“Terminator” 1984, with the translation of the Goblin, acts as an eternal masterpiece that fused the harmony of James Cameron’s talent, the rigidity of Arnold Schwarzenegger and the uniqueness of voice acting. The film not only fascinates with its unique blend of science fiction and action film, but also highlights how voice acting can become an integral part of a work of fiction.
The Goblin, with his distinctive voice, made Terminator the best voice acting of all. The voice of the Goblin not only conveyed the ruthlessness of the killer robot, but also turned him into a character memorable to the smallest detail. This virtuoso combination of directorial skills, acting talent and unique voice acting creates a unique cinematic experience. The Goblin’s “Terminator” is not just a film, but a work of art that has survived the test of time.
I don’t know how I missed this movie as a kid, but after watching it relatively recently, I began to understand why Arnold Schwarzenegger got the nickname “Iron Arnie.” Terminator performed by Arnold, makes a huge impression, and very pleasing to the eye. When this bodybuilding titan was still in its best shape, it looked menacing without a metal frame. Throughout the film, his behavior can be compared to the player who included cheats in order to get even for offenses and endless losses.
The film is a great combination of action and fiction. In principle, we can say that the film is one big action, but the dramatic play of the actors is painfully good. In addition, by analogy with the movie “Back to the Future 2”, it is interesting to look at the future, as the author saw it. Thanks to this film, people began to think about robots as a real threat to the existence of mankind.
The shootings in the film are very meaty and interesting. They are shown to be quite brutal, if you take into account other militants of those years. But I've always wondered, why would a robot that has such tremendous power that it can withstand an explosion directed at it need a weapon at all? So to say: left - crown, right - funeral.
Not to mention the amazing work of decorators. Although many things in our time look more than ridiculous, and in the movements of the iron terminator there is a consistent change in the positions of the parts of the doll, but in the eighties, some people experienced a feeling of horror, and said that they ran goosebumps while watching.
Putting everything together, the film turned out to be very good and high-quality. Starting to watch, from the film can no longer break away, the story captures you completely and completely and does not let go to the end. I highly recommend watching, as this is a cult film, thanks to which the second part appeared.
James Cameron once admitted that the first Terminator made no sense. Acknowledging the illogicality of the film and its roughness, the director added: “For the film to succeed, it needs to be believable, which it handled.” Up until the release of the film in 1984, he could easily be among the potential losers for some anti-award, be cursed and forgotten in his time, like a dozen other fighters of those years. But “The Terminator” from a potential loser became an artistic breakthrough, where style prevails over content. What just did not have to go to the director to his ideas came to life until he took Lance Henriksen with him to meet with Daly. Lance was dressed in a leather jacket and sat with a stone face: nothing can be said, a great sense of humor of the director. All directors would defend their vision and projects.
Cameron’s well-calibrated narrative turns into visual poetry. The long dynamic spans of the camera create the effect that the whole movie is one long chase. Cameron’s Los Angeles, with its rich green and blue color and neon signs, gives the film a special charm, it is a whole fusion of genres from science fiction to horror. One scene in the hotel where the cyborg puts himself in order, and the same episode of searching for Sarah in the confined space of the police station, can still make the viewer squeeze into the chair from the sense of fear that the cyborg causes, each time being so close to the victim. The T-800 follows the path of least resistance, in which Cameron anticipated the appearance of future fighters, whose heroes walk with stone faces, destroying everything in their path.
The director had the goal to create a gloomy cathartic fantasy, filled with irony over the viewer. Cameron gives a simple waitress from the BIG JEFF'S restaurant the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Hitchcock's heroes, when an ordinary citizen enters the realm of an unknown alien and simply unreal, more like a dream world, where she has to adapt to new conditions and share Kyle's apocalyptic dreams. Sarah Connor is a prototype of Sharon Williams, the director’s wife who once worked for Bobs Big Boy. Transferring into the film not only details from his personal life, but also scenes from the 1960s series Beyond the Possible, for which Cameron will be prosecuted for plagiarism. Confirmation that the director did everything right is tested by years of popular love for the film, dispersed into quotes, scenes from which the viewer knows from beginning to end.
An incredibly stylish scene in tech noir, where Sarah takes Kyle for a maniac with a handbook of their miraculous rescue and further cat and mouse games. Is Cameron cunning in saying that both Terminators are the offspring of their time, not up to his level, that the film is too clumsy. However, the cult scene in the factory warehouse gives a clear answer to all critics of the director why his brainchild has become a classic: behind all this pursuit and fuss lies a warning about the imperfection of technology and the dangers of creating a god on earth, which leads to nuclear collapse. In 1984, the year 2027 seemed distant and unreal, but it is almost on the nose, and technology is increasingly replacing human compassion with some schemes and programs, and the world is at a dead end like never before.
Sometimes it seems to me that I did not watch the movie, but start watching and remembering. It's an amazing story -- I started watching The Terminator and it turned out I didn't remember anything at all. Perhaps once in my childhood I watched it, but I did not remember anything, not even the plot. I didn't even know the Terminator was supposed to kill Sarah Connor. And what's also amazing is that I've seen a lot of movies and read a lot of books based on the Terminator story, but it still doesn't look secondary. And despite the fact that the film is 1984 and I saw it in 2022, it amazed me. This is the power of art.
This movie is without exaggeration genius. In just one hour and 47 minutes, Cameron managed to lay an interesting entanglement and lay out the principle of the Terminator universe on shelves, and after watching only the first picture, you can already break your brain, thinking about all the intricacies and closed circles of time.
Ahead of its time in special effects and fixing science fiction in cinema as one of the most important directions, the film can be considered not only as a bloody and cruel action movie, but also as a horror movie. Not only because of the screeners that are present in the film (not in the traditional way, but still), but also because of the scenes that are staged in such a way as to scare the viewer, and they succeed. And of course, Arnold in the role of the T-800 leaves no chance to remain calm when he is in the frame. It’s also hard to keep calm because the T-800 is chasing very important characters, Kyle and Sarah, who have time to reveal themselves in the first half of the film, and in the second half you literally start praying for them.
The film’s soundtrack, written by Brad Fidel, is as authentic as it can be. Working with music in a nightclub scene is something unearthly, causing goosebumps every time you watch or at least remember.
