द टर्मिनेटर

Many people look back at the films of James Cameron and suggest that the smaller, the budget, the tighter the limitations, the better the end product. Films like Avatar, Titanic and True Lies had huge budgets and drew in even bigger box office but many still yearn for the Cameron that gave us The Terminator and Aliens which were huge movies but packed a far bigger punch artistically. My feelings all these years on are that Cameron has earned the right to make those huge movies but i have to admit to preferring his earlier body of work. The Terminator is a nightmarish, time travelling science fiction film told at a breakneck pace and delivered with confidence and style. The film has a very gritty, underground look to it and does a great job of telling its story amid the frenetic action. There is also a huge slice of horror and suspense thrown in, an impression that has diminished in the years since it's release due to inferior sequels. Viewed as a standalone piece however, The Terminator is fine piece of work from a director with a very clear vision.Everyone knows that The Terminator is the film that gave us Arnold Schwarzenegger but when i look back at the film, it has heart and its the Michael Biehn character, Kyle Reese, that provides it Artistically speaking,Cameron might be well advised that less is more.

I just saw a horrifying, touching, very good movie again; it's The Terminator. Now to talk of it as great film, to compare it with American Beauty might seem idiotic--it's an almost unrelentingly dark, violent, frightening action movie, after all--but strip away the relentless action, strip away the technophobia, strip away the blatant dislike of cops and modern youth, strip away the poignant love story and, at its core, it's about an immature, essentially mindless girl becoming a strong, determined woman. That's a theme more movies should have if we want girls to have strong role models.

In the course of a few hours during which Sarah Connor realises that she is running for her life from a soul-less machine in human flesh that is implacably and violently determined to kill her, she transforms from a girl who can't balance her cheque book to a woman who can order a wounded, beaten man to "get on your feet, soldier." She is clear-headed, not panicky, focused in crisis and incredibly courageous. And it's not that she has lost her essential femaleness but that she's grown up.

It's relentless, heartless violence appals and fascinates me. It's gritty depiction of our society as a prelude to an even more horrific one in 2023 darkens my heart. It's quickly developing love story touches me. Its humor makes the dark places in me smile. But most of all I am touched and fascinated by Sarah's precipitous transformation. As a good life exercise, ask yourself this: Would you have the courage to do what she does?

9.5 out of 10.

You can run, but you can't hide, your existence amplified, where you go, it will go too, sensors focused just on you, nothing can get in its way, you can shoot, or burn, or pray, as sure as day will follow night, the binaries, will take a bite.

An ontological, paradoxical and dystopian forecast of a future world that probably won't have time travel, but may well see machines used to ill affect - we are, after all, our own worst enemies.

An outstanding piece of film making that perpetually stands the test of time.

I don't like action movies generally, and had to be coaxed into seeing this one by a friend. It was a major and pleasant surprise to me, and I left it with questions beyond the scope of the film, which always happens with the ones I really like (ie, Did John know who Reese was/would be when he sent him?). Most of all, I left it a Michael Biehn fan; he is great in this movie.

The Terminator, created after another one of James Cameron's reaccuring dreams (Abyss was another one.) A true beginning in sci-fi movies. As Schwarzenegger said to his friend when he was picked to play the part as the Terminator, "they want me to play as some robot from the future in this weird sci-fi movie." His friend said, "take it." Schwarzenegger is perfect as the Terminator, merciless, no fear, no love, no pity, no remorse, no emotions. None could have pulled it off as well as he did. Even his eyes showed no emotion with still showing true evil. Michael Beign is just the opposite. A man sent from the future to stop this machine. He plays his part as perfect as Schwarzenegger plays his. A perfect cast of characters for an all star movie! Plenty of action, story line, plot, character interaction, love story, and romance. Everything is tied into this movie that possibly could be, making it a 3 star movie. Only drawback is it's a little dragged out at parts and gets slightly boring from time to time but it's so minor that one would have to think about it to care. A truly awesome movie.