Movies You Gotta Catch: The Terminator

Name: The Terminator
Directed by: James Cameron
Year: 1984
Genre: Sci-Fi/Action
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn

In the not too distant future, we trust all of our national defenses to a network known as Skynet. Skynet determines that all of mankind is a threat and needs to be wiped out. It launches a nuclear attack. All is going to Robot overlord plan until John Conner leads a Resistance and turns the tide. After loosing the war, Skynet sends an assassin cyborg to 1985 to kill Sarah Conner (Linda Hamilton), his mother, and wipe John from existence. John Conner sends his best friend Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) on a one way trip back in time to protect his mother from the Terminator.

A classic 80’s movie in the sense of it has big hair, rad fashion and awesome music! Arnold Schwarzenegger was the perfect emotionless killing machine. The 80’s was definitely Arnolds decade. Conan the Barbarian, Commando, but Terminator is one of the biggest hits of his career.

The overall cast is solid. Linda Hamilton plays the vulnerable yet strong Sarah Conner. Although this is a review of the first Terminator her performance in this movie adds to the strength of her character in the sequel, Terminator 2-T2. At the begging of The Terminator Sarah goes from helpless victim being hunted to the future mother of the leader of the Resistance.

Sets, miniatures, props, and practical effects help make this sci-fi not look campy and dated for an 80’s movie. The movie even had some cutting edge animatronics for the time.

Geek favorites Lance Henriksen and Bill Paxton also have small but memorable roles as well.

Fun Fact: Schwarzenegger was supposed to be Reese and The Role of the Terminator was

offered to Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson, both passed. The studio suggested the role be offered  to O.J. Simpson but James Cameron did not feel that Simpson would be believable as a killer.