The first one is better
I'm sorry, but yeah. The only thing this one has better, are the visuals. The first one had a very dark tone, and Arnie was really awesome. I loved T2, but the first one was better.
Godzilla for the Win!
I just finished viewing both films directly after each other. In my opinion Terminator 2 - Judgement Day is a superior movie, and one of, if not the best action movie of all time.
To start, it has more depth in its screenplay -- in terms of character development, story, as well as pacing. The build-up of John, his mother and the Terminator's relationship is largely responsible of why these two films are on a different level in terms of writing. In T2 I also felt a closer link with the characters, which gave a sense of vulnerability and sympathy towards them as the film progressed.
The music is better written, with better harmonies (not that there were many in either film to begin with), some brief moments of counterpoint can be heard, and it also sounds better in terms of sound engineering and production. Here are both main themes for example, one can decide for themselves which sounds more favourable. t1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVw9BKd6HVU . t2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrmGnNo_DIU .
Sound engineering and editing sounds updated in the second film, especially with weaponry and explosion sounds.
The cinematography is severely better in the second film, with a lot of variation of lights, warmth and cold tones to suit various moods; while with the first one, in which they did a good job in establishing the tone, using a smoky and low-light setting, but it ultimately lacks diversity and doesn't bring any photographic variety to the characters and surroundings, as in the second film where it's constantly addressing what is happening. It is also overall aesthetically more pleasing.
Special effects is a no-brainer to compare (if one thinks that is pertinent).
Lastly: the direction. It is as if T2 (and probably Aliens) was James Cameron's graduation movies of cementing himself in Hollywood. T2 had a more refined presentation, and it felt like Cameron had holistically developed his directorial skills by a stretch. What bothered me a lot in the first film was that the shots were often quite upfront, repetitive, and the space around the sets felt closed, without utilizing wider shots and area. Almost as if they didn't have the budget to show off the sets -- but it is also understandable as the scenography were vastly differently funded in the two films. T1 budget = $6.4 million, T2 = $102 million.
Both are entertaining films, but if directly compared to each other, category by category, they are on different levels, imho. Just my 2 cents..