No classic, but entertaining

Rating: 7/10 (17 October 2003)

Personally, I enjoyed the sequels better and the film is somewhat dated (especially with the electronic soundtrack), but I still liked this movie. I just don't visualize myself watching it on many repeat viewings. Arnold Schwarzenegger's robotic acting is perfect for the role of the terminator. On the other hand, Michael Biehn has no excuse. His performance is completely dull, and I wish James Cameron put more thought into casting the hero. You do want the hero to have SOME inkling of a personality. Linda Hamilton's performance, though rusty at points, is pretty good. It's also nice to see Paul Winfield, who I think I haven't seen since "Cliffhanger." Lance Henriksen is always cool to watch. The storyline is thin and easy-to-follow. It's nice to hear the premiere of Arnie's "I'll be back" line. The film didn't send me leaping from my seat, but it's worth a look. Seeing that it has reached pretty high status on the IMDB, I'm sure others have a much higher opinion of the original "Terminator."
My score: 7 (out of 10)