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five-day holiday weekend (Wednesday to Sunday), Terminator 2 grossed $52.3
million, becoming the second-highest opening five-day total ever behind Batman
' s $57 million in 1989, [108] [116] [117] It set a record opening for an
R-rated film and for an Independence Day weekend. The opening week audience
was evenly split between adults, teenagers, and children, about 25%–30% of
whom were women, although TriStar said the figure was higher. The film
benefited from repeat viewings by young audience members. [118] One theater
chain executive said: "... nothing since Batman has created the frenzy for
tickets we saw this weekend with Terminator . At virtually all our locations,
we are selling out ... the word-of-mouth buzz out there is just phenomenal".
[108] Industry professional Lawrence Kasanoff said it was an "open secret"
that despite the R rating, children were seeing the film, remarking "When T2
opened, I saw kids skateboard up to the ticket window ..." [119] It retained
the number-one position in its second weekend, grossing $20.7 million, ahead
of the debuts of One Hundred and One Dalmatians ($10.3 million) and Boyz n the
Hood ($10 million), [120] and in its third weekend with $14.9 million, ahead
of Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey ($10.2 million) and One Hundred and One
Dalmatians ($7.8 million). [121] Terminator 2: Judgment Day fell to number two
in its fifth weekend, grossing $8.6 million against the debut of the comedy
Hot Shots! ($10.8 million). [116] [122] It remained in the top-five highest-
grossing films for twelve consecutive weeks and the top-ten highest-grossing
films for fifteen weeks. In total, Terminator 2: Judgment Day spent about
twenty-six weeks in theaters in a total of 2,495 cinemas, and grossed $204.8
million, making it the highest-grossing film of the year, ahead of Robin Hood:
Prince of Thieves ($165 million), Beauty and the Beast ($145 million), and The
Silence of the Lambs ($130 million). [p] This also made it the thirteenth-
highest-grossing film of its time, behind Back to the Future (1985), and the
highest-grossing R-rated film. [4] [127] The Los Angeles Times estimated after
the theater and distributor cuts, the box-office returns to Carolco would be
well over twenty percent of the film's cost. [128] Outside the U.S. and
Canada, Terminator 2: Judgment Day set numerous box office records. In the
United Kingdom it had a record three-day opening weekend of $4.4 million (and
a one-week record of $7.8 million) and went on to gross at least $30 million.
[127] [129] [130] In France it grossed a record $9.5 million in its opening
week (the biggest opening since Rocky IV ) and $16 million in two weeks. [127]
[131] In Germany it grossed a record $8 million in five days [127] and also
had a record Australian opening weekend of $1.9 million. [132] [133] [134] In
Thailand it was the highest-grossing western-hemisphere film ever with a gross
of $1.2 million. [130] The film also performed well in Brazil and grossed at
least $51 million in Japan. [127] Internationally, the film grossed about
$312.1 million, making it the first film to gross over $300 million outside of
the U.S. and Canada. [135] [136] Terminator 2: Judgment Day is estimated to
have grossed a worldwide total of $519–$520.9 million, [q] [r] making it the
year's highest-grossing film, and the third-highest-grossing film ever, behind
1977's Star Wars ($530 million) and 1982's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ($619
million). [136] [138] Reception [ edit ] Critical response [ edit ] Terminator
2: Judgment Day was released to general acclaim. [s] Many reviews focused on
the state-of-the-art physical, special, and make-up effects, which were
roundly praised as "revolutionary" and "spectacular", particularly those
relating to the T-1000 as a "technological wonder". [t] Several publications
wrote Cameron's ability to realize cinematic action blockbusters was
unmatched. Janet Maslin said at his best, despite occasional lapses into
melodrama, Cameron's work is akin to that of director Stanley Kubrick . [u]
Both Maslin and The Austin Chronicle commented on the kindness and compassion
in the film. The Austin Chronicle contrasted it to the lack of a moral message
in The Terminator and Travers described it as a "visionary parable" but they,
alongside others, criticized Terminator 2 ' s "muddled" message about
protecting the value of human life and peace by using extreme violence to
prevent the use of nuclear weapons, war, and technological reliance. [v]
Reviewers generally agreed the narrative early in the film is stronger than
the one near the end. Owen Gleiberman said the first hour has a genuine
"emotional pull" and according to Roger Ebert , the initial concept of a boy
finding a father figure in a Terminator that is learning to be human is
"intriguing", but Gleiberman said the narrative weakens once Hamilton's
character joins the group. Travers and Corliss wrote it stumbles after hours
of relentless action and a "conventional climax". Despite this observation,
Gleiberman praised the final battle between the T-1000 and the protagonists.
[w] Empire ' s review and Terrence Rafferty found the film's narrative less
satisfying and idea-driven than that of The Terminator . Gleiberman said
despite it being an effective and witty thriller, Terminator 2: Judgment Day
comes across as an expensive B movie when compared with "visionary spectacles"
such as the Mad Max series and RoboCop (1987). Kenneth Turan said Terminator 2
' s action scenes succeed without the extreme gore and violence of RoboCop .
[x] Ebert and Maslin, among others, appreciated the twist on Schwarzenegger's
public action-hero persona by making him a hero who does not kill his enemies.
David Ansen and Glieberman found humor in the T-800's non-lethal methods and
efforts to become more human-like. [y] Maslin and Hinson agreed, as in The
Terminator , Schwarzenegger's role is perfect for his acting abilities. Hinson
said Schwarzenegger portrayed more humanity as a machine than he did when
portraying normal people. [144] [150] In contrast, Empire suggested the change
was a concession to Schwarzenegger's young fans and Peter Travers chose the
T-800's death as a "cornball" scene that is out of place for the actor and
film. [146] [149] Several reviewers praised the T-1000 character for the
combination of Patrick's "chilling" expressionless performance and the
advanced special effects, which create an implacable, "showstopping" villain.
Empire called the character "one of the great monsters of the cinema". [z]
Gleiberman said the character's absence from much of the film's second act is
to the film's detriment, and Hinson wrote the T-1000 lacks any "soul" and thus
a way for the audience to identify with it. [143] [150] Critics generally
agreed Hamilton portrays a "fierce" female hero with an impressive physique
that lets her outshine another action hero, Sigourney Weaver 's Ellen Ripley
in Cameron's Aliens (1986). [aa] Other publications found Sarah Connor's
narrations about peace to be "heavy-handed", overused, and "unintentionally
amusing". [ab] Furlong was praised for giving a natural performance at a young
age, [ac] and Hinson wrote despite limited screentime, Morton made an
impression. [150] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average
grade of "A+" on a scale of A+ to F. [154] Accolades [ edit ] At the 1992
Saturn Awards , Terminator 2: Judgment Day received awards for Best Science
Fiction Film , Best Director (Cameron), Best Actress (Hamilton), Best
Performance by a Younger Actor (Furlong), and Best Special Effects , as well