THE TERMINATOR (1984) 108 min. R Directed by James Cameron Written by James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd With Acknowledgement to the Works of Harlan Ellison Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger Michael Biehn Linda Hamilton
Paul Winfield Lance Henriksen and Dick Miller ***1/2 (out of ****)
James Cmaeron's breakthrough feature was the first of his films to showcase his obsession with technology and more specfically technology run amok. For those of you who do not know the plot: in 2029 machines have engineered a nuclear for the expressed purpose of wiping out the human race. Human survivors are systematically hunted down and destroyed. However, some humans are fighting back led by the heroic John Connor. To stop Connor, the machines send a Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) back to 1984 to murder Connor's mother, Sara (Linda Hamilton), and thus prevent Connor from ever being born. In response, the humans send a protector, Kyle Reese, played by Michael Biehn.
Images of machines and of humans' reliance on machines dominate the film. Even though the characters know that the benign oil drillers of 1984 will become the ruthless hunter killers of 2029, humans continue to use the machines. In the climax of STAR WARS, Luke relies on the Force alone--his own spiritual power--to destroy the Death Star. In THE TERMINATOR, however, Sara must use another machine--a giant hydraulic press--to vanquish her enemy. Cameron seems to be implying that this reliance on technology is inescapable--and he's not happy about it.
Unabated technological growth brings about THE TERMINATOR's other obsession: the apocalypse. We have plenty of imagery regarding armageddon: thousands of human skulls line the streets of future LA. Children watch the flames in a burning television. When the Terminator arrives in 1984 an almost Biblical lightning storm precedes him.
Even though the "future is not set," there is no doubt about where the world is headed at the end of the movie: the machines will rise and the humans will have to struggle for their very existence. All Sara can do is await it. (Cameron doesn't wimp out like he does in TERMINATOR 2)
The end of the world is the human race's own fault, too. After all it is the humans that created in the evil machines in the first place. Back in 1984, when the Cold War was still in full effect, the film must have been seen as a very apt metaphor for nuclear war (another obsession of Cameron's).
These days, one can read a criticism of machine-like behavior in humans. True, humanizing touches are put into Paul Winfield's and Lance Henriksen's detective characters, but the Terminator is also able to move through the city undetected. Cameron also draw parallels between the mechanical efficiency between the Terminator and Reese when they first arrive in 1984 LA.
From a technical standpoint THE TERMINATOR is very well done. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a perfect antagonist--unstoppable, merciless, obdurate. We are not meant to empathize with this ultimate killing machine as we are in some of Schwarzenegger's later works (eg, COMMANDO), but fear him.
Cameron and Hurd's script basically depicts a one hour and forty-five minute chase, taking a few moments here and there to explain time travel and develop the romantic subplot. While we do see the hackneyed dialogue Cameron is now so well known for, there is also considerable suspense especially for the first time viewer who may be unsure of Kyle Reese's intentions.
Cameron directs the film at a rapid, kinetic pace. Either the camera is moving or something within the frame is moving--usually both occurs. The violence is not particularly graphic (TEMPLE OF DOOM's heart-pull scene outgrosses THE TERMINATOR's), but it is brutally staged making it that much more effective.
For a low budget film, THE TERMINATOR's special effects and art direction (especially in 2029 LA) are remarkably well done. Special mention should be made of the stop motion effects work at the end of the film depicting the Terminator Endoskeleton. It is some of the best stop motion I have ever seen.
One thing that doesn't hold up after all the years, however, is Linda Hamilton's hairdo.
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