Chad’s Grade: A-
Never bet against James Cameron. It’s a recent catchphrase describing one of Hollywood’s most successful action directors. The acclaimed auteur has earned a reputation for taking big swings like the budget-busting Titanic, the even more expensive Avatar, and its sequel Avatar – The Way of Water (costing a reported $350 million). Cameron throws his heart and soul into his projects, only to shock the industry with wild success after success.
It’s fascinating to revisit the director’s earlier work, notably his first big hit, The Terminator. Once upon a time, Cameron was a scrappy filmmaker, starting his career working for B-Movie King Roger Corman and horror master John Carpenter. The Terminator wears these influences on its sleeve, dripping with a gritty and low-budget atmosphere. And the film, far removed from the glossy budgets and fiery pyrotechnics of his more recent work, showcases Cameron’s exceptional storytelling skills that fuel his populist filmmaking style.
The Terminator starts in the distant future of 2029 (!), where humans have been at war with the machine army run by Skynet, a self-aware A.I. intent on wiping humanity from the planet. Skynet sends the “terminator,” a cyborg that looks human, back in time to 1984. Its mission: kill Sara Connor, the mother of John Connor, the messiah-like leader who will turn the tide of the cybernetic war.
In response, the human army sends Kyle Reese, a young soldier assigned to protect the vulnerable woman. At first, Sara is frightened of Reese’s wild claims of her being the “mother” of the future, but her disbelief falls away in the face of the powerful cyborg. As they are hunted by this unstoppable force, a flicker of romance between Reese and Sara becomes a glimmer of hope in the face of the bleak future headed their way.
The plot of The Terminator has been mimicked and copied so many times that you forget how novel it was in 1984. Cameron co-wrote the script with his (then) wife, Gale Ann Hurd, and they cleverly take the classic sci-fi trope of man vs. machine and frame it in a horror-slasher aesthetic. At times the movie has a grimy tone that recalls John Carpenter’s Halloween and Escape from New York. The film’s low budget works in its favor, and many early scenes, like the Terminator targeting Sara at a (very 80s) nightclub, are filmed in ominous shadows that heighten the tension and thrills.
It’s easy to forget that this was a vehicle for rising action star Arnold Schwarzenegger. Cameron originally wanted Lance Henriksen, but he compromised by casting the Austrian bodybuilder to secure funding for the project. Schwarzenegger was eager to play against type, and his limited acting ability made him a good fit for the imposing cyborg. But it’s strange to see the 80s action icon stripped of his natural charisma giving monotone delivery of his limited dialogue, like the iconic “I’ll Be Back.” Especially in comparison to his cuddlier terminator in the “switch and bait” sequel seven years later.
Despite Schwarzenegger’s sunglass-wearing presence dominating the marketing, this is really Sara Connor’s story. She gets the lion’s share of the screen time, and it’s jarring to see this clumsy “everywoman” version of Sara after her muscular makeover in the sequel. Linda Hamilton was a fresh face in 1984, bringing gravitas to the frightened damsel in distress. And it’s to the actress’s credit that she makes Sara a complex character, hinting at the warrior that will emerge in the sequel. She’s paired nicely with Michael Biehn, playing Kyle Reese, the scarred soldier sent to protect Sara. It’s a tricky role to play, but Biehn lets Reese’s stoicism melt the more time he spends with this radiant woman. Fortunately, both actors play off each well and make their relationship believable, especially when it turns romantic.
And it’s the romance between Sara and Kyle that elevates The Terminator above many of the schlocky action pictures of the era. Cameron lets these characters breathe, giving them sweet moments, like when Sara bandages Kyle as he describes her future son. Or, during a brief respite in the future war, Kyle stares at a picture of a young Sara, wondering what she was thinking at that moment. Only to find out that she was reminiscing about her one night with Kyle when the polaroid shot is taken, and pregnant with the future John Connor. It’s a delicate balancing act, threading a love story amongst this gritty Schwarzenegger vehicle, but Cameron pulls it off.
But for all of Cameron’s talent as a director, The Terminator has flaws brought on by the limitations of the time period. The future war scenes swing between semi-believable to downright laughable. There’s a retro vibe to the opening stop motion photography, like someone dipped Ray Harryhausen’s work in a shiny coat of chrome. But this archaic technology robs the big finale of much-needed tension as the cyborg’s exoskeleton chases our heroes through an (ahem) robotic factory. And let’s face it, this is a period piece, with all the trendy clothing and big hair that 1984 has to offer. I mean, the dance club featured early in the movie is called “Tech-Noir.” Which, at the time, was a real nightclub in L.A.
The Terminator deftly blends elements of science fiction, cyberpunk, and the slasher thriller into a compelling story on a shoestring budget. But there’s a beating heart with real stakes and grounded, believable characters. That’s the often overlooked factor on why Cameron’s batting average is in the billions of dollars. He allows the characters to drive the story of his high-concept actioners, creating an involving experience. Sadly, it’s an ingredient sorely lacking in his two recent Avatar epics. I’ll take the shot of Kyle gazing at the haunted woman in a polaroid over actors glazed in motion capture CGI any day of the week.
Beating all expectations, The Terminator was a critical and commercial smash upon its release in 1984. The film showed the promise of a visionary young filmmaker and helped him secure the coveted gig of directing Aliens, the follow-up to Alien. Cameron would return to his cybernetic universe in 1991 with Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the rare sequel that equals the original. Sadly, Schwarzenegger and other directors would try to replicate the magic of the first two entries to diminishing returns. The result was an unwieldy franchise warped by confusing time-travel storylines. But none can top the simple, stripped-down pleasures of the first film.
Everytime Terminator comes on TV, I am drawn to it. I’ve introduced my Gen Z older daughters to it, and they like it because of the retro feel. Great review as always.
Thank you for reading, Christina. I still love the original, but I think I prefer the original over the equally good T2. There’s something about the simplicity and stripped-down feel. And yes, all ages can enjoy the film, even with the 1984 setting.
Your last paragraph says it all. The franchise quickly went off-the-rails. I am sure many enthusiasts like me usually just wind up watching this original over again when in the mood for a Terminator fix.
Thanks for reading, Bruce. I think the first two Cameron-directed films in the franchise are near perfect and complete Sara’s storyline, as it’s her story and not Schwarzenegger’s. And that was the problem with the subsequent sequels that tried to make it an action franchise for the big action star. They should have jettisoned the time travel elements and just moved to the future set war, which they tried with the Salvation film, but that was also a mess of a movie. I think Cameron did a great job of wrapping everything up in T2.
And yes, after rewatching the original for this review, I think this is my favorite of the franchise. But I’m gearing up to review T2, so stay tuned!
Great article. Just wanted to point out, the opening had the use of miniatures while the stop motion was used in the ending—the endoskeleton going after Kyle Reese and Sarah Connor. Also, Tech Noir wasn’t a real club, it was a set created in an empty building space with people mistaking it for a real club.
Thanks for the reading and for the corrections. In my research, I came across a few sites that said Tech Noir was a real L.A. club, but they may have been incorrect. Although I kind of wish there was a club called Tech Noir!