One of the most iconic works, a standard of fiction and action movie, the best role of Arnie, an unforgettable image of a killer machine.
10 out of 10
It is impossible to imagine mass culture without the Terminator. But in 1984, when James Cameron released a new film, nobody believed in the project. The success of "Terminator" exceeded all conceivable and unthinkable expectations, and although the director had other cult tapes, Cameron was able to achieve his grand success thanks to the fact that he showed the world his iron Arnold Schwarzenegger!
It's impossible to imagine anyone in Arnie's shoes. A confident look, a pumped body - the actor was born for this role. Masters of makeup and special effects bothered to create a real monster of the technical world from Arnold. Now, of course, the imperfection of the technology of the 80s is noticeable due to the high definition of the image, but it is extremely difficult to imagine the surprise of the first viewers who saw how the Terminator treats his wounds and attacks the main characters in the form of a metal skeleton. No one had seen anything like it in 1984.
But, of course, the script is also of high importance, in which literally all the characters successfully fit in, whether it is a company of rude punks, or unhappy Ginger (Bess Motta), which causes the greatest pity among the audience. An unkillable cyborg who travels to the past to... and is it worth retelling a plot that everyone has known for a long time? Looking through the “Terminator” in the new millennium, you unwittingly notice those moments that have been further developed in the sequels. For example, Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) undergoes a change in character during the film, which, after a terrifying encounter with a ruthless cyborg, becomes hardened like steel. That's how we remember Sarah. And in the “Terminator” in the background appears Lance Henriksen, which in a couple of years was also to become a cinematic robot of the future in the franchise about the Alien.
Whether Cameron originally planned that his brainchild will turn into a long-playing franchise is now difficult to say, but there is no doubt that the idea of such a tape could arise only in the 1980s. Many scenes unfold at night, allowing the viewer to enjoy multicolored neon lighting, and the specific music only enhances the effect of immersion in the atmosphere of that time. This is what I would like to see in the eighties. Who wouldn’t want to do that after a movie?
A film that deservedly gained worldwide fame.
The Terminator is a film that tells the story of the war between machines and humans. And one of the machines goes back in time to kill the mother of the main wrestler. That's where the story begins. Despite the fantastic plot, I can not call this film fantastic, rather it is an action movie that is competently combined with elements of fiction.
The main advantage of the picture, I think, is the atmosphere. It is thanks to the beautiful atmosphere of despair, despair and struggle that interest in the film remains from beginning to end. Literally, each frame is built so that you can immerse yourself in a world where a killing machine operates. This is all complemented by an excellent action game, which for so many years has not become obsolete. You can feel the hand of the director who did everything possible to make the action look as realistic as possible.
It is also worth noting the actors. The role of Terminator is simply created for Arnold, it is impossible to imagine anyone else in his place. Sarah Connor is also a very lively and strong woman who fights for life at all costs. Michael Bean also did well in the role of Kyle Reis, but still slightly inferior to his colleagues.
Thanks to the plot, this picture also does not lose relevance, rather the opposite. With the development of technology, this film begins to seem less fictional and fantastic. Therefore, it can be safely revised and reasoned about the likelihood of such a scenario.
Conclusion. The picture over the years has not lost its relevance and is still able to make the viewer stick to the screen. Therefore, I recommend you to watch this work if you have not yet seen or reconsider when this opportunity arises.
9 out of 10
Terminator. The mere mention of this word gives rise to many images in the minds of people where there is a terrible war of robots and people, dangerous machines plying an almost lifeless planet in search of those who survived, nuclear explosions from bombs that unleashed a nuclear apocalypse, starving people who live out their lives, no longer hoping to find peace and tranquility and free themselves from the yoke of machines. But still the first association is the image of a crushing and deadly robot with the unflappable face of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Over the decades that the film exists, stories about its creation, distribution, sequels have already become cult, spawning entire communities of fans of the franchise. But back in 1984, no one could have imagined that the movie would be a landmark. A small budget of $ 6 million, like a passing script, a little-known director and especially unknown actors. And only after the movie rental became popular, and over time, the whole history of the struggle between people and machines acquired a truly cult status.
Everyone knows that James Cameron is a very meticulous person, he literally works to wear out, demands the same from his subordinates, who are all on set. His imagination and attention to detail allowed him to create an entire universe where, in the future, killer machines created by out-of-control artificial intelligence attacked humans in order to end the existence of their creators.
The movie is a real thriller. This is not an action film, which was no less successful continuation. It is a drama, horror and action movie in one bottle. The great story Cameron tells us is closely tied to time travel, a dangerous savior mission and a terrifying creature that humans have yet to see. He cannot be distinguished from a man, he blends in with the crowd, looks like any passer-by, but He will come for you if you are his target. It will go through everyone, stop at nothing and continue until you die. If you imagine how scary it is in reality, then suddenly you realize that the world around you is completely alien. After all, he lives by his own rules, but you no longer fit into him, because you “ordered” the computer, he sent to your elimination perfect killing machine, and you recognize it only when this machine locks its metal ice arm on your throat.
I can imagine how frightening Sarah Connor was when she realized the horror of what was happening. Cameron masterfully showed us all this in detail through the story of Kyle Reese and all the events of the film, showing how scary a killer robot can be.
The film was done qualitatively. Despite the small budget, the creators very well out of the situation, giving a very high-quality visual range, which today looks quite decent. Well, the effects of the master of his craft Stan Winston with the help of excellent visual effects created such a realistic picture that the world of the future and the terrifying robot literally came to life.
The creators gave us their dark, apathetic, dangerous world of the 21st century, literally setting a canon that the successors could not repeat, no matter how hard they tried. They simply could not convey the gloomy and harsh atmosphere of the coming world of war, which Cameron showed in a few minutes in his film.
Despite the responsible mission of the savior of the main character and the killer with the cold look of Schwarzenegger, for me, the film “Terminator” still became and remains a love story between two young people. The circumstances throw them into the whirlpool of events, mortal danger follows them everywhere, but they find each other, and the subsequent battle proves that each of them is ready to fight to the end for the loved one, even before you a ruthless killer with whom you can not agree. The story of Kyle and Sarah is something extraordinary, even perhaps perfect, that lives in the hearts of true fans of the film.
The Terminator is a story for all time. A cult movie, a good action movie, a great drama. It will be watched by future generations, reviewed by those who have seen it many times, because it is a quality product that has passed the test of time. This is a film that teaches you to love, defend your own, fight to the end and never give up.
