The Terminator

Rating: 9/10 (10 September 2013)

The Terminator (James Cameron, 1984) It's easy to see how The Terminator put James Cameron on the map. Whether or not the story is entirely original (and of course, like maybe all sci-fi concepts, it's been done again and again, in the Doctor Who story Day of the Daleks just to name one example), the way Cameron put it all together is impressive. The storyline generates lots of genuine suspense, even when you know exactly what's going to happen, even when you know how it will happen. Linda Hamilton makes a great protagonist, her character arc developing quite believably given her performance. The special effects and the dialogue are sometimes a bit cheesy... but it was the Eighties, what can you do?
The chase/fight scenes are not overdone (unlike certain newer movies like Man of Steel and Pacific Rim). The sequence of the police psychologist interviewing Reese provides some welcome comic relief, as do a couple of other sequences here and there. Arnold Schwarzenegger's questionable acting abilities are actually put to good advantage: he plays a believable robot.
Overall I am pleased with The Terminator, which deserves its positive reputation as a force of pop culture. Solid piece of science fiction too.
Sarah Connor was just damn lucky she was listed as the last Sarah Connor in the phone book! 9/10