TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY ANALYSIS

The title sequence for Terminator 2: Judgement day includes a range of different media techniques in order to signify or to create an enigma code. Close ups and extreme close ups have been used in order to suggest that the machine is the face of evil. It also makes you focus on the eyes as they are dominant and menacing as well as inhuman and futuristic. The slow movement makes the audience focus on what is in the scene and so you are able to notice the enigma codes. It also creates a mysterious effect and creates a contrast between the title sequence and the genre of the film, which is an action-thriller film. The colours used in the title sequence are red, orange and yellow.

This implies that danger and that it will occur a lot during the film and gives the suggestion to the genre of the film. The black silhouettes of the children’s playground can signify evil and so with the flames this implies that evil is going to destroy and kill. The diagetic sounds of the flames add to the title sequence as it reinforces the idea of destruction and danger. The non-diegetic music sets the tone and creates an ominous, tense and emotional atmosphere. It also has a heavy and metallic sound which suggests that they film is going to be action-packed. This gives the audience an idea of how the Terminator is built and so would suggest that the beginning of the film was when the Terminator was made.

The pace of editing is very slow and so this would also allow the audience to focus on what is happening in the scene as well as creating an eerie atmosphere. The use of special effects for the fire and smoke suggests evil and death. By showing the fire raging out of control, this implies that evil is destructive and dominant. The font used for the titles is futuristic and this creates an enigma code as it makes the audience question why crushed metal and things from the future are so important. Set and location is important within this title sequence as the audience may question why the playground is on fire. By using a playground, the location suggests that innocence is being destroyed as the fire represents the destruction and death.

Innocence is represented by the children’s playground because children are seen as innocent and so within the film it appears that evil is killing the innocent. Setting the title sequence during the night-time makes the location and scene appear more sinister and menacing. Using a dissolve transition effect, this maintains the slow pace of the sequence which creates and maintains the eerie atmosphere.


The 'Terminator 2: Judgement Day' title sequence has been influential to our title sequence as we liked the slow pace of edit for some of the scenes as it makes it appear mysterious and builds suspense. It also made us think about the different transitions that we could use within our own title sequence.