10 out of 10
Honestly, if my introduction to the franchise had started with this movie (and not with its great sequel), it would have ended with this film.
The film is not frankly bad, but the language does not turn well. After all, he did not even stand next to the second film.
First of all, there are a lot of blunders in the film. With logic, this picture is not friendly at all - no one knows where the cartridges taken from Reese, levers in the hand of the terminator, then disappearing, then appearing, the escape of the Terminator from the cops (although he never stops!) and this is not a complete list. And the explanation for why Reese and the Terminator arrived without weapons is childish. Obviously, the director just wanted to make a spectacular scene with a naked Arnie, and how to justify it he did not really come up with.
Secondly, the plot of the picture is not so good. The story has a strong crucible and fear for Sarah's life. That's it. But that's not enough. The rest of the picture consists of monotonous scenes of chases and shootouts, leading by and large to nowhere.
The ending of the film is a Spanish shame. If in the whole picture, the action scenes are set quite well, then here is the finale just pull out the eye. It is too long, and implausible, and simply ridiculous.
Fourth, acting. Michael Bean - overplays, Linda Hamilton (yes, that Linda Hamilton!) is kind of wooden. In fact, one Schwarzenegger coped with the role, but not at all because he is a good actor - he just has nothing to play there, the image of the Terminator in this film is as primitive as possible (not as an example of the second part), he is just a stupid killing machine, and therefore he does not need any complex facial expressions or play with his voice, especially since he says almost nothing in the film.
But it's not that bad. There are pluses.
First of all, the action scenes for most of the film are not bad.
Secondly, in this picture there are absolutely cult scenes, which are really the find of the director.
Thirdly, the film is well put dialogue - not without reason it was disassembled for quotes.
Fourth, the soundtrack. The film has a very cool soundtrack (which will later migrate to all subsequent parts of the franchise).
In general, this is a fairly average movie, but it is worth watching at least in order to better understand its coolest sequel.
6 out of 10
He knows no fear. He doesn’t feel any pain. He is the perfect machine for murder.
I still remember the first time I watched The Terminator in its entirety, from beginning to end. I was 6 years old, still breathing the USSR (albeit intermittently), and my sister and I went to the movies, where we chased the Terminator. The first thing to note is the full room. This is in Novosibirsk, in a far from the most passable cinema - DK Academy. I am still grateful to my sister for not being too lazy to take me there, although I know perfectly well what it is like to mess with punks (we have a younger brother).
“Terminator” is unwittingly compared to “Terminator 2”, because it is difficult to imagine a person who would not have seen both of these films. I was lucky enough to have known someone like that – my wife. Now, of course, she is no longer such a person, but when we watched “Terminator” together in the director’s version, it was clear that she was impressed by what she saw, although she likes all sorts of creeps to watch. However, despite the fact that “Terminator” is saturated (but not oversaturated, nevertheless) with murder scenes, this film can be called terrible not for these scenes, but for something behind these scenes, something more distant. The apocalypse is what is scary, and the atmosphere of what permeates the whole film. The second is Arnold’s successful entry into the role. It's no secret that he's a good-natured guy with a good sense of humor, but Schwartz's only negative role is worth many of his positive roles. Arnold is scary in this movie. And Robert Patrick, for example, does not inspire such horror, although there was a salt in it. However, a big guy on a motorcycle, playing for the team of Good, in a swoop deprives “Terminator-2” of the atmosphere of a thriller, turning it into an action movie, albeit flawless on all sides. There is no need to talk about the subsequent sequels - there the Terminator becomes an increasingly grotesque character, and no scenes of the mochilov will change this.
Overall, the worst movie of the franchise. And the best.
10 out of 10.
The first Terminator stands out from all the other films in the franchise. And it's not about outdated special effects - it's all too obvious, it's about the mood of the film. Perhaps no subsequent film of the franchise failed to convey the atmosphere of despair that the first “Terminator” showed.
Cameron, in the absence of a large budget, very correctly put the emphasis in the form of a thriller, but sometimes “Terminator” even enters the territory of slashers, this is if you replace the Terminator with some Leather Face. And in places "Terminator" comes into the genre of operational cinema.
But again, all this is due to a limited budget, and yet, with all the restrictions, Cameron managed to deliver a really strong film with a pressing atmosphere that could not be repeated even in the fourth Terminator, and he for a moment showed the future and the war in this future.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, I want to say about him separately - by and large, his character created this whole atmosphere - Arnold perfectly fit into the role of a not killed and ruthless cyborg. And special effects, now they look outdated, especially graphic effects — when you show the gait of the robot, directly cuts the eye. But... still Cameron maximally avoided such effects, and there are actually not so many, so to this day the first “Terminator” looks intimidating – everything that happens really looks scary and frightening, and also envelops its hopeless mood.
I doubt there will be anyone in our time who has never heard of the Terminator. The legendary cyborg from the future, played by no less legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger, first appeared on the screens as early as 1984, and despite its venerable age, the Terminator still looks great. It’s definitely the most intense and grim part of the franchise, which is not surprising. The first Terminator is more of a thriller than an action movie. The feeling of an imminent threat in the face of a cyborg from the future, who knows no pain and fatigue, who will haunt you no matter what, until he kills, is perfectly conveyed in the film.
Of course, “Terminator” hardly looked so impressive, if not for Arnold Schwarzenegger. The colorful and memorable appearance of the actor perfectly fell on the image of an emotionless killing machine. What can I say, despite the impressive list of acting works of Arnie, who tried himself in comedies, dramas, and in countless militants, it is the T-800 that I consider his main role in the movie.
Of course, technically, the Terminator is outdated, it is foolish to deny it. Somewhere cuts the eye of the graphic, somewhere something else, but the film does not spoil it at all. To some extent, on the contrary, such shortcomings emphasize the cult status of the tape even today.
In fact, to tell something now about a film of such magnitude as “Terminator”, which left such a significant mark in the whole cinema, it is a thankless business. It is better to see it once than to hear it a hundred times.
One of my favorite films (by the way, I like the hype second part, which does not prevent me from considering it also a masterpiece). Best of all, the genre of this picture determines the name of the nightclub, in which Sarah is hiding for some time - "techno-noir" (Cameron in fact introduced this term, which later determined the name of the whole subgenre).
