When Terminator 2: Judgment Day was released, it was a blockbuster to end all other blockbusters—the most expensive movie of all time that actually lived up to its price tag. It was the kind of movie that, if it was made today, would have been the subject of thousands upon thousands of bullshit internet articles that could’ve totally changed how audiences perceived it.
But in 1991, years before the internet, hot takes, or trailer breakdowns, James Cameron’s highly-anticipated sequel used a mix of secrecy and surprise to slyly set the tone for blockbusters years down the road. It was a movie that could only be made in that time, but looked ahead to what would come as well.