The Terminator

The beginnings of all the action weekend evenings on television in my childhood and one of the first films with Arnold Schwarzenegger I’ve ever seen. I remember being quite afraid of him. That’s why I prefer the second part. Nevertheless, the first instalment has a firm place in my heart as well. Just so you know, so you don’t think I am some action flick hater :). (11/30/2014)

One of those films that even after 20 years has not lost any of its impact and can easily captivate today's audience. James Cameron is shown here for the first time as a meticulous visionary with an incredible amount of creativity and a range of ideas. What underlines everything is that he himself came up with the story and was the main creator of the excellent screenplay. Casting Arnold Schwarzenegger was truly a risky bet, but time has shown it to be brilliant; his wooden acting was exactly what was needed. The action is great and the clearing of the police station is still a breathtaking experience. The gloominess and depression present at every step, whether due to the dark story or the suggestive dark backgrounds of L.A., give this immensely impactful and gritty film the right edge. One of the milestones of sci-fi. (01/25/2006)

After his debut in Piranha 2, where he was more of a puppet in the hands of an Italian producer, John Cameron found himself in Terminator and despite the low budget delivered a technically proficient action flick that is a perfect image of 1980s tastes, with the hard-bodies cult of the period, typical synthesizer sound and violence that is you no longer see in today's impotent times. (09/18/2015)

More than a legend. With Terminator, Cameron opened his iconic window of visual treats, which he has been successfully expanding and even improving ever since. The amazing storyline, set to the rhythm of depressingly pulsating music and properly lethal action scenes, doesn't give any room at all for all the general shortcomings such as verbosity or monotony, instead presenting a pure exhibition of zany effects, cool catchphrases and fun car chases that never ceases to entertain and at the same time doesn't allow us not to take it seriously. Arnold is iconic, Michael Biehn is likeable, and Cameron is a film terminator himself.... It's a pity that Lance Henriksen was underused, but the director paid him back in Aliens. 95% (04/19/2011)

After all these years, I prepared my raised eyebrows as a precaution, only to completely forget about them. Only Brad Fiedel's synth soundtrack has become brutally obsolete, but otherwise Cameron's cyborg is still doing great. While the effects tend to make you laugh, Cameron's unique sense of tension and impressive characters look like a metal skeleton over a pile of human skulls. Perfect camera work, great editing and very good actors led by Arnie, who acts like an unruly Nazi on a trip. The script doesn't try any big tricks, yet the story of saving the future is extremely impressive, and the insights into the apocalyptic age still have urgency and a pretty decadent mood after all the years. I can't find anything to criticize. The Terminator embodies the poetics of the 1980s in every way, and to this day it should serve as an insurmountable textbook of dramatic action spectacle for hit-makers. A clear gold fund, a film top class without compromise. (04/07/2005)