John Reese played by Michael Bean is such a lone hero, besides a war veteran, albeit of the future, but quite in the noir tradition (without a hat and a cigarette, of course, but in a cloak). As an indestructible Terminator, Schwarzenegger represents an imminent threat to the heroes. Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor is a typical lady in trouble. By the end, she turns into a real femmy fatal.
Atmospheric main theme of the soundtrack. The action takes place almost entirely at night or in the dark. And it's actually taken for pennies. All this gives the output almost perfect techno-noir. Somewhere even cooler than "Blade Runner."
With the help of a time machine, a robot from 2029 was sent to 1984 to destroy Sarah Connor, the mother of an unborn rebel leader who led a future rebellion against the machines that enslaved and destroyed most of humanity. To stop the Terminator in the same year went and a soldier from the rebel army Kyle Reese.
In the 80s of the last century, James Cameron was under the general influence of the dystopian moods of that time. But in addition to feeling this mood, the Canadian director, who received world fame thanks to the “Terminator”, sensitively caught a huge range of possibilities that provide spectacular special effects.
In addition to the literal reading of the plot, "Terminator" is interesting at a different level of generalization - despite the apparent happy ending, it is a tragic story, ringed in its hopelessness, especially taking into account its further development. The sinister dystopian plot sounds like a warning that it is in the hands of the man himself that his fragile future lies and there is a risk to bury him. In subsequent films, the viewer will see that for various reasons, including because of scientists unencumbered by ethical frameworks, deadly machines will still be created that will arrange the end of the world for most of humanity, and their metal caterpillars will ride on the bones and skulls of the defeated.
“Come with me if you want to live.”
I love this movie. A recognized masterpiece from the master James Cameron. There are so many stories around this film: how it was created, nobody believed in its success, but something incredible happened. When I first saw The Terminator, this fantastic picture caught my imagination. The story itself is interesting, the shooting, the choice of actors, a lot of crown phrases, and of course the character of an aggressive robot from the future, which must kill the mother of the future savior of humanity from machines.
That rare case when a film can be reviewed and revised over time, and by the way, these names are the picture in which you constantly notice something new that you did not pay attention to before. The Terminator is one of the first places to think about fantastic movies. What is the success of this film?
James Cameron is a perfectionist and he’s going to think through everything, which is why his films are so beautiful. His paintings are huge, and the imagination in them is endless. If this fantastic story were in the hands of another director, maybe the film would have been spoiled and it would not have worked out, but it was Cameron’s fate to make this film and give it life. After so many years, this film remains a favorite and outstanding creation of Western cinema.
The story tells how a cyborg terminator from the future, in which there is an apocalypse, and the world is ruled by cold machines, is transported to the past to kill a certain Sarah Conor - the mother of the future savior of mankind. Soldier Kyle Reese must save Sarah and stop the perfect killing machine.
“The future is not yet written. There is no destiny, only what we create for ourselves.
I love the famous phrase from this picture “I’ll be back”. That’s what you always think of when you think of this movie. This movie can be watched by absolutely any viewer, with a variety of tastes on the cinema. The picture is enchanting and really cool. The second part turned out even better. The old, good movie is time-tested, and for new generations of viewers it is necessary to watch.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has been associated with “The Terminator” and “Predator” since childhood, and then with all other films. It is impossible to imagine any other actor in this role - only Arnie. Schwarzenegger played brilliantly, and approached the role perfectly. It looked great then and it looks great now.
Cameron gave his ex-wife worldwide fame by playing Sarah Conor. Linda Hamilton handled it hurrah and played great. Of course, the role of Sarah is her most famous and beloved. Michael Bean was once a very handsome man and a pleasant actor. He played for Cameron in The Terminator, Aliens and The Abyss. This actor is exclusively 80-ies, they remained his best roles.
I love watching the ending of this movie. I love the music of this film and the atmosphere that the director created. There is a really cool, perfect movie, which is difficult to find fault with (but there are few such films), and this picture is just that – amazing.
The Terminator is a 1984 American action movie. A wonderful and wonderful movie for all time. Words are no longer needed, everyone should see them.
9 out of 10
Every time you watch old movies, you notice something new. In 'Terminator' if you think about it, there aren't many intricacies to be surprised at. But lately, the films of the 2010s leave an impression of intricacy. This is the creation of super universes, and the ambition of projects, and a heap of ideas.
'Terminator' the film is quite simple. But, as they say, every wise man is quite simple.
A simple film usually has an effect on the actors’ good performance or their charisma. You can't take that away from the actors here. In general, films 20-30 years ago were held on this.
The special effects here are wax faces and painted zippers. It's not a great science fiction kit.
But that's not what I mean. In fact, this time I was very moved by a simple story 'Terminator'.
Yes, of course, the first film is the strongest picture, but also exposes the weaknesses of the sequels. The chain between the past and the future. This is the reason for the following films.
But also this film provides the main answer and the main reason for the failure of Genesis and Dark Fates as an alternative.
So what is it, the simple wisdom of the first Terminator?
For this we turn to the history of the film. It was created under the impression of the Cold War. Nuclear war is the main enemy here (as will be shown in other films). Robots are more a symbol of horror and what will come after.
Kyle rescues a girl from her past and tells her his nightmares. And at the very end of the film, Sarah talks about the time they had as the most precious moment. The photo also takes us back to that moment.
That is, Kyle and Sarah both put this brief moment of peace at the head of everything. This is why the first film will be stronger than the rest. Because this moment is more important than John and the robots.
As I wrote in the title of the review, Cameron quite clearly shows the idea of pacifism in the plot 'The Terminator'. And this is not the only case of such an approach. ' Avatar' also duplicates this, albeit more frankly.
Now, after reviewing it, I think it is really a masterpiece. Not in terms of effects or action. And because behind all the sequels, the numerous robots and the battles against them, we kind of forget this first film, the first moment and the happiness of the characters.
Isn't that the best parody of life? Where, behind repeated hardships, negativity and global problems, we do not catch those moments. Here they are, this tree, the street, the wind, close people. . .
