Directed by:
James CameronCinematography:
Adam GreenbergComposer:
Brad FiedelCast:
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton, Paul Winfield, Lance Henriksen, Rick Rossovich, Earl Boen, Dick Miller, Franco Columbu, Bill Paxton (more)VOD (2)
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In the year 2029, the ruling super-computer, Skynet, sends an indestructible cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger) back in time to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) before she can fulfill her destiny and save mankind. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (11)
Before The Terminator, James Cameron was an unknown aspiring director who did not offer any guarantees of box office success. He had just finished filming the routine B-movie Piranha Part Two: The Spawning, which did terribly at the box office, and he also worked as an assistant director on several projects, the most significant of which was Carpenter's Escape from New York, where he helped create the special effects. However, Cameron dreamed of a grand, uncompromising, and gritty sci-fi film. His script caught the attention of Orion Studios, and he was able to start filming. The result was a dark action sci-fi film with the successful casting of the rising action star Arnold Schwarzenegger as the cyborg. Originally, the studio suggested Schwarzenegger to Cameron for the role of the soldier later played by Michael Biehn, but Cameron understood the advantage of Schwarzenegger's dog-like, emotionless face, which perfectly suited the character of a nerveless cyborg. Additionally, the film featured dynamic editing by Mark Goldblatt, a clever camera that captured some shots from the cyborg's point of view, and atmospheric music by Brad Fiedel. The character of the cyborg was created by Stan Winston. Cameron decided not to spare the audience and filled the story with corpses. All these ingredients together meant huge box office success and the birth of a hit that launched Cameron's stellar career and confirmed Arnold Schwarzenegger's status as an action star, for whom The Terminator became a defining role. The script included, among other things, an elaborate time loop and a few interesting scenes from the dark future. Overall impression: 75%. ()
More than a legend. With Terminator, Cameron opened his iconic window of visual treats, which he has been successfully expanding and even improving ever since. The amazing storyline, set to the rhythm of depressingly pulsating music and properly lethal action scenes, doesn't give any room at all for all the general shortcomings such as verbosity or monotony, instead presenting a pure exhibition of zany effects, cool catchphrases and fun car chases that never ceases to entertain and at the same time doesn't allow us not to take it seriously. Arnold is iconic, Michael Biehn is likeable, and Cameron is a film terminator himself.... It's a pity that Lance Henriksen was underused, but the director paid him back in Aliens. 95% ()
One of those films that even after 20 years has not lost any of its impact and can easily captivate today's audience. James Cameron is shown here for the first time as a meticulous visionary with an incredible amount of creativity and a range of ideas. What underlines everything is that he himself came up with the story and was the main creator of the excellent screenplay. Casting Arnold Schwarzenegger was truly a risky bet, but time has shown it to be brilliant; his wooden acting was exactly what was needed. The action is great and the clearing of the police station is still a breathtaking experience. The gloominess and depression present at every step, whether due to the dark story or the suggestive dark backgrounds of L.A., give this immensely impactful and gritty film the right edge. One of the milestones of sci-fi. ()
A suffocating and adrenaline-fueled sci-fi film that time's tooth can't seem to gnaw away. Arnold Schwarzenegger will likely never inspire as much respect and fear again. Moreover, without this series, temporal paradoxes and the entire science fiction genre would be completely different today. Ideas like the one about a robot that has to change the past in order to alter the future occasionally come up, but fitting them into the right screenplay is now itself a form of cinematic art. ()
After all these years, I prepared my raised eyebrows as a precaution, only to completely forget about them. Only Brad Fiedel's synth soundtrack has become brutally obsolete, but otherwise Cameron's cyborg is still doing great. While the effects tend to make you laugh, Cameron's unique sense of tension and impressive characters look like a metal skeleton over a pile of human skulls. Perfect camera work, great editing and very good actors led by Arnie, who acts like an unruly Nazi on a trip. The script doesn't try any big tricks, yet the story of saving the future is extremely impressive, and the insights into the apocalyptic age still have urgency and a pretty decadent mood after all the years. I can't find anything to criticize. The Terminator embodies the poetics of the 1980s in every way, and to this day it should serve as an insurmountable textbook of dramatic action spectacle for hit-makers. A clear gold fund, a film top class without compromise. ()
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Photo © Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
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