Cameron does effects and action to sell his stories

Rating: 10/10 (5 November 2006)

So many people write James Cameron off as a writer/director who specializes in action and special effects. While it's true that almost no one does either better, I have always believed that Cameron uses these tools in order to get people to see his stories - not the other way around as some here seem to think. Cameron is a sci-fi buff and a true romantic in the original sense (i.e. romance not necessarily as sexual love, but adventure and belief in greater possibilities than mundane life often suggests).
I remember being made to watch this movie in 1986 by my then boyfriend, having assumed from its star (Schwarzenegger) and its title that it was simply mindless, stupid violence. The first few minutes, showing the war in the future, made me realize that I'd been completely wrong - as a fan of science fiction books, I realized I was seeing the real thing as only Kubrick, Lucas, and Spielberg had done it thus far. I became a Cameron fan then and there; all the elements he has shown since were demonstrated: a compelling story that always centers on a real love (whether it be between a couple, or a child and parents), a sharp sense of humor coupled with a slight sadness or wistful element, flawless art direction and as good effects as can be got for the money and time it was made, highly believable performances, and an utter relentlessness that, each time you think it's finally over, turns out not to be.
I see time and time again the criticism that the movie is dated in its styles of clothing, music, and cars. This puzzles me. You don't watch a movie of the thirties or forties and think how dated it is; it was made when it was made and reflects that time. I can only figure that a lot of folks remember themselves in the eighties and somehow now are embarrassed that they followed the fashions of the times and not those now current twenty years later. This is silly; how could you or a movie of the eighties have incorporated the customs or tastes of a later time? The movie was made in 1984 and has its characters dressed, listening to music, and driving cars accordingly - get over it! Probably one of the primary reasons this criticism comes up is that the movie has held up so well in other ways. Hundreds of sci-fi movies have been made since, and yet, except for the weakness of some of the stop-action effects of the endo-skeleton Terminator, this movie can pretty much hold its own with any of them. In fact, I suspect that had not Cameron done The Terminator and, shortly thereafter, Aliens, sci-fi movies would not be what they are today. This movie ranks with Star Wars in raising the bar as to what constitutes good sci-fi in movies and few, if any, since have quite equalled them.
If you have somehow managed to miss this movie, and enjoy a story with crisp dialog, good performances, incredible suspense, and a truly moving love story, I suggest you get your hands on a copy ASAP. I doubt you'll regret it.