I revisited this masterpiece. I will not repeat hundreds of laudatory comments and focus on the main thing, although this has probably been written many times. Like the Matrix, the Terminator isn’t just an action movie. This is a philosophical parable permeated with deep mystical symbolism. There is a Satan supercomputer, a suffering mortal who embodies fate, and an invincible, omnipotent evil. But if in the Matrix the central theme is the spiritual transformation of a person, then here is the theme of fate and choice. Christianity paradoxically combines God’s providence and freedom of choice. The film brilliantly visualizes this paradox - the future is predetermined, but it is the result of Reese's free will.
Yes, our world is a world of suffering. But there's more to it. The elusive energy of time, which is the basis of being. And the highest understanding of the nature of being and consciousness is love. Overcome all the horrors of fate to fulfill your destiny in the grand tragedy of the Universe, and go to the world of absolute freedom, light and happiness. Our world is a door, and without a door, no matter how hard it may be. And only he who catches the incomprehensible spirit of fate and time, guided by the heart and inner part of the Absolute, can pass.
I can't help but mention the film's industrial aesthetic. All these factories, machines, trucks, motorcycles, servos. The painters outdid themselves.
While Terminator's second installment is great, it's inferior to the first, not to mention the other sequels (although I like them, except Genesis). The Terminator is a unique work of art, because true art is a mystical experience. The Terminator draws before us the tragic existential nature of being. But most importantly, it inspires hope. Everything that has a beginning has an end.
10 out of 10
It is not for nothing that I called the title of my review as a cult film, because cult films, cult directors and cult actors are never forgotten and they will forever go down in the history of cinema. So it happened with this creation of the legendary James Cameron 'Terminator'. This film really can rightly be considered legendary, as to this day about the film and the very idea of creating a film is still spoken.
According to legend, the idea of making a film and writing a script came to Cameron during his dreams, and no matter how true this information is, the important thing is that we got an amazing creation, unprecedented to the world in the first half of the eighties, and besides with a very modest budget, James Cameron took a significant step forward in innovation and technology, because many ideas he at that time could not implement, because special effects did not reach the proper level.
Speaking of the main villain in the face of the cyborg killer T-800 Arnold Schwarzenegger, now it is impossible to imagine another actor in his place, and then Cameron was going to take the role of a completely different actor, no matter what he says, but this role cemented Arnold’s status as a real star, even taking into account the fact that he acted as a negative character (by 1991 he will bring his role as a cyborg killer to perfection). In the same film, his cold-blooded look, his gestures, movements and mannerisms, which are characteristic of the cyborg, led to fear and horror, and the way he inevitably and cruelly dealt with his victims, and his short-handedness gave his character an even greater effect.
Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor, the main target of the Terminator and mother of the future savior of all mankind, her son John Connor. This innocent and weak-willed girl showed her character by the end of the film and showed that she was ready to fight and destroy the Terminator.
Michael Bean as Kyle Reese is a savior from the future sent by John Connor himself to protect his mother from the Terminator.
All three actors embodied real characters on the screen, and since Sarah and Kyle are ordinary people, and the T-800 is not a person, but a cybernetic organism, the combination and interaction of man and machine was well demonstrated, from this and the film has a unique idea that the Terminator looks completely like a simple person.
The makeup, effects and scenery for that time are really impressive (the scene in the hotel room in which the Terminator operates himself, this is confirmed).
The music in the film is atmospheric, especially the main musical theme is alive and popular so far.
'Terminator' is a stunning sci-fi action thriller by truly talented and unique director James Cameron.
At the dawn of his career, young director James Cameron sought to establish himself as a talented director. But who among us is not immune to mistakes? Cameron’s first directorial work – the horror film Piranha 2: Spawning in 1981 – unfortunately, was not only a failure, but also seriously damaged his reputation. But the ambitious director made every effort to make his new idea - a film about the confrontation between a killer machine and a man - was embodied and in 1984, the film with the unusual name "Terminator" was held in cinemas with a loud hum.
Having a small budget for that time of 6.5 million dollars, the director competently disposed of every cent. Did Cameron think that his creation would become so popular and turn into a kind of cult? The question is rhetorical... But everything in order.
In the center of the story is a young girl Sarah Connor. For the time being, she does not know that in the not-too-distant future her son will triumph over machines that have grown out of control and enslaved humanity. Unless a cyborg-killer, or Terminator, who came from a terrifying future in 1984, lets this happen.
Actors – in particular, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton and Michael Bean – demonstrate a magnificent game, thanks to which the confrontation of a soulless machine under the body of a person, uncompromisingly going to the goal, and a desperate soldier – is forced to watch what is happening. Each actor gets the most out of his character.
The musical accompaniment from Brad Fidel adds a sharp atmosphere to the picture. The famous screensaver, under which the robot-terminator appears in the frame, chic and conveys all the psychedelism of the action.
And the very tension from the film will not leave the viewer alone even after the final credits.
Without a doubt, everyone in this movie is on top! The Terminator is a cultural asset. And above all, because James Cameron put in the picture an important message that the latest technology can not only serve the benefit of man, but can cause us all irreparable harm, so the last word in this rapidly changing world should remain with humanity. This idea is more relevant than ever before.
The Terminator franchise has become a cultural phenomenon that has left a special mark on world cinema. The creators of the history of the confrontation between people and machines have created for us a rich, dynamic and even terrible story that appeals to more than one generation. But with James Cameron’s departure to side projects, Terminator began to burn out. He lost his possession and turned into a simple blockbuster without a spark. You just have to go back and remember where it all started.
1984. A simple waitress, Sarah Connor, unexpectedly meets a suspicious steamer in a cape, who introduces himself as Kyle Reese. Then begins a real tough action movie with the participation without an emotional machine in the form of a person. This is the very Terminator who knows no mercy and fulfills his purpose with the tenacity of fate, which is never wrong. Hardly believing in what is happening around, Sarah nevertheless tries to keep up with Kyle and soon she finds out the whole truth.
According to Reese, in the future machines will almost destroy humanity, and Sarah’s son, John Connor, will lead the remnants of the militia in a decisive battle. Apparently, his plans may be successful, and rebel computers do not like it. So they sent the Terminator back in time to destroy Sarah and prevent John from being born. Connor sent Kyle Reese back to protect his mother. And now we see the very first round of epic confrontation.
