The alternate ending of Terminator 2, with old Sarah Connor, seems to me creppy and ridiculous, and also the alternate ending of Titanic, another ridiculous ending, it looks like a comedy moment with Rose throwing the diamond and all the crew begging her not to throw it, good thing Cameron didn't put it, otherwise it would ruin how good the movie was.
@MrGriff305 Huh? In the theatrical, we have no reason to think the aliens are hostile at all, but the nuclear warhead's detonation would give them a reason to be. That's pretty massive stakes and threat to humanity. But honestly the possibility of destroying sentient creatures just as collateral damage in the Cold War is stakes enough. The fact that they were already plotting humanity's genocide in the theatrical kind of lessens that aspect.
Love the alternate ending because I understand Cold War history - and it's not like James Cameron went "back" to add this story, it was always there, and I appreciate it, because this movie was made in 1988, which was nearing the end of the Cold War. Yes, came out in 89, but if you know anything about the Cold War, it makes this alternate ending incredibly important to the overall storytelling. I think you may have missed a mark here
@@DannyDelorean but I also think people not versed in Cold War history will absolutely hate this movie unapologetically, despite the fact these scenes are brilliant considering the time it came out
@@thedaywerevolt I like it but not just because the special edition shows a different ending I like it because the special edition has way more scenes with all the characters. The movies a slow burn and it’s nice when you watch the original release so much feels left out.
I just watched the short version and it feels completely crippled. I truly like the idea of humans having to finally grow up a little. It may not be the most realistic but it feels good. And without that sequence, the scene with Bud and the aliens feels very short, rushed. There's definitely enough mystery left. Hate it, don't watch it. No problem. Leave it for guys like me ( :
Not just that the rest of the movie feels incomplete the special edition adds in more scenes with all the characters. There’s one scene where Coffee is telling the crew to get back to work and the crew stands up to him. It’s a scene that adds to his character showing he’s loosing control.
Thank you. I could not agree with you more. I loved the ongoing mystery of aliens in the abyss and didn’t need some heavy handed explanation. Hopefully the original theatrical release version still exists!
I completely agree that the special edition ending isn't good. It's cheesy, too on-the-nose, and Alan Silvestri didn't write the score for it. It feels very out-of-place. So, the aliens don't want us to kill each other, but they're willing to kill every one of us to prove it?! Also, are we supposed to believe that the aliens didn't already know that love and sacrifice exists and that it does so between millions of people on Earth? The entire subplot about WWIII needs to be scrapped. A lot of the new footage which builds upon the characters is good, though.
Always funny how taste differs, i absolutly adore the alternte ending. May be because it was the version i originally saw first and the shortenend version always felt lacking to me. As for the "dickmove" i mean we are glady ignoring Climate Change... so a Alien Race making a "OR ELSE" flex does seem like something we actually would need to do more then talk.
I just saw the Special Edition 4k Restoration, 171 mins at a theatre, ans it was phenomenal! I didnt feel the time at all, and i much prefer the anti-nuke message.
I agree with you. I watched this as a kid. I think it is a much better movie with the mystery of the theatrical cut. It leaves the viewer to contemplate what we couldn't see.
I watched both versions on VHS, widescreen and fullscreen. Much preferred the extended cut every time even at 12 years old. In fact I’m not even sure if I watched the theatrical again after seeing the extended one.
The alternate ending is the theatrical ending, actually. 😂 The original ending ALWAYS was intended to happen, and ILM was working on it but they weren't unable to finish it on time.
You know, it could just be because I saw this ending first, but personally, to me the movie feels so empty without it. I get it, the narrative in it is a bit much, but for me, it just feels so incomplete without it, and I honestly kinda like it, however ham fisted it may be.
I also hate the special edition ending, it turns a great mysterious sci-fi movie into just a cheese Disney movie at the end. It's so stupid, ruined the movie for me, took all the suspense and mystery about the aliens off. Also this version is too long, the original has the perfect running time.
lol that’s funny because the special edition ending was always the plan but Cameron didn’t like how the waves looked and they were out of time and money to fix it so he just completely cut it and then cut everything in the movie that talks about that ending. Later on when the movie got released on DVD the wave scene was touched up and we got the special edition.
