Read the original article in French here.

John Connor is still a teenager. His mother, Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), has become an extraordinarily determined woman, convinced that a war between humanity and the machines is inevitable. A new machine, the T-1000 (Robert Patrick), is sent back in time to eliminate John.

The T-1000 is far more advanced than the original Terminator: it can change its shape and make its way through virtually any obstacle. It remains one of the film’s most groundbreaking visual effects. Arnold Schwarzenegger, meanwhile, is given a very different mission: to protect John at all costs. The relationship between the young boy and the Terminator gradually becomes the emotional heart of the film. John teaches him, among other things, what it means to be human, while the Terminator becomes something of a father figure.

Why T2 is still exceptional

The film was released in 1991 and went on to win four Academy Awards. Its visual effects, particularly those used to create the T-1000, marked a turning point in the history of cinema.

But what continues to work so well today is its remarkably subtle blend of spectacular action, science fiction, humor and emotion, enhanced by Brad Fiedel’s excellent score and, above all, the chemistry between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Edward Furlong. The famous scene in which John explains to the Terminator that he needs to learn not to kill still gives the character a surprisingly human dimension.

Why see it again in theaters in 2026?

This is not simply an old print being brought back to the big screen. The film returns fully remixed in 4K RealD 3D, with premium formats including 4DX and D-BOX available in select theaters. The 3D version uses StudioCanal’s restoration and 3D conversion. There is even a rather fun addition: James Cameron’s original audio commentary, previously available only on DVD and Blu-ray editions, can now be accessed in select theaters through the TheaterEars system. In it, Cameron explains, among other things, how the T-1000’s groundbreaking effects were created.

If you loved Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1980s and ’90s, go see it—or go see it again. On the big screen, the film retains a power that television simply cannot fully reproduce: the chases, the explosions, the truck, the T-1000 and, above all, the soundtrack take on an entirely different dimension. And it is rather fitting that this theatrical rerelease falls around August 29, the date of “Judgment Day” in the Terminator timeline.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s next film will be something entirely different—and considerably more peaceful—a family movie for the holiday season. The Man with the Bag is a Christmas comedy starring Alan Ritchson alongside Schwarzenegger himself. The story revolves around the theft of Santa Claus’s magical bag. Santa must enlist the help of a former thief, played by Ritchson, to get it back. The film will be released on Prime Video in the United States on December 2, 2026. A release date for France has not yet been announced.

B.C.