Where the legend began...

Rating: 10/10 (3 January 2015)

Who would have thought a low budget science fiction movie aptly named The Terminator would become a successful movie as well as start the meteoric rise of Arnold Schwarzenegger as a legend in cinema, introduce director James Cameron to Hollywood as a force to be reckoned with, give a new meaning to audiences with the immortal line "I'll be back", spawn a large fan base, and then witness the birth of a big-budget saga with an even bigger sequel in 1991 that outdoes the first movie with Terminator 2: Judgement Day and then continue on with Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines in 2003, Terminator Salvation in 2009, and Terminator Genisys in 2015 as well as a short lived TV series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
Arnold Schwarzenegger introduces us to his now iconic role as The Terminator, a cyborg disguised as a human being. The Terminator has been sent back in time from 2029 to Los Angeles in 1984 to terminate Sarah Connor in order to prevent the birth of her unborn child, John Connor, who would go on to lead the human resistance to victory against Skynet and the machines in the future following a nuclear war which almost wiped out most of the human race. Arnold Schwarzenegger, in a rare role as a villain, is perfect as the Terminator, a killing machine who is programmed to kill without any pity, remorse or fear in his single minded quest to terminate Sarah Connor.
Linda Hamilton in an early role introduces us to Sarah Connor, a timid and mousy waitress who's life will be changed forever upon the discovery her unborn son, John Connor, will become the future leader of the human resistance. She still does not believe that such an event will happen with the nuclear war and the rise of the machines, until her encounter with the Terminator and thus begins her quest to stay alive for the sake of her unborn son and to survive this real life nightmare.
Michael Biehn in one of his early roles plays Kyle Reese, a young, battle-hardened, and world-weary soldier who volunteered to be sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 by John Connor to protect his mother at all costs from the Terminator. Once Reese rescues Sarah, he warns her about the impending doom of the human race from the nuclear war and her future significance carried by her and her unborn son.
Keep an eye out for Bill Paxton in an early role as a street punk.
Though The Terminator is now 30 years old, it still stands the test of time as a positive influence on all science fiction and action movies since. Exciting, high energy action sequences which turns downtown Los Angeles into an urban battleground and leads to an even bigger chase to a climatic showdown keeps the dynamic tension in The Terminator very tight and does not let the audience go for one moment.
Taut and kinetic direction with a sharp eye for attention to detail from James Cameron keeps The Terminator as a gritty, clever, breathtaking, exciting and thrilling movie from beginning to end.
Definitely one of the greatest science fiction movies of all time.
10/10.