Still a damn fine movie nearly twenty years later.

Rating: 10/10 (12 February 2002)

Just caught yet another re-run of The Terminator on late night TV. Gotta say, this film still delivers the goods nearly twenty years after its release.
Okay, so the 80's hairstyles and the god-awful fashion date it a little, and the story has been mimicked, plagurised and downright ripped-off dozens of times by now, but essentially this is still as lean and mean as it ever was.

In fact, when you compare both the original and the awesome sequel, T2, to the likes of The Matrix, this flick still reigns supreme as an astonishingly well-crafted (given the meagre budget) masterclass in how to marry complex exposition to unrelenting action, without resorting to flashy gimmickery or million dollar excesses.
Director James Cameron's ability to deliver the movie's sometimes weighty exposition without slowing the plot down is still a joy to behold, and the performances endure as knockouts all round - you really can still identify and believe in Kyle and Sarah's plight.
Yeah, I'll grant you that the effects work in the finale does look a little ropey, what with the advent of CGI, but even by today's standards, The Terminator is still a classic to be reckoned with, the technical effects work alone being near miraculous in their execution given the limited finances available.
In an era of formulaic junk cramming the multiplexes in the name of entertainment, The Terminator is still simultaneously smart, thrilling and iconic. Now - how many of our recent 'blockbusters' could truly claim the same?