“The Terminator” launched the career of director James Cameron, best known for big-budget Hollywood blockbusters like “Avatar” and “Titanic.” Prior to “The Terminator,” he was a special effects artist who directed the terrible “Piranha II: The Spawning.” “The Terminator” has Cameron’s sci-fi prowess and special effects experience without the bloated nature that would tinge his future films.
The movie has an engaging premise—an invincible killing machine goes back in time to kill the mother of a war hero, while a soldier is sent back in time to protect her. The plot works best if you don’t think about it too much. The premise is super cool and lends itself to some great set pieces, such as the bar shootout or the tunnel chase sequence. However, the plots becomes tangled as the movie unfolds, introducing the inevitable paradox that few time travel movies avoid.
The best part of this film is the moody atmosphere. Similar to gritty sci-fi films of this era like “Blade Runner” and “RoboCop,” many scenes feature dripping pipes and steam-filled alleyways at night. This atmosphere helps sustain the tension and the Terminator’s unrelenting nature presents a looming dread. No matter how hard you hit it or how fast you try to run, it will always come after you.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was born to play this role. With a hulking physique, stoic facial expression, and deadpan voice, he really does seem to be a robot pretending to be a human. However, the other performances are not as effective. Linda Hamilton is excellent as Sarah Connor and Michael Biehn is decent as soldier-from-the-future Kyle Reese, but every other character is over-the-top and clichéd.
The practical effects work effectively, utilizing Cameron’s experience as a special effect artist. One memorable scene involves the Terminator repairing his robotic eye—it still looks great. However, the CGI effects during the ending climax are terrible. It does not hold up at all and takes away from the film’s final sequence.
Ultimately, “The Terminator” is a solid sci-fi thriller. Though not without its flaws, its tense atmosphere and Schwarzenegger’s performance really sell the film. However, it must be said that the sequel “T2: Judgement Day” surpasses it in every way imaginable. The whole time I was watching this, I was wishing that I was watching “T2″ instead.