Actually, the special edition was released 3 years after the original cut in 1992. With ILM using CGI for the waves, instead of the practical effect Cameron didn't like.
There's something genuine and special about the original cut that I love. I can appreciate the effort to clean things up in the rerelease, but changing the ending ruins the whole movie for me. I can imagine it's hard to show restraint when you have all the tools necessary to make the movie you intended, but sometimes its best to leave those shots on the cutting room floor. George Lucas was the worst with all of his Star Wars editions and reedits.
Personally, I like the alternate ending one better just because it explained a little better of certain things and to me that would’ve worked a little better for the storyline and in the end
It's not an alternate ending, it was THE ENDING. This was clearly Cameron's take on 2001 and The Day the Earth Stood Still and without that it's just aliens with no purpose in a film with no ending.
@@mabusestestament well, yeah it totally has similarities. The difference is that at the end of 2001 (kinda have to refer to the book too) and the Day the Earth Stood Still, war was forcibly removed as an option for the human race. What the Abyss was about was the approach of WWIII and how an alien presence is accidentally threated in the process leading to them raising a 1 mile high tidal wave up to every coastal shore on earth as if to say "do it again and we will drown every last one of you." The theatrical cut sliced *all* of that away, leaving it an empty mess with no ending.
Here’s the story it was the intended ending Cameron this is his own words didn’t like how the cgi waves looked. They were out of time and money to fix it so Cameron cut that entire scene and trimmed all the scenes in the movie that talked about that ending. When the movie was released on DVD that wave scene was touched up and released as a special edition. So there you go it’s not an alternate scene it is the scene the origami is the alternate ending.
@@retronaut8864 Well I wouldn’t call it an empty mess, just less epic and less political and… less preachy? in a reality that arguably made that storyline outdated at the time. With that ending/ third act Cameron basically had a second Cuba Crisis at the core of that original version of the movie, which imo didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Because The Abyss was released in 1989 at the very end of the cold war, while Gorbatchev with his perestroika and glasnost and relaxation and nuclear disarmament had ended the cold war together with Reagan; subsequently 1989 was to be the year the Iron Curtain fell and Eastern Europa communism fell. The idea that in this context we’d get on the brink of nuclear war with the USSR (that itself dissolved only two years later) like that seems a bit… far fetched to say the least. Cameron apparently was a little bit stuck in the early 80s before reality quickly made it outdated.
The original ending bookends the film nicely. Keeps it all at sea. The new ending it’s like starting a whole new movie. Nuclear paranoia was waning in the last 80’s or at least it wasn’t such a novel idea that we were going to destroy ourselves that Cameron had to hit us over the head with it. That being said, I thought the original ending was kind of lame. The same movie probably could have been made without aliens.
I too loath this alternate ending to the film for the simple reason that the message is so pandering and ham-fisted and makes the whole film feel all the more cornier
Yes! In the theatrical its a very serious tone. The only thing corny was the silly music that would play when the aliens were being playful with the crew lol. That music alone moves this movie from a 10 to a 9/10. The alternate ending would slide it to a 7/10
@@mentlinc I give any movie an open mind but if it sucks it sucks .at the end of the day other people may not think so because everybody has an opinion ! Another examples look at rap music it makes billions of dollars I'll never understand that but hey more power to the rap artist but you won't catch me listening to that crap !
@@mentlinc only thing I liked by James Cameron was the original Terminator , Terminator 2 , true lies and maybe from a far far distance Titanic , I could take it or leave it if .that's it . Lately James Cameron's become so arrogant I can't even stand him anymore ! ....
It’s a big block of 🧀 . The aliens didn’t wipe us out because he loved his wife! 🤦♂️ 😂terrible ending. That’s why it was cut. The original ending is not that much better though.
No, the aliens didn't wipe us out because Bud was willing to give his life to save them (and his friends on the rig and ultimately all of mankind). Even after showing him all the horrors they had witnessed, they were still going to give us a chance because of one man's action. That should've been obvious. It was cut because Cameron had to delete scenes to get to a running time requested by the studio. Maybe do some research before stating something like you just did.
