Review of The Terminator (1984) by Chris W — 12 May 2018

A killer cyborg travels back in time to assassinate Sarah Connor, who will give birth to the future savior of the mankind. In a desperate attempt to save Sarah, the human resistance sends back a lone soldier to be her protector. The battle for the future takes place today.

"The Terminator" is written by James Cameron, Gale Anne Hurd, and William Wisher, and is Cameron's third time in the director's chair. Coming from an art directing job with Roger Corman, Cameron saved up his money to eventually create this 80s classic sci-fi thriller.

Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, and Michael Beihn as the lead characters, "The Terminator" features a strong cast with gripping performances. Bill Paxton (R.I.P ??) and Lance Henriksen--who would later be involved in "Aliens"--have small roles in this film.

Although the "Terminator" series is known across the globe as an unmistakeable sci-fi action landmark, the first film is essentially a horror movie dressed up as science fiction. This isn't too surprising, since Cameron started his career in film working with the b-horror master, Roger Corman.

While "The Terminator" follows a lot of horror tropes, it also has a simple and concise story which creates a sense of tension throughout the film. Additionally, Stan Winston and his team created an incredible design for the Terminator, and to this day, it's still held in high esteem.

The middle section of the film drags a bit to serve as exposition, but the car-chase (there are many of them) pace soon speeds back up leading to an exciting and satisfying conclusion.

If you haven't watched "The Terminator," but you're aware of the franchise's impact on sci-fi as a whole--do yourself a favor, and check this one out. It's dark and gritty, it's got plenty of action, cool (but dated) special effects, Stan Winston's magic touch, and an excellent cast of characters.