had already given us the real ending of the Terminator series through T2 3-D: Battle Across Time. For James Cameron himself, and for fans who love the first two Terminator films, the series already had no regrets left by this point. As for the third and fourth films and the spin-offs that came later, let’s just treat them as fan fiction and let them do whatever they want.
When I was traveling in Los Angeles last summer (this article was written in 2009), I was lucky enough to see T2 3-D: Battle Across Time at Universal Studios.
The attraction is presented as a tour of Cyberdyne Systems Corporation (the company that would later create Skynet). The live interactive game begins as soon as you enter the company lobby. A female guide from Skynet introduces visitors to Cyberdyne’s achievements. Then the giant screen in the lobby starts playing a corporate promotional video, naturally presenting a rosy vision of humanity’s future life with the help of robot technology while advertising the company’s own products. It is skillfully shot in that warm, moving style so characteristic of American public-service announcements. Halfway through, the giant screen suddenly goes black. It turns out John Connor has hacked into the company’s system. John Connor and Sarah Connor appear on the screen, warning everyone to leave because they are about to blow up Cyberdyne. Then the picture returns to normal.
Once we leave the lobby and enter the theater, the stage show begins. The guide continues explaining the company, and we see Sarah Connor break in. At that moment, a new T-1000 also arrives in pursuit. At the crucial moment, a new T-800 appears and carries John into the future. Only then does the 3D film segment begin (actually 4D: the theater seats rock with the action, and naturally there are also realistic effects such as wind, rain, and smoke). The 3D film segment isn’t presented entirely on the giant screens, either. The climactic showdown with Skynet’s core, T-one billion, is completed with the help of the stage performance. The 3D film is shown across three giant screens, and the effect is genuinely astonishing.
Below is the full version of T2 3-D: Battle Across Time, edited together by a netizen from footage gathered through various channels. They put a lot of care into it. The 3D film segment is remarkably clear and well worth watching:
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