Why 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day' Still Holds Up After 25 Years

The problem with sequels is that they're forced to juggle the task of being a stand-alone story while simultaneously building off the success of their predecessors. Capturing the same feeling of another film and trying to expand upon it without alienating audiences is a feat that few filmmakers have ever accomplished - and coming across a sequel that actually eclipses its inspiration is even rarer. The first Terminator movie was, in many ways, an '80s slasher flick. Released during the height of the genre's popularity, the film focuses on a young woman fleeing from a seemingly unstoppable force. In all honesty, it's a bit generic: the sci-fi setting gives the film a slightly different feel, but the film never truly sheds its genre baggage. When Terminator 2: Judgment Day was released nearly 10 years later, many moviegoers were expecting more of the same - but that's not what they got.