| "The Terminator" Plot: "A cyborg (Schwarzenegger) is sent from the future on a deadly mission. He has to kill Sarah Connor (Hamilton), a young woman whose life will have a great significance in years to come. Sarah has only one protector - Kyle Reese (Biehn) - also sent from the future. The Terminator uses his exceptional intelligence and strength to find Sarah, but is there any way to stop the seemingly indestructible cyborg?" Directed By: James Cameron (True Lies) Written By: James Cameron (Aliens), Gale Anne Hurd (Armageddon), and William Wisher (The 13th Warrior). Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger (Predator), Michael Biehn (The Abyss), Linda Hamilton (Dante's Peak), Paul Winfield (Cliffhanger), Lance Henriksen (Alien³), Rick Rossovich (Top Gun), and Earl Boen (G.I. Joe: The Movie) as Dr. Silberman MPAA Rating: "R" Genre: Science fiction, Thriller, and Action Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists "You still don't get it, do you? He'll find her. That's what he does! That's all he does! You can't stop him! He'll wade through you, reach down her throat, and pull her fucking heart out!" - Kyle Reese, Sarah Connor's protector and warrior of the future Usually, from the first two scenes or so, you can tell the tone of a film. For The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, you see many different species being given magical gold rings. This introduces important plot elements, including the rings of power and a myriad of different species in that film's realm, Middle-earth. For Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, we see a beautiful Naboo-crafted ship flying through the mass of stars, landing on a landing platform, and being destroyed, through an attack by a vile bounty hunter named Zam Wessell. This too introduces important elements such as the space setting, Flash Gordon-esquel thrills and chills, and the grand effects work by Industrial, Light, and Magic (ILM). For 1984's cult classic, The Terminator, it is a battle sequence featuring battle-scarred and dirty human soldiers, flying patrols equipped with highly dangerous plasma weaponry, a Hunter/Killer, and an electric storm at 1:18 AM in Los Angeles, as the first warrior of the future arrives, the brutal Terminator (Schwarzenegger). This, yet again, introduces important elements such as the dark future, robotic warriors, and the film's version of the popular science fiction notion, time travel. Shot on a budget of only 6.4 million, James Cameron's gritty sci-fi thriller grossed over 38 million at the Box Office and earned a worldwide fanbase filled with hardcore fans of science fiction. It also launched the film career of Mr. Olympia-title winner Arnold 'Austrian Oak' Schwarzenegger, who is now one of the biggest, if not THE biggest, star in the world. It has also spawned two wildly popular sequels, a series of best-selling books, many video games, and much, much more. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as the T-800 model SkyNet Terminator whose only mission is to ensure the demise of Sarah Connor, a young waitress in California. A native of Austria, Schwarzenegger is well-known today for his unique brand of humor and charm, and his sculpted body. Though, only the latter is present here. This performance is cold, menacing, and evil. Never does Schwarzenegger allow a bit of emotion into his performance. He is completely believable as an unstoppable killing machine with no remorse. Villians don't get much better than this! Michael Biehn co-stars as quiet, but powerful warrior of the future, Kyle Reese, who John Connor trusts to protect his mother, Sarah, in the past. Biehn gives a sad performance. It is laced with despair, fear, but he also adds a layer of hope. Reese's utter belief in the cause and his 'mission' does not allow him to mope about his circumstances, but Biehn does allow that sadness to show through the rough and tough exterior, which, in my opinion, was a cool move. Also, this must be said, Biehn KNOWS how to deliver a monolouge. The ones he delivers in this film are cold, haunting, and personally gave me chills. Linda Hamilton is also present as Sarah Connor. While this performance cannot hold a candle against her's in the second film, it is still very good. Not amazing, but she creates a fully 3D female character with strong emotions. I applaud her, and this experience made way for hers in the second film, one of the greatest female performances ever, and, for that, I must be thankful. While those are the three leads, there is a wonderful supporting cast who fill out the ensemble in this bleak science fiction thriller. Earl Boen, a wonderfully smarmy characrer actor, is on hand as the sleazy, greedy, and uncaring Dr. Peter Silberman. And there is the likable Paul Winfield as the kind Lt. Traxler. Modern visionary James Cameron directs The Terminator, and his talents shine. He crafts a web of mystery, thrills, action, and, of course, science fiction. He also has a gift, along with master cinematographer Adam Gibson, for making a location serve the scene's purpose. At first, Sarah's apartment seems like a happy, lived-in place, but, when the Terminator pays a visit, it suddenly cold, haunting, and has the look and feel of a dangerous location. A perfect use of the tools at their disposal. The screenplay is written by Cameron, his wife (at the time... ), and a close friend of his, William Wisher. The script is an intelligent and entertaining basis for the next few entries in the Terminator saga to build upon. It introduces so much, from Sarah Connor, and her outlook on life and arc, to SkyNet's arsenal of machines and weaponry. A brilliant screenplay that was obviously written by men and woman who love the genre. Stan Winston is credited as the designer of special Terminator effects in the film's opening credit sequence. Odd, so few words to introduce a man who is extremely important to the series. He is a big part of the film's visual looks, and is responsible, I presume, for all the cool goodies us sci-fi fans love, i.e. - the Terminator doing a gooey operation on his eye in a cheap hotel's grimy bathroom. Stan truly is 'the man.' Brad Fiedel composes the score for this film. Cameron, the director, describes it as being done in a "garage", but still perfectly fitting the film. The way it sounds is proof of that. Fiedel employs cheap instruments and a mass of foley, from a hammer hitting a pan, to a choir of people screaming at the top of their lungs, to craft a thrilling, and memorable, score. Can anyone who has seen this film at least once NOT hum the theme for the next few days? Overall, this is the definition of 'modern classic.' It is brutal, intense, action-packed, and very intelligent. It may be a low-budget film that studios predicted to be a quick flash-in-the-pan exploitative action flick. Or, to put it shortly, a 'popcorn film.' But they were wrong. It is much more. The Terminator is a film that changed my life. It is one of the greatest films ever made. It it is the start of the best film saga of our time. 10/10 |