It was cut because the studio wanted to keep it to a shorter running time. The directors cut is a far better version and makes so much sense for the time.
@@outpost31mac yeah some people just straight up lack the ability to pay attention and apply critical thinking skills. The alternate ending makes it more explicit that this was mankind coming to the "abyss" i.e. of its existence, and the selfless act by Bud shows the aliens that there's hope for humanity beyond senseless annihilation
@@Dr_Jim57And, the end is where The Abyss "gazes also into you": shows humanity (Bud) a reflection of the horrors of humanity, but also the sacrifice.
Is there an Alternate Ending that you hate?
The alternate ending of Terminator 2, with old Sarah Connor, seems to me creppy and ridiculous, and also the alternate ending of Titanic, another ridiculous ending, it looks like a comedy moment with Rose throwing the diamond and all the crew begging her not to throw it, good thing Cameron didn't put it, otherwise it would ruin how good the movie was.
@MrGriff305 Huh? In the theatrical, we have no reason to think the aliens are hostile at all, but the nuclear warhead's detonation would give them a reason to be. That's pretty massive stakes and threat to humanity.
But honestly the possibility of destroying sentient creatures just as collateral damage in the Cold War is stakes enough.
The fact that they were already plotting humanity's genocide in the theatrical kind of lessens that aspect.
Love the alternate ending because I understand Cold War history - and it's not like James Cameron went "back" to add this story, it was always there, and I appreciate it, because this movie was made in 1988, which was nearing the end of the Cold War. Yes, came out in 89, but if you know anything about the Cold War, it makes this alternate ending incredibly important to the overall storytelling. I think you may have missed a mark here
Probably too young too understand the importance despite your bald held.
@@thedaywerevolt Dude is just giving his opinion. Calm down.
@@DannyDelorean I will be calm.
@@DannyDelorean but I also think people not versed in Cold War history will absolutely hate this movie unapologetically, despite the fact these scenes are brilliant considering the time it came out
@@thedaywerevolt I like it but not just because the special edition shows a different ending I like it because the special edition has way more scenes with all the characters. The movies a slow burn and it’s nice when you watch the original release so much feels left out.
I just watched the short version and it feels completely crippled. I truly like the idea of humans having to finally grow up a little. It may not be the most realistic but it feels good. And without that sequence, the scene with Bud and the aliens feels very short, rushed.
There's definitely enough mystery left.
Hate it, don't watch it. No problem. Leave it for guys like me ( :
Not just that the rest of the movie feels incomplete the special edition adds in more scenes with all the characters. There’s one scene where Coffee is telling the crew to get back to work and the crew stands up to him. It’s a scene that adds to his character showing he’s loosing control.
Thank you. I could not agree with you more. I loved the ongoing mystery of aliens in the abyss and didn’t need some heavy handed explanation. Hopefully the original theatrical release version still exists!
It does. The upcoming 4k Bluray release has both the special edition and the theatrical cut on it 🍻
The alternate ending really would've ruined the ending of a PERFECT movie.
I completely agree that the special edition ending isn't good. It's cheesy, too on-the-nose, and Alan Silvestri didn't write the score for it. It feels very out-of-place. So, the aliens don't want us to kill each other, but they're willing to kill every one of us to prove it?! Also, are we supposed to believe that the aliens didn't already know that love and sacrifice exists and that it does so between millions of people on Earth? The entire subplot about WWIII needs to be scrapped. A lot of the new footage which builds upon the characters is good, though.
They didn't back off because of 'love'
They backed off because Bud's sacrifice moved them.
Always funny how taste differs, i absolutly adore the alternte ending. May be because it was the version i originally saw first and the shortenend version always felt lacking to me. As for the "dickmove" i mean we are glady ignoring Climate Change... so a Alien Race making a "OR ELSE" flex does seem like something we actually would need to do more then talk.
If I remember correctly that is exactly what happens in the remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still.
I just saw the Special Edition 4k Restoration, 171 mins at a theatre, ans it was phenomenal! I didnt feel the time at all, and i much prefer the anti-nuke message.
