Classic 80's Action

Rating: Null/10 (29 May 2009)

Terminator, The (1984)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
Everyone knows the story to this action classic so there's no point in going over it again but you really can't blame any of the stories you've heard about how hard it was for Cameron to get this made. It's quite well known that this movie barely got made and if you hear the story you might see why a producer or studio might pass on making it. There's no doubt in my mind that in lesser hands this film would have turned out to be a disaster but Cameron really makes it what it is. The fact that he found someone like Arnold Schwarzenegger to play the killing Terminator is never a bad thing but Linda Hamilton and Michael Biehn also fill their roles quite nicely. What works best for the film is its dark tone, which Cameron never comes away from. Even the "softer" moments of the film, those inside the motel between Hamilton and Biehn's characters, are quite dark and the overall tone and atmosphere is what really makes it stand out. There are numerous great moments but the highlight has to be the scene where the Terminator does an operation on itself. The police station massacre has always been an uneasy scene to watch but that's a good thing. The movie has non-stop action from start to finish and you throw in the fine performances and that makes this a classic for the genre. The special effects are top notch as is the score so there's no doubt that this film deserves its reputation.