Cameron's film is made up of tension that is heated up with every new minute. Well, by modern standards, the special effects of the first “Terminator” no longer surprise anyone, but this is not the most important during viewing. The main advantage of the film is the robot-terminator, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is the very death that came into our world to kill and that is all. It is not surprising that the Terminator got into all the lists of the most dangerous villains of the world cinema.
The Cameron franchise received a very powerful start and gave a tangible impetus to the development of the career of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Now all this is considered an indisputable classic, which should be viewed by every connoisseur of good cinema.
9 out of 10
Time is like a snake devouring its own tail. That's what Randall Frakes said. But I have already read this in the pages of the Judgment Day. The same idea is reflected in the picture. James Cameron in 1984, the year creates a creation that could be compared only "Judgment Day" (until we are about "excelled").
This is the creation from the post-apocalypse. The world is in ruins. People keep their last strength in an unequal battle with machines. At least so far, that's how it's been seen. So the machines send a killer cyborg back to 1984. The goal is to find and destroy Sarah Connor, the girl destined to become the mother of the future leader of the Resistance! Just this information falls on the head of a frightened young person Kyle Reese - a Resistance fighter sent from the future by John Connor to protect his mother in the past so that machines could not rewrite history and John Connor could not be born in the new timeline, which will ensure the unconditional victory of Skynet - the enemy general.
It's simple. And yet, it's complicated. "Terminator" is not a time-jumping movie. It's a survival story. Starting a war, if you will. A wrestling ballad. A thriller in which noir and suspense are inseparable, like DNA cells. Literally, the skin feels hopeless in the face of the coming threat. After all, the T-800 will stop at nothing until it completes what it is programmed to do. A soulless technique with dimensions Arnold Schwarzenegger. And – on the other side – a waitress, neither sleep nor spirit, who knew no grief, and, let the military, let him fight a steel nightmare there – here, in an unequal battle, a vulnerable defender with a wretched weapon in opposition.
That's what this movie is about. Shot for pennies, on the knee, the film amazes the imagination with visual effects! And the actors with their play literally complement the entire orchestra called filmmaking.
My favorite moments are Kyle Reese's dream and the meeting of the three in TechNoir (from the moment Sarah drops her purse to "Come with me if you want to live").
The film that made Schwarzenegger and Cameron famous. The film that spawned a lot of sequel (mostly unnecessary, but not about this speech). After all, a film that is rightly called a masterpiece of world cinema!
Perhaps someone has not watched the "Terminator" yet (for example, my wife watched it only the other day), But certainly everyone knows: what kind of thing is this "Terminator" ! . .
The movie of the 80s has a special charm. Like the culture of any era. But it was in the far middle of the era of syntivave and colorful shirts that one of the main directors of our day truly declared himself. And the name of his first child was 'Terminator'.
Only $ 5 million budget, absolutely a meager amount for a blockbuster pretending to box office success.
But the ingenuity of Cameron and the entire crew allowed us to tell an interesting (at least at the time of release) story, and show really spectacular scenes.
All the tricks in the creation and do not list, but if you keep in mind that absolutely hopeless war of people and machines is just cardboard and foil, it begins to take your breath away.
'Terminator' perfectly balances between a brutal action movie with the then still rising star of the Austrian accent and quite serious fiction, as far as it allows you to do the script without overloading.
This film is one of the undoubted symbols of the era. All over the world. More ' those very 80s & #39; you will not find, probably, in any other picture. ' Terminator' literally absorbed the whole zeitgeist: from Schwarzenegger’s leather jacket to Brad Fidel’s lifelong music.
The character of Sarah Connor is definitely one of the most remembered female characters in the world of cinema. This, of course, the merit of the beautiful Linda Hamilton, competently showed the evolution of the character from a nineteen-year-old student to an uncompromising fighter.
And there is nothing to say about the T-800, this is a household name almost from the very premiere!
In fact, the review from a person who watched this film only at the end of 2019 may be largely biased, but I will try to express my reasoned opinion, given that this “cult masterpiece” was shot in 1984.
Special effects
For starters, it is worth noting that the special effects in this film are much less than it initially seems, but their quality is at a very high level. The film was shot almost without the participation of computer graphics, which was just beginning to be used in cinema at this time. A large amount of time we observe only the deft work of operators, who very professionally choose the angle of shooting “machine for murder”. It is also worth noting the work of people who very realistically depict the movements of individual parts of the Terminator's body. It is also worth noting a very high-quality editing - as for such an old film.
Atmosphere
It is worth noting that the film is very qualitatively placed disturbing and calm scenes, which allows the viewer to be constantly involved in what is happening and not for a second to be distracted. In the end, the state of anxiety and fear begins to prevail over other emotions and feelings, making the denouement of the film incomprehensible and tense.
Plot
The plot involves from the first seconds of uniqueness and novelty. The bundle makes it clear to the viewer the scale of information and action that awaits him when viewing. There's one huge mistake in the plot that catches your eye, but I'm not going to tell you about it. The plot itself is quite logical and understandable to any person, but without a huge number of clichés did not do.
Images of the main characters
Let’s start with the Terminator itself. His image is made as qualitatively and convincingly as possible, he causes anxiety and fear, and towards the end of the film, and even horror. Of course, it is worth mentioning the quality of makeup and the quality of dummies, as well as dolls made for the character of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The image of Sarah is quite ordinary, which causes me great satisfaction, because if you pay attention to scenes where you want to portray an action as realistically as possible, the image that Linda Hamilton plays is perfect.
The image of Kyle is absolutely unimpressive.
Musical component
The absolutely standard musical set for an 80s action movie is calm relaxing music in the intermediate scenes and insanely tense in the main ones. I have a special sympathy for the track in the opening screensaver.
Conclusion
Should I watch this movie for the first time in 2019? The answer is obvious!
The directorial work in the film is very high-quality, the plot drags on and does not let go until the end, but do not close your eyes to a huge number of clichés, which significantly spoils the impression of the film.
7 out of 10
It's one of the first American science fiction movies I've seen - on a TV screen, at the home of a friend who had a VCR. Fantastic at that time technique, fantastic fantastic film - the future against Ephraim, a future without the Great Ring, without a harmonious, good and effective human society. The future is defiantly not beautiful, in which a tracked robotic tank rides over a pile of human skulls, methodically shooting still living people.
