The defining film of our generation

Rating: 10/10 (16 December 1999)

Well, my generation at least. Terminator is referenced in so many films it becomes impossible to list, it can be held responsible for a deluge of 'robot from the future' films, and yet its memory remains untarnished. Why? Because this is where it all began (yes I know there were similar films before Terminator, but how many can *you* name? And how many were this influential?) As well as launching the careers of most of the actors, it catapulted James Cameron into the limelight. The plot, which seems so simple (robot from the future comes to kill someone) is incredibly complex, depending on how far you wish to analyze it. There is so much material in the Terminator world that even the sequel barely scratched the surface, and although it is only hinted at in this, the background history (future?) gives the story unparalleled depth. I can't think of another film that has ever had me thinking about the possibilities for so long (and then you start thinking about temporal paradoxes and go insane...) or that has captivated me so completely. The Terminator is the only film that I could even think of describing as flawless, and it still remains my fervent wish to see it on the big screen (sadly I was 4 when it was released) So in case I'm being too subtle for you, I absolutely love this film.