Skip to main content
Tech Radar TechRadar the technology experts
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
RSS
Asia
flag of Singapore
Singapore
Europe
flag of Danmark
Danmark
flag of Suomi
Suomi
flag of Norge
Norge
flag of Sverige
Sverige
flag of UK
UK
flag of Italia
Italia
flag of Nederland
Nederland
flag of België (Nederlands)
België (Nederlands)
flag of France
France
flag of Deutschland
Deutschland
flag of España
España
North America
flag of US (English)
US (English)
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of México
México
Australasia
flag of Australia
Australia
flag of New Zealand
New Zealand
  • Phones
  • Computing
  • TVs
  • AI
  • Streaming
  • Health
  • Audio
  • VPN
  • More
    • Cameras
    • Home
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Opinion
    • How to
    • Versus
    • Deals
    • Coupons
    • Best
Tech Radar Pro
Tech Radar Gaming
Trending
  • Amazon Prime Day
  • Back to school
  • Nintendo Switch 2
  • Best VPN
  • ChatGPT
  • NYT Wordle today
  • Best laptop
  • Best web hosting
Recommended reading
AI generated images of 1955 from ChatGPT
Artificial Intelligence I tried the new ChatGPT trend that gives you a glimpse into the past - here’s how you can too
A Yautja screaming at something off-camera in Predator: Badlands
Entertainment First trailer for Predator: Badlands drops two huge clues that it could be a new Alien Vs Predator movie in all but name
A still from Robocop
HBO Max 3 unmissable movies with over 88% on Rotten Tomatoes are leaving Max soon
A still from the trailer for The Running Man showing Glen Powell grabbing a taser stick
Paramount Plus The Running Man trailer puts Glen Powell in Arnie's shoes as Stephen King's dystopian thriller gets high-octane remake from Edgar Wright
Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard
Paramount Plus 5 new movies on Paramount+ with over 94% on Rotten Tomatoes
VFX software on a computer monitor in a home studio
Software & Services Best VFX software of 2025
Dashcam movie
Amazon Prime Video 7 tense thrillers on Prime Video with 100% Rotten Tomatoes scores you can't miss
  1. Streaming
  2. Entertainment

Let's go back in time and compare The Terminator's special effects

News
By Stephen Lambrechts published 27 August 2015

The Terminator vs Terminator Genisys

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

The Evolution of Terminator's SFX

The Evolution of Terminator's SFX

The Terminator franchise has always been synonymous with ground-breaking special effects, and the latest entry in the series, Terminator Genisys, looks set to continue that trend – the movie even has original creator James Cameron's seal of approval.

With that in mind, we've decided to take a look at the evolution of the Terminator saga's special effects work over the last 31 years, to not only see if it all holds up, but to get a direct comparison of practical and digital effects in similar looking shots.

Page 1 of 18
Page 1 of 18
The Evolution of Fake Arnold - Part 1

The Evolution of Fake Arnold - Part 1

One of the most memorable scenes from the original Terminator film (The Terminator, 1984) sees Arnold perform gruesome eye surgery on himself with a scalpel, revealing a red robotic eye underneath.

Half of the scene was performed by Arnold with a blade-less scalpel, while the other half used extremely fake looking Arnold Schwarzenegger head molds to show the aftermath – one was 1:1 scale, while a second larger fake head was created for robotic eye close-ups.

Page 2 of 18
Page 2 of 18
The Evolution of Fake Arnold - Part 2

The Evolution of Fake Arnold - Part 2

While we appreciated the throwback to the original Terminator movies, 2009's Terminator Salvation could not be saved by the appearance of an unconvincing computer generated Arnold.

Arnold's image was digitally placed over Austrian bodybuilder-actor Roland Kickinger (Son of the Beach) to pay homage to the original films.

This CGI monstrosity's whereabouts are unknown, though it's believed that he's currently residing in a Recycle Bin somewhere alongside CGI Dwayne "The Scorpion King" Johnson.

Page 3 of 18
Page 3 of 18
The Evolution of Fake Arnold - Part 3

The Evolution of Fake Arnold - Part 3

Terminator Genisys (2015) has revisited the idea of a young, computer-generated Arnold Schwarzenegger with much more success than Terminator Salvation (2009).

Lighting, textures and animation have all been vastly improved, though the creation is still in the realm of the uncanny valley – we think it's the eyes that give it away.