The worst thing about this film was not even the future itself, but the fact that 90-91 was out of the window, and it was hard to believe that Dar Wind and Veda Kong would one day hold hands and walk through the ruins of the Age of Disunified World. And soon the Disunited World drove the tank caterpillars through the images of Veda and Dar, on the dream to see a living beautiful woman from Epsilon Tucan, on the crew of Tantra and personally on their creator.
The film ' The Terminator' that is why I perceive not as a fantastic action movie, but as a manifesto: here is the future for you, it is not bright. Fight and die if you want to remain human. 'Star Wars' in my life appeared later, although, probably, the role of the manifesto would suit them better.
But in 'SV' there is no counterhuman struggle against the human—in all times, past, present, and future.
Strange, if you look without ideological blinkers, then ' Terminator' quite Soviet film-warning, non-Soviet in it only that greatly exaggerated the role of the individual, the role of a single person capable of becoming a leader.
In 1991, I saw this movie for the first time. Despite my young age, I absolutely understood the story. But after watching it for the first time since 1991, I suddenly realized that Michael Bien’s most attractive character was Kyle Reese. As a child, he made no impression on me. But now I realize that this is a key character. It is better to listen to his speech in the original. In translation, it sounds artificially panicky. In fact, Bien has a Southern accent. It is through him that the meaning of the whole film is revealed to us – from his mouth and his eyes we see everything that is happening. Because he is the only character in this film with a human perception that can tell us both about the future and about the present.
Well, everything else is self-evident: the genius of Cameron, the amazing performance of all actors, innovation in art.
It would have been cyberpunk, if not for Michael Bien. He's kind of Shakespearean drama, his eyes. It is his acute perception of the reality of both worlds - the world of cyborgs of the future and the world of the present, in which his beloved lives - and makes all the heat of emotions. In addition to these special effects.
I highly recommend watching this actor... In real cinema, there are no more heroes with such passion of play, with such expressive eyes, impulsiveness. Even in the 80s, it was rare to see such a game. He's more like the '60s. . .
This is particularly commendable, given that in other works, for all the expressiveness of his eyes, the actor Bienne does not strike at all with the passion that burns his eyes in the Terminator. That is, he really knows how to play completely different people without stamping the same image from film to film.
I was watching the first Terminator the other day and this is what I thought. On the one hand, this fantastic action movie touches on several very important issues, and on the other hand skillfully entertains the viewer and keeps him all the time (only 1 hour 47 minutes) in suspense. The film, I recall, came out in 1984. And, as you know, in 1984, the Doomsday Clock (the project of the University of Chicago Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, which shows the time remaining until midnight, which in turn symbolizes the tension of the international situation and the progress in the development of nuclear weapons) showed 23:57. Apparently, this tension was felt by ordinary citizens and even more so by all sorts of filmmakers. The Terminator isn’t just about a cyborg coming from the future to kill Sarah Connor. But also a reminder to humanity that the next world war will end very badly for people. It does not matter whether it is the fault of computers or the fault of the person. Although, of course, the fear of artificial intelligence is also perfectly conveyed here.
I hadn’t thought about it before, but I’ve noticed that in 1983 there were two films about the possible consequences of a nuclear war. John Bedham's Teenage War Games, in which nuclear war is compared to a game of tic-tac-toe, where there is no winner, and a draw does not bode well, because in the real world, in a draw, both sides of the conflict will be destroyed. And Nicholas Meyer's shocking "The Next Day," which openly and quite realistically shows what happens after someone pushes a button and rockets fly out of their mines. In 1984, Mick Jackson’s British television film The Thread was released, an even more compelling anti-war film about the aftermath of nuclear war. All of these pictures are pessimistic. And most likely, all these apocalyptic plots are not embellished, as is usually the case in the cinema, but on the contrary, are underestimated.
In addition, “Terminator” can be attributed to cyberpunk. The term “cyberpunk” was coined in 1983. It is also noteworthy that the robot-terminator, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, when he arrives in New York, takes clothes from one of the punks. Why not a brilliant pun from James Cameron (or a dashing accident?)? The cybernetic organism puts on punk clothes and embodies the word “cyberpunk” with all its essence! There is no cyberpunk atmosphere in the film, but Cameron does not need it. He just wants to convey the simple idea that with strong artificial intelligence, there will be no decline in society, because this intelligence will just quickly get rid of all mankind.
To some extent, the Terminator can be compared to Ridley Scott’s Alien. That the xenomorph, the terminator, are natural-born killers, completely alien to humans; with them it is impossible to negotiate, to press pity or to sit at the negotiating table. Perhaps that’s why James Cameron took up the filming of the sequel to Alien and directed Aliens in 1986. Although “Chizhiye” is still much more a fantastic action movie than a horror film with postmodern overtones.
Well, in conclusion, you can draw a parallel between “Terminator” and the recently released superhero film “Avengers: Endgame”. And here and there the topic of time travel is involved. In the "Terminator" is true, it serves only as a brink of conflict. The Terminator had to be placed in the real world of 1984. Because first of all, this is a movie about a killer robot. He could have come from another planet and hunted Sarah Connor for some other reason, or even been created by evil Russians. In the "Avengers" with the help of time travel, the denouement of the conflict is already allowed. However, we can safely say that films using a time machine that 35 years ago, what is now, are still relevant.
10 out of 10
Like many viewers, I watched the film in reverse... well, more precisely, not quite the opposite, first Terminator 2, and only then the first part.
Like many viewers, I mistakenly thought Terminator 2 was cooler than Terminator 1. Cool because ... because ... because more expensive, more colorful and again more expensive.
Until the time has come! Until I grew up and began to look at things differently... cleaner or something. And this is what I saw.
A genius (director) creates a film in which the main character has not yet appeared in the frame, because he is not at the moment, that is, there is no – he is not yet born into the light of God! What a thought, huh? Think about it. How was he born? In love. In the very feeling about which legends have been made for thousands of years. As one of the most important human beings. Remember: He tells her that he would die for their future leader, making it clear that he will give his life for her, because she is the mother of the same leader. She, in turn, purely female, sympathizes with him, born in an unfavorable period of total war with machines and because of which he has no idea about many of the benefits of human life, does not know love. She is genuinely eager to fix it and what happens in the film is that it later became known as John Connor. What passion! Their love is short-lived, but does time have true power in such matters? Of course not.