I agree with you. Was trying to put into words why I prefer the theatrical release but you hit the nail on the head
I agree with you. I watched this as a kid. I think it is a much better movie with the mystery of the theatrical cut. It leaves the viewer to contemplate what we couldn't see.
Yes and the movie aleady has a peace message from the humans risking their lives to disarm the nuke to protect the aliens.
I watched both versions on VHS, widescreen and fullscreen. Much preferred the extended cut every time even at 12 years old. In fact I’m not even sure if I watched the theatrical again after seeing the extended one.
Biehn was the hero in Terminator too
i can see where some didn't like the alternate ending as it basically sees the Cold War come to an abrupt halt.
If you want a good allegory movie nuclear bomb movies go watch godzilla it has a giant radioactive mutated lizard wrecking cities and crap
The alternate ending is the theatrical ending, actually. 😂
The original ending ALWAYS was intended to happen, and ILM was working on it but they weren't unable to finish it on time.
Thank God because that ending kinda sucks. And I have a feeling T2 wouldn't have been so great with their focus on nuclear destruction.
You know, it could just be because I saw this ending first, but personally, to me the movie feels so empty without it. I get it, the narrative in it is a bit much, but for me, it just feels so incomplete without it, and I honestly kinda like it, however ham fisted it may be.
I also hate the special edition ending, it turns a great mysterious sci-fi movie into just a cheese Disney movie at the end. It's so stupid, ruined the movie for me, took all the suspense and mystery about the aliens off. Also this version is too long, the original has the perfect running time.
Yes sir 100%
Your mistaken. It made the Movie a classic.
I totally agree. This extra dialogue of the aliens was bad. Could be as lame as movies todays
By "alternate ending" I guess you mean "original, intended ending".
lol that’s funny because the special edition ending was always the plan but Cameron didn’t like how the waves looked and they were out of time and money to fix it so he just completely cut it and then cut everything in the movie that talks about that ending. Later on when the movie got released on DVD the wave scene was touched up and we got the special edition.
Actually, the special edition was released 3 years after the original cut in 1992. With ILM using CGI for the waves, instead of the practical effect Cameron didn't like.
There's something genuine and special about the original cut that I love. I can appreciate the effort to clean things up in the rerelease, but changing the ending ruins the whole movie for me.
I can imagine it's hard to show restraint when you have all the tools necessary to make the movie you intended, but sometimes its best to leave those shots on the cutting room floor.
George Lucas was the worst with all of his Star Wars editions and reedits.
Couldn't agree more!
Personally, I like the alternate ending one better just because it explained a little better of certain things and to me that would’ve worked a little better for the storyline and in the end
you missed the scene where a guy prank one of the other guy in that scene
It's not an alternate ending, it was THE ENDING. This was clearly Cameron's take on 2001 and The Day the Earth Stood Still and without that it's just aliens with no purpose in a film with no ending.
And his take on Close Encounters Of The Third Kind 🍻
@@mabusestestament well, yeah it totally has similarities. The difference is that at the end of 2001 (kinda have to refer to the book too) and the Day the Earth Stood Still, war was forcibly removed as an option for the human race. What the Abyss was about was the approach of WWIII and how an alien presence is accidentally threated in the process leading to them raising a 1 mile high tidal wave up to every coastal shore on earth as if to say "do it again and we will drown every last one of you." The theatrical cut sliced *all* of that away, leaving it an empty mess with no ending.
Here’s the story it was the intended ending Cameron this is his own words didn’t like how the cgi waves looked. They were out of time and money to fix it so Cameron cut that entire scene and trimmed all the scenes in the movie that talked about that ending. When the movie was released on DVD that wave scene was touched up and released as a special edition. So there you go it’s not an alternate scene it is the scene the origami is the alternate ending.
@@retronaut8864
Well I wouldn’t call it an empty mess, just less epic and less political and… less preachy? in a reality that arguably made that storyline outdated at the time.
With that ending/ third act Cameron basically had a second Cuba Crisis at the core of that original version of the movie, which imo didn’t make a whole lot of sense.
