Analysis of Terminator 2:

Judgement Day Opening

Credits
By Zermina Toghey
The film starts off with a long shot of a Los
Angles highway, so far everything seems
normal and nothing extraordinary has
happened.

The production company is The non- diegetic sound in the background

named. is melancholy and slow.
 The camera shows people’s
everyday lives and then moves
on to a playground, where we
can hear the laughter of
children.

The non-diegetic
melancholy music is
still in the The camera focus’ on this girl swinging
background in sync back and forth. She is shown as enjoying
with the girl’s herself because she is laughing.
laughter.
The shot here
has the special
effect of
negative.

Once it turns negative the sounds of the

laughter have faded and so has the
melancholy music, it is replaced by a
“swash’’ sound.
 This leaves the audience
wondering ‘what is going to happen
next?’

The volume of the “swash” sound increases

and as it does a blank screen appears.
 There is complete silence, apart
from some diegetic “cranky’’
sounds.

The camera then focuses on a skeleton

body in a car. Skull an element of thriller
genre
Dark colours connote the Camera begins to explore the
thriller genre. state of the damage.

Mirrors the highway shown at the

beginning of the extract. Shows us the time change
Skulls show
death which
is an element
of the thriller
genre

Camera continues to explore

the scene We are shown the same
playground again after its
damage.
 Skulls suggest death
Woman begins to
which is associate with
narrate.
the thriller genre

Close up of skull Dark only natural lighting another

element of thriller genre
 We become aware that this is
a sub genre of thriller : Sci-Fi
Thriller as we see the robots
foot.

The crush of the skull suggests to the

audience of the friction between humans
and machines.
 Audience are still not
shown its face. This
makes them more
curious.

We are shown war imagery, The camera begins to look

to suggest there is a conflict up at the machine, to show
going on. the weakness of humans and
emphasise its height and
strength.
 Another sci-fi
war imagery of
shot behind the
robot
Weapon
suggest there
is a ongoing
conflict.

Once we are shown it’s face

the camera is still looking up
to it. Again this is to show that
it has more power over us.
More shots
in the
background

Another type of machine is shown. Camera is looking up to it to

emphasise its power.
 More
explosions in
the
background

First sign of human life

His costume suggests
to us that this is a war
between the machines
and humans
We are shown an extreme long shot to
Again camera is
see the different sides
looking up to the
machines to show their
strength
We are aware that this person is
going to have a flashback
First name to be
shown on the screen Explosive background.
 Non-diegetic music in the
background is melancholy

Title of movie revealed

 Music continues to play

Once again we see the same

playground we were shown at the start
of the movie. This shows us that this
explosion was what caused the damage
that we were shown before.
 Music continues to play

Shows us the swing that the

Camera explores the setting girl at the start was
swinging on enjoying
herself now burning.
Camera is still exploring the scene

Music continues to play

Imitates image shown when
the character was having a
flashback.
Music becomes fast paced.
James Cameron is
mentioned again

Close up of machines face.

Closes with the piercing stare of the
machine.