Terrific action and smart sci-fi

Rating: 9/10 (15 April 2007)

One of the best science fiction films of all time. A perfect blend of action thrills and sci-fi intrigue, with a fair dose of horror elements throw in. The story borrows from a ton of sources, but still manages to be mostly original, and actually all makes sense in the end. Time travel stuff can get pretty dodgy sometimes, but this manages to all work out with a predestination paradox explaining everything. The sequels kind of ruin this part of the story, but this film executes it perfectly. It's also got some great acting, from Arnold's iconic role to Michael Biehn's under-appreciated performance to Linda Hamilton's surprisingly good turn, and some terrific effects, considering how low-budget it was. The action sequences are perfectly staged, and the exciting climax is both terrifying and exhilarating. Though I like T2 better, I can appreciate how influential this film was.