Review of The Terminator (1984) by James S — 15 Mar 2015

A classic film that really shows what directors did in the post-Star Wars era. A cyborg is sent from the future to 'terminate' a target in 1980s, and it's up to one man to save her and inform her about her role in saving humanity.

We get scads of quality action in this film. Not the city-destroying apocalypses of today's films, but some good, old-fashioned, fun action. Schwarzenegger plays the role of determined assassin very well; to describe him in one word: relentless. Biehn and Hamilton play off each other well, and Hamilton is not totally useless in a fight.

There is some mild language abuse, and one dance-with-no-pants scene, but aside from that, it's an enjoyable romp of action, concise exposition, and more action. If you haven't seen this classic film, it's a surprisingly light watch.