Finely crafted science fiction

Rating: 9/10 (3 March 2006)

What I most enjoyed about The Terminator was the great writing of the story. If you stand back and look at the overall movie, it is very similar to the well-written sci-fi stories that you read in the anthologies. The screenplay's brilliance lies in its ability to tell a science fiction story within a contemporary urban setting, without losing any of the impact of making you feel like you have been transported to another world.
The special effects look a little dated (although it's amazing what was done given the limitations) for those who are purists for that sort of thing, but if you like a good sci-fi story, you will very quickly start to forget about analyzing the special effects. There is significant violence in the film, just as a warning, although frankly I think it is not gratuitous and is not nearly as bad as what you might see in a thriller/horror movie today.
So if you find yourself getting annoyed with the quality of science fiction movies today, or if you feel that lately the fantasy movies are getting all of the attention, go see The Terminator and you will be pleasantly surprised at how exciting it is!