In the second part of the picture, there is a moment where John explains to the Terminator how often he found his mother crying alone, that she probably still loves his father, although he says that it was “just a speck in my eyes...”
The film is not about terminators and other hardware. That’s what shocked me, like many, many years later.
It is not so difficult to draw parallels between Cameron’s new creation and the tense world situation of the 80s, intensive technological progress and the threat of nuclear weapons. Perhaps James, one of the first who decided to talk about this topic, slightly interpreting the situation, but not losing the essence: war is unconditional shit.
The plot develops in a rather cunning way, weaving together the future, present and past. From 2029 (not long, by the way, left) in the dashing retro year sent cyborg killer, almost invulnerable and rampant. His target is a kind of Virgin Mary, the mother of the future leader of the insurgency against artificial intelligence. To help her (all the same from the future) comes one of the brave warriors, whose task is to save and destroy.
Not going into various physical and philosophical vicissitudes, which will be talked about more than once, Cameron presents the most magnificent fantastic action movie for his time. The militant is catchy, sometimes illogical, but still stunning and spectacular.
I must say that “Terminator” gave “life” to many people from the then team, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, who later became one of the most recognizable actors in Hollywood. This applies to the young technical team of operators, editors and composer Brad Fidel, whose title soundtrack can recognize, from the first metal sound, any movie lover.
The story of the heroine Sarah Connor and the Terminator became one of the symbols of its time. But the symbol is not stagnant, but, to some extent, prophetic - after three decades, our world is pierced by electric waves, and the machines that surround human space are becoming smarter and smarter. And the devil knows how it will be next... as long as there is always a certain Johnny behind us, saving us from the pityless “iron”.
8 out of 10
Rarely does a film so excite the audience with its innovative approach, but in the 80s it was commonplace. After its release in 1984, the rather low-budget film broke box office records and gave viewers something more. For years, there have been stories of animals, creatures from other worlds. For example, Jaws was terrifying because it seemed possible. And if "Jaws" is terrifying, then "Terminator" is both exciting and terrifying. In a time when technology prevails, how long will it take before a person catches up with what he created?
Two naked men appear in different places in Los Angeles. They were sent back in time from 2029 to 1984. One is a man, the other is an indestructible destroyer, reprogrammed to... Right! What am I doing here? You already know what this movie is about. I will say very obvious things, and, well, a set of my thoughts about this movie.
The terminator is a systematic metal surrounded by living tissue, an invulnerable cyborg, part human, part machine, with which it is impossible to bargain, it is impossible to talk. The Terminator is a cult surrounded by an aura of inviolability. Schwarzenegger is moving with inhuman speed, like a beast, methodically viewing his surroundings with dominant blue eyes, he is on the way to his goal. He examines his weapons with precise movements, kills without pity or remorse or fear. The role of the Swartz , no doubt. His physical presence is felt instantly. To say he's present would be an understatement, he's as damn scary as an antagonist because all he thinks about is Sarah Connor. He's one of those antagonists who has very little dialogue, but you feel the intensity escalates every time he's in the shot. Arnold's charisma is impeccable.
The main element other than the plot that makes the film so cool is how it is directed. Cameron is one of the most gifted directors in the industry, what to hide. He also co-wrote the script, which allows him to form step by step and resort to calibrated actions in his directing. The result is a dense, concentrated atmosphere with a mixture of mystery and horror. The story is told and constructed carefully, and the audience remains engaged, both during the exposure and during key actions. There is no boring moment. The special effects aren't very good. It's no wonder. Think of the year and the budget. Some moments are not too smooth, and most elements of the metal construction of the Terminator do not look natural at best. However, Cameron finds a way to give his images effect and depth. The musical score is heavy and synthesized percussion, but what makes it work so well is that it's tenacious, subtly epitomizes the title character's personality. The film resonates like a voice of fatality, an omen of an imminent confrontation that neither Kyle nor Sarah can escape. The future has come to haunt them. One of the beauties of the film is the absolute contrast between a robotic killer and a harmless target.
The science fiction movies of the 80s were never taken seriously. They were often shoddy and stupid, but there are both comedic and legendary ("Back to the Future"), but the Terminator has issued a new postulate. He took the genre very seriously and that led to a very thorough film. Full of big dramatic moments and some brilliant performances, it really plays with different genres. This is a merciless thriller filled with exciting and sequenced actions, and stunning actors. The murders are straightforward and frightening. In some ways, the Terminator, as an antagonist, is an inspiration to heroes, because the measure of the great antagonist is the degree to which it allows heroes to overcome their weaknesses.
"The Terminator" is a film worthy of his reputation. T2" is even more epic, so it's not over yet. The best is ahead.
Yes, Piranha 2 was a complete failure, but James Cameron scored on it. He was already engaged in his first masterpiece under the strange name “Terminator”. I imagine the reaction of moviegoers who first went to the movies. 1984, f-mine. Who is this Terminator, where he came from, what he wants, etc. In the roles - Arnold Borisovich. That athlete from the stupid movie "Cactus Jack"? A-ha-ha.
Well, there were two more historic Conan. But it’s not enough to become a movie superstar. Everything changed with the release of this film. Cameron dropped the bomb! Automatically turned into a cult director. And Arnold went uphill.
Guys, the first "Terminator" is a very scary and incredibly sad movie about the fact that there is nothing worse than a person. Of course, James loves the notes of drama, so there is hope (and with it, tears). But Cameron already understood that people are programmed to die.
We try to do something for the good (technology develops), but in the end we only destroy. In the story, machines rebel against their creators. The Terminator travels back in time to kill Sarah Connor. He is followed by a young Bean to protect Sarah Connor (and Edward Furlong is only 7 years old). An old movie, an old story, but even now (in 2018) interesting to watch.
Linda's cute. Bean's cool. Arnold Borisovich (with that red eye, oh) is a wild delight. Does old computer graphics look funny? There's not much, but let's make a discount. Cameron did not forget about the atmosphere and cool action. More than half of the films, heroes are rushing around the city.
Favorite scene? There's no way Arnie crashed into the police station. Be sure to watch! "Terminator" is a masterpiece fantastic action movie from James Cameron.
P.S.
Familiar pussy! Lance Henriksen is a cop. Dick Miller is a gun dealer. Bill Paxton and Brian Thompson are a gang of gopniks at the very beginning of the film.
8.5 out of 10