Terminator 2: Judgement Day (Cameron, 1991, USA) Analysis

Film Title:
The film title is portrayed to the audience as some sort of mechanical shutter closing at force to reveal the title, the sound it makes suggests that it is metallic having connatations to robots, but then you see light flames emerge giving referals to war and chaos with these robots, as a result the audience are inquisitive to know whats going to happen next and therefore they are drawn in by the title.

Setting/Location:
In the opening sequences you can see a motorway full of cars and traffic suggesting to the audience an extent of innocence because all the civilians are just carrying out their everyday lives and they themselves dont know whats going to happen next giving a link to those cars and the audience as they are both in the same situation. You then see a child on a swing in what seems to be a park looking happy and once again innocent, but, the frame then changes colour to a blue shade of colour representing that this was a flashback. This flashback is then cut to a broken car with a carcus in it with a little title sayin Los Angeles 2029ad, telling the audience that the film is set in a well known location but it also shows the audience the contrast of life from before and after. A Change from tranquil to chaos.

Costumes/Props:
In the beginning the characters are seen wearing normal every day clothes but after that flashback you see naked robots with unfamiliar guns and weapons and humans in army type clothing and guns, helmets an goggles. This immediately tells the audience that this is a war and this state of war is emphasised when a man walks through a lobby of soldiers and each soldiers rushes to salute the man, showing the audience that this man is of great importance as he is their leader. It is also made to look like it is in the future by the robots war machines (being planes and tanks) have a chrome finish allowing the audience to distinguish who is who. This same futuristic portayal is also made clear by he robots weapons shooting out red beams which is unfamiliar to the audience and as aresult this put them on edge as this is something they havent seen before, giving them a sense of fear and isolation.

Editing/Camera Work:
The first effectie shot you see is the close up of the children on the swings as this emphasises the happiness and innocence, this then changes to a blue colour, this editing is also effective as it tells the audience that this a flash back, it is something that has happend in the past. The following shot is just as effective as it is a close up of a car with a carcus in it, this gives an immediate contrast between what we have seen to the carcus, there is then a pan to show the location and you see a broken down pair of swings showing once again the change from happiness to negativity.

How The Opening Sequence Sets Up The Story:
The opening sequence sets up the story as it tells the audience that this war with the robots has happend unexpectedly leading to mass death, and only a resistance remains lead by one man who believe the robots can be defeated. It also put the audience on edge as it would seen to anybody watching that the odds are against the remaining humans and as a result this makes the viewers interested to see how things turn out and who becomes victorious in the war.

Genre:
The genre is action and the opening sequence makes this apparent by having conventions and stereotypes of an action film like, guns, explosions, combat and war.