Page 4 of 18
Page 4 of 18
Endoskeletons - Then

Endoskeletons - Then

Designed by the late Stan Winston, the Endoskeletons from The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) are examples of iconic practical effects that look absolutely convincing (when not in motion).

Achieved via stop motion and puppeteering work, these T-800 models may not move as gracefully as we'd like, but we love them nonetheless.

Page 5 of 18
Page 5 of 18
Endoskeletons - Now

Endoskeletons - Now

Terminator Genisys (2015) takes the digital approach to realising the Endoskeletons in its future war scenes, which allows for smooth movements and whole armies of robotic killers to appear on screen at once.

The use of digital T-800s certainly adds a sense of scale to the film's battle scenes, though it's easy to tell that what we are looking at is computer generated.

Page 6 of 18
Page 6 of 18
Robo-Arm - Then

Robo-Arm - Then

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) featured a show-stopping scene in which Arnold Schwarzenegger's T-800 rips the living tissue right off his arm to reveal his robotic insides.

This incredibly convincing effect was practically achieved with clever camera angles and an animatronic arm being held up from below the camera's view.

Page 7 of 18
Page 7 of 18
Robo-Arm - Now

Robo-Arm - Now

Terminator Genisys (2015) also features a scene in which Arnold reveals his robotic arm, only this time it was done digitally.

Arnold likely performed this scene with a green glove over his arm, with the digital version inserted later.

While it was probably easier for the production to shoot the scene this way, the end result does not achieve the same level of realism as the practical version did in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991).

Page 8 of 18
Page 8 of 18
Shot through the eye - Then

Shot through the eye - Then

Robert Patrick's T-1000 was shot in the eye in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) and the effect was certainly eye-opening (pun completely intended).

While we can see that this is clearly a Robert Patrick dummy, our attention is directed at the hole in his head, which is physical and therefore quite real-looking.

Page 9 of 18
Page 9 of 18
Shot through the eye - Now

Shot through the eye - Now

This effect from Terminator Genisys (2015) doesn't convince for a single moment.

Looking at it as a still image, it does not look like the hole is physically connected to actor Byung-hun Lee's face.

Page 10 of 18
Page 10 of 18
Flaming skull - Then

Flaming skull - Then

This flaming Endoskeleton shot is taken from the incredibly powerful opening credits of Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) and was achieved with a practical T-800 model.

Whether the model was actually immersed in flame is uncertain (though the reflections in the skull's metal plating look real enough), we feel like we could reach out and touch this very-real Endoskeleton.

Page 11 of 18
Page 11 of 18
Flaming skull - Now

Flaming skull - Now

This Endoskeleton and the fire it's submerged in are completely digital, though the effect allows for some actual movement in the shot, which makes the scene from Terminator Genisys (2015) quite dynamic.

It doesn't have the same sense of menace as the flaming robot scene at the beginning of Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), but we can see why the filmmakers would opt to go digital with this shot.

Page 12 of 18
Page 12 of 18
Fire walk with me - Then

Fire walk with me - Then

This scene from Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) was absolutely sensational and extremely impressive back in the early '90s, though we can certainly see how it has aged.

Simple textures and fire effects have dated the scene significantly, though we still love it.

Page 13 of 18
Page 13 of 18
Fire walk with me - Now

Fire walk with me - Now

A similar scene from Terminator Genisys (2015) also sees a Terminator emerge from a huge fire, only the shot is much more visually dynamic this time than it was in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, with improved fire effects and plenty of added detail, including an incandescent metal effect which highlights just how hot the machine is.

Page 14 of 18
Page 14 of 18
Going nuclear - Then

Going nuclear - Then

The tremendously dramatic nuclear explosion scene from Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) was achieved with the use of miniatures.

While it works fantastically in the film (with help from Brad Fiedel's haunting score), it's plainly obvious that we're looking at toy cars and trucks.

Page 15 of 18
Page 15 of 18
Going nuclear - Now

Going nuclear - Now

Terminator Genisys (2015) also has a nuclear explosion scene of its own, this time created by a team of digital artists.

The initial explosion looks a little fake, but the impressive resulting carnage looks right out of a blockbuster disaster film.

Page 16 of 18
Page 16 of 18
Young Arnold - Then

Young Arnold - Then

Now on to the Terminator franchise's most impressive special effect – Arnold Schwarzenegger himself!

This seven-time Mr. Olympia winner was a sight to behold in The Terminator (1984), with features that seemed chiseled out of stone – he is truly a one-of-a-kind presence.

