Terminus

I have read a number of reviews on this site and disagree with most. I have read nearly 330 science fiction novels and with the exception of a few you can pretty well see what is coming. This movie was a delight in that the end was never obvious until you experienced the climactic scenes. This movie is a low budget masterpiece in the same vein as "Crawl or Die" which was done for $6,000.00. I am sure the budget for this film was higher but I liked both equally in that the endings were surprises. The cast was great, the acting was spot on. The character development was complete if you pay attention (some have criticized it). One reviewer noted that the actors were "obviously" meant to be cheap replacements for Christian Bale and Guy Pearce. I agree and throw in Amy Smart while you are at it. These actors did all three proud if that is what the intention was. The cinematography was done with low cost equipment but it was very well directed giving the audience the views it needed when needed. I, frankly, was amazed at the quality. One possible drawback to some is how the depressing the overall mood is at the beginning but that is integral to the story. Just so you know, I am a big fan of this type of film ... two of my past favorites are "Zardoz" and "The Quiet Earth" to give you an idea. If you liked those films you will enjoy this one.

For me personally, the ONE thing that really puts me off with low budget films like this, is that many times the acting is SO atrocious that in 10-15 minutes I truly HAVE to turn it off because it is so bad. I just can't take it. And, there are a lot of them like that.

So, that's why I am rather surprised that quite a few people here have stated that they think that the acting was either pretty bad or maybe just fair. Being a person who is EXTREMELY sensitive to that very thing, I absolutely and vehemently disagree with this. I mean, we're not talking Oscar material here or anything, but I genuinely feel that overall, all the characters taken as a whole, that the acting was actually surprisingly solid. Believe me... THAT would have been the very first thing to take me right out of the movie if that were the case.

Also, FWIW, if you've grown up reading Science Fiction from a young age like I have, you know that there is a HUGE range in the Science Fiction Genre. You can have anything from flashy stories like 'STAR WARS' or 'TRANSFORMERS' all the way to quiet, little stories set in the future, or on other planets, or in space, that have very little action, but might be made up of elements that are primarily societal or philosophical in nature. Many of Ray Bradbury's stories are like that.

So, because of that, mainly with Science Fiction, there is absolutely NO way to have a 'one size fits all' type or level or sub-Genre that everyone likes, and that is IF they even like Science Fiction at all. So, in talking about a movie like this, it is really important I think to convey as closely as possible just exactly WHAT type of Science Fiction it is, so that others can get a more accurate idea as to whether they would like it or not.

With this one, in my lowly and wretched opinion, you have a solid Science Fiction story and concept that is very simple and fairly routine in nature, BUT that is put together and told in a pretty decent way. That would include, yes, the acting primarily, since the simplicity and obvious low budget nature of the film would have to lean heavily upon it. And, I honestly felt that all'n'all everyone did a pretty good job. One thing that I think that helped the story considerably, was that there were a variety of different characters who gave the story more substance and flavour. I really liked the one guy's friend who was a fellow vet; he did an exceptional job with what I would think would be a small, but difficult role. YES, in the more 'emotional' scenes, as is my nature, I kind of rolled my eyes and moved the speed along a little. But, that is just because that is me, not because they were done so horribly : )

What makes a simple Science Fiction story like this work well, is that you honestly do care about the characters. Also, contrary to what a couple of others here have said, the story line and writing were done just fine and kept the pace moving along with what I felt was a healthy degree of suspense and tension. One excellent example I thought, and without giving too much away of course, was the agent in charge. They could have very easily just portrayed him as an evil, shallow, 2 dimensional character. But, they took the time to have him come across as a more textured and rounded out person, which to me anyway, really helped make it much more believable.

Like everyone else, I LOVE the flashier Sci Fi films too (can you say 'ROBOCOP' anyone? {the original please}) and also the deeper ones (can you say 'BLADE RUNNER'?) But, I guess what I liked about this one is that I felt that they did a very good job with what they had to work with, and crafted a suspenseful and entertaining (and I might add somewhat heart-wrenching) film that I felt came across as strongly above average for a movie like this.

So, I hope that this gives you at least some idea as to what kind of Science Fiction film this is... Especially, if you've grown up reading many different kinds of Science Fiction like I have, you might enjoy this simple but effective little movie.

Yeah, you can find a lot of problems with this film, from some of the characters being too cliché to the (I can't believe I'm saying this) lack of special effects, in a few scenes, that would have added weight to the movie. Still, it isn't bad at all and, most important, it delivers more than you expect. It has a good plot twist, it keeps you guessing and makes you think you got it - but you'll find out you didn't. I think it's the best a small budget, unknown actors (but they are actors, not Richard Grieco...), and aspiring writers and director can get. It may not be of Spielberg value, but it's on an honest path towards it.

Terminus is a movie about loss and relationships. It takes place in a not too distant future where a huge war/intervention in the East is draining American lives and the economy. This epic is well documented and reflected throughout the movie by numerous background television reports and moving scenes of struggle, and is something brilliantly done. It puts a small Mid-Western town on edge, full of macho guys and recently returned veterans with terrible injuries. It's refreshing to see an approaching apocalypse movie devoting serious attention to external forces. Too often in such movies the background end of days is only attended to in the beginning or sparsely thereafter, which stifles the sense of threat and forces the viewer to watch events unfold as if such gravity was a much lesser part of unfolding drama. Having said that, Terminus is still more about characters with their own problems themselves rather than characters reacting to something bigger than themselves. There are three streams of tension here, each building momentum. This is thus almost a thriller more than a sci-fi film. It seems to have the attention to detail of a big budget production that you'd expect in regard to the actors, all of whom deliver feisty and emotional performances, and yet the sci-fi aspect is conspiratorial, somewhat rushed and far less impressive. I'm not complaining of its scale in the sense of cgi, but I thought it required more expression, each stage could have been given just a tad more impact. I have to admit that it's hard to criticise such an aspect when the entire thrust of the story depends on it. To my mind what's produced is very good, but perhaps could have been better. So often these days I get the feeling that low budget sci-fi movies have not been given enough time to really iron out all the wrinkles and really develop full potential prior to being produced. The sci-fi itself is a very usual juxtaposition, and thus the tension and heightened interest. There are numerous edge of your seat moments here, rolling all the way to an explosive climax, and in the end that's what counts.

I don't really write to many reviews for movies, People like what they like and the same goes for dislike. First off, The special effects were great.

They didn't try to over do it. The script could have been a little more developed in some areas but it is for all intensive purposes, a Sci- Fie / Drama. The Acting was pretty good For the most part. The Cinematography was Good, No shaky camera crap or blurred fight scene's.

I am not sure why but the Police and other authoritative actors weren't very good. Not convincing in anyway shape or form. I felt like someone p****d on my cornflakes while i was trying to enjoy the rest of my breakfast. A little more info about where the girl was for all those years or a few flash back scene's could have brought her character to life and actually made me care more about her. She wasn't a bad actor she just wasn't really given much to work with to round out her character. Still ' it was WAY better than some of the cheap C-B flick crap that the Sci-Fie channel was trying to cram down our throats a few years back. It is better than some of these movies that have been coming out lately.

I know it was a drama- Sc-Fie but a little more attention to detail on WHERE the dramatic crescendo's peeked would have helped. Some where overdone or a little premature at times. Still all in all it kept me interested and for all the Doomsday preppies? Used government cement trucks should go up in price at the local auction.