Lethally Efficient Entertainment Machine

Rating: 9/10 (22 July 2015)

The police psychologist interviewing Kyle Reese says it just right at one point: "I could make a career out of this guy!" Make that two careers, that of action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger and blockbuster filmmaker James Cameron.
Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) is a struggling waitress who has just been stood up for a date. Another date is en route; unfortunately for her it's the proverbial date from hell. He may look like a studly Austrian-American bodybuilder, but he's really a hyperalloy metal chassis wrapped in human tissue sent from the future to kill her before she can give birth to the hope of mankind's survival. Can Kyle (Michael Biehn) save her before Arnold does his job?
The title character is really a thing of beauty. As Kyle explains: "It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity or remorse or fear. And it absolutely will not stop. Ever! Until you are dead."
So what you have is "Jaws" for a new decade. And there can be no doubt what that decade is. From the Walkman worn by Sarah's roommate to the trendy neon sportswear on display at the "Technoir" nightclub, this is a 1980s movie through and through. And other than some clunky miniatures work set in the world Kyle came from, there's nothing wrong with that.
The film has a lot more going for it. From start to stop this is, like "Jaws," a pop-action spectacular that never stops. Even the lengthy time-travel exposition scenes are suspenseful, because you are always alert for what might come through the door in the next second. Schwarzenegger makes his most lasting impression in an atypical bad- guy role, while Hamilton convinces with her ruffled beauty and sudden bursts of heroism. Biehn may do the best job, his face suggesting the anguish of his character's plight as well as his somewhat crazy hope for the future personified in Sarah.
Cameron and producer Gale Anne Hurd fashioned a clever script with many brilliant touches that reward re-viewings. There's a scene between Kyle and Sarah that brings "Terminator's" greatness into focus for me. He's telling her of this photograph he has been holding of her, and spent many terrible nights staring at, wondering what she was thinking. Later, Cameron has a scene where we get to see what Sarah was thinking, and it's a doozy!
Then there's the police vehicle the Terminator rides around in trying to get his mark. The slogan on the side of the car reads: "Dedicated To Serve." Perfect!
Is the Terminator supposed to be from THE future, or just "one possible future"? Like Sarah says, a guy could go crazy thinking about this. Or at least have to wait until the next sequel. Hollywood can beat good ideas to death, but this film proves it will take a lot indeed to kill the Terminator.