Page 17 of 18
Page 17 of 18
Young Arnold - Now

Young Arnold - Now

Terminator Genisys (2015) features scenes set in 1984 during the original film's events, which required a young, digital version of Arnold to be created once more.

The result in this film is much more impressive than it was in Terminator Salvation (2009), though the eyes still give the effect away.

It seems that when it comes to Arnie, there is no substitute!

Page 18 of 18
Page 18 of 18
Stephen Lambrechts
Stephen Lambrechts
Social Links Navigation
Senior Journalist, Phones and Entertainment

Stephen primarily covers phones and entertainment for TechRadar's Australian team, and has written professionally across the categories of tech, film, television and gaming in both print and online for over a decade. He's obsessed with smartphones, televisions, consoles and gaming PCs, and has a deep-seated desire to consume all forms of media at the highest quality possible. 

He's also likely to talk a person’s ear off at the mere mention of Android, cats, retro sneaker releases, travelling and physical media, such as vinyl and boutique Blu-ray releases. Right now, he's most excited about QD-OLED technology, The Batman and Hellblade 2: Senua's Saga.

Read more
AI generated images of 1955 from ChatGPT
I tried the new ChatGPT trend that gives you a glimpse into the past - here’s how you can too
A Yautja screaming at something off-camera in Predator: Badlands
First trailer for Predator: Badlands drops two huge clues that it could be a new Alien Vs Predator movie in all but name
A still from Robocop
3 unmissable movies with over 88% on Rotten Tomatoes are leaving Max soon
A still from the trailer for The Running Man showing Glen Powell grabbing a taser stick
The Running Man trailer puts Glen Powell in Arnie's shoes as Stephen King's dystopian thriller gets high-octane remake from Edgar Wright
Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard
5 new movies on Paramount+ with over 94% on Rotten Tomatoes
VFX software on a computer monitor in a home studio
Best VFX software of 2025
Latest in Entertainment
Three members of staff wave towards a red helicopter in Billion Dollar Playground
How to watch Billion Dollar Playground season 1 for free online from anywhere
Jofra Archer in practice for England cricket.
How to watch England vs India 3rd Test: Live stream cricket online – England 251-4 after Day 1
The Amazing Race Canada presenter standing in front of the season 11 cast in an American Football stadium.
How to watch The Amazing Race Canada season 11 online FREE from anywhere
Big Brother Season 27 promo image
How to watch Big Brother USA Season 27 online from anywhere
Lego up house deal
This Lego ‘Up’ House has been on my wishlist forever, and thanks to Prime Day, it’s officially mine
Charlotte (Annabel Scholey), Jacob (Sam Palladio) and Mia (Aggy K Adams) in a nightclub in The Couple Next Door season 2
How to watch The Couple Next Door season 2 for free online from anywhere
Latest in News
Mel folds her arms while looking at Jack, who has his hands on his hips
Virgin River season 8 gets early renewal from Netflix, and this season 6 cliffhanger could be a sneaky red herring
Man with laptop showing Blue screen of death or BSOD on the monitor screen
Microsoft says Black Screen of Death better 'aligns with Windows 11's visual style' - but I think the new crash screen is missing a key detail
A person looks at an Apple Watch on their wrist. The device is warning them that they have a high heart rate.
Your next Apple Watch could have this massive AI health upgrade – and no new sensors are needed
Camp Snap CS-8 camcorder
Kodak's retro Super 8 camcorder is outrageously expensively, but I've found this super-cheap digital alternative
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 HANDS ON
Samsung promises that these Galaxy AI features are going to stay free forever
MacBook Pro 16-inch on wooden table in modern office
Bad news, Apple fans – the M5 MacBook Pro may not launch until 2026
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. 1
    Microsoft says Black Screen of Death better 'aligns with Windows 11's visual style' - but I think the new crash screen is missing a key detail
  2. 2
    Virgin River season 8 gets early renewal from Netflix, and this season 6 cliffhanger could be a sneaky red herring
  3. 3
    I dare you to find a better gaming PC under $1000 — $895 rig has a Ryzen 9 7940HX and a Geforce RTX 4060 GPU
  4. 4
    A friendly reminder to check out this superb Prime Day deal for one of my favorite Switch and Switch 2 controllers before the sales event ends today
  5. 5
    I'm still stunned by this epic record-low price for the LG C4 OLED TV – but you're running out of time to get it this cheap!

TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Web notifications
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...