Because The Abyss was released in 1989 at the very end of the cold war, while Gorbatchev with his perestroika and glasnost and relaxation and nuclear disarmament had ended the cold war together with Reagan; subsequently 1989 was to be the year the Iron Curtain fell and Eastern Europa communism fell.
The idea that in this context we’d get on the brink of nuclear war with the USSR (that itself dissolved only two years later) like that seems a bit… far fetched to say the least. Cameron apparently was a little bit stuck in the early 80s before reality quickly made it outdated.
@@mabusestestament man, I think the theatrical version is terrible. Literally removed the whole point of the film. Special edition is the way to go.
It's hard for me to hate the alternative ending because I watched the special edition first, but the message is a bit hamfisted.
I actually loved the alternate ending more. Your take on your dislike of the alternate ending is interesting though.
Yes
Agreed. The one coming to theaters again in dec is this version. i believe. Not a fan
It was a great ending. I see many people disagree with u
Yes, this alternate ending really sucks.
What is the normal ending?
It cuts all the wave scenes out and goes straight to the aliens showing the message Bud sent Lisa.
The original ending bookends the film nicely. Keeps it all at sea. The new ending it’s like starting a whole new movie. Nuclear paranoia was waning in the last 80’s or at least it wasn’t such a novel idea that we were going to destroy ourselves that Cameron had to hit us over the head with it. That being said, I thought the original ending was kind of lame. The same movie probably could have been made without aliens.
I'm so glad that all those people who lended talents to this movie are finally put to rights by someone with no disernable talent. Good work man!
In your humble opinion eh. 🙄
The alternate ending was trash. The theatrical version is way more superior.
I too loath this alternate ending to the film for the simple reason that the message is so pandering and ham-fisted and makes the whole film feel all the more cornier
Absolutely agree
Yes! In the theatrical its a very serious tone. The only thing corny was the silly music that would play when the aliens were being playful with the crew lol. That music alone moves this movie from a 10 to a 9/10. The alternate ending would slide it to a 7/10
Opinions are like a-holes everybody has one. Get a life bro
much like an asshole if i keep all my shit inside i'll explode.
Get a grip dud grow up
Probably the worst take I've ever heard on this movie 😂😂😂
Its actually spot on. Fuck that wave
I think movie sucked period as well as titanic and crapatar i mean avatar !
Wow what do you thinks good then you probably watch those crappy marvel movies don’t you.
Why would you care about the alternate ending of a movie you thought "sucked period"? Usually waste your time like that?
@@mentlinc I give any movie an open mind but if it sucks it sucks .at the end of the day other people may not think so because everybody has an opinion ! Another examples look at rap music it makes billions of dollars I'll never understand that but hey more power to the rap artist but you won't catch me listening to that crap !
@@watching..........6494 ok cool you dont have to like it but what didnt you like? Are you not a sci fi fan?
@@mentlinc only thing I liked by James Cameron was the original Terminator , Terminator 2 , true lies and maybe from a far far distance Titanic , I could take it or leave it if .that's it . Lately James Cameron's become so arrogant I can't even stand him anymore ! ....
It’s a big block of 🧀 . The aliens didn’t wipe us out because he loved his wife! 🤦♂️ 😂terrible ending. That’s why it was cut. The original ending is not that much better though.
No, the aliens didn't wipe us out because Bud was willing to give his life to save them (and his friends on the rig and ultimately all of mankind). Even after showing him all the horrors they had witnessed, they were still going to give us a chance because of one man's action. That should've been obvious. It was cut because Cameron had to delete scenes to get to a running time requested by the studio. Maybe do some research before stating something like you just did.
It was cut because the studio wanted to keep it to a shorter running time. The directors cut is a far better version and makes so much sense for the time.
@@outpost31mac yeah some people just straight up lack the ability to pay attention and apply critical thinking skills. The alternate ending makes it more explicit that this was mankind coming to the "abyss" i.e. of its existence, and the selfless act by Bud shows the aliens that there's hope for humanity beyond senseless annihilation
@@outpost31macexcellent comment. Well informed.
@@Dr_Jim57And, the end is where The Abyss "gazes also into you": shows humanity (Bud) a reflection of the horrors of humanity, but also the sacrifice.