It might sound strange but I’ve have only seen this movie in full recently. I did see parts of it on TV before but never triggered me enough to watch the whole movie. Also I don’t really have a high opinion on James Cameron as a director. I have seen his first movie Piranha II the Spawning like a week ago which was rather dreadful. Ok I’m quite a fan of the original I must admit. Furthermore I have seen Titanic and Avatar (aka Dancing with the Smurfs) while visually stunning they are rather empty in other aspects IMO. Given its Cameron I had enough reason to believe Terminator was going to be simplistic in story, dialogue and flat characters. That was indeed so in the end but at least The Terminator does have some memorable parts that are cool and not cringe-worthy like many of the scenes in the aforementioned flicks.

Now why would I actually want to watch a movie that I probably not going to like much. It’s not that I was running out of options nor that I just get gratification out of pissing of the fans. I know some people are rather attached and passionate about their favorite movies but in the end it’s a movie, the creation of someone who you in most cases have no relation with, something abstract and acted on a piece of celluloid. First there was Box indirectly recommending it and even though he did have the feeling I might not like it he would still would like to know why. So it’s for him mostly. When I feel like I can be elaborate on the pros and cons. I myself hate reviews like it was crap or it was a masterpiece, those are useless. That doesn’t trigger any discussion and a board if for discussion. Leave the superficial stuff to platforms like facebook and fansites I say. Secondly I like myself a good challenge. Since the 132 years of movies chalelnge I’m hosting on the Dutch movie board is still running I had the category “urban area” where I could fit in The Terminator. And yes who knows maybe after seeing this movie I might actually end up not hating it maybe even liking it. Maybe I would even understand the vague definition of “general consensus” (which some might confuse with general truth I guess) or even become part of the elite which recognizes great movies without needing to explain why because the average rating is the proof it can’t be bad and those who disagree are simply wrong. Actually I do wish that was the case so I wouldn’t be the party pooper so often or the contrarian or the one who thinks it’s cool to bash popular movies because they must be bad or just to piss of the fans. But one can’t help what he likes and dislikes and unfortunately there is considering movies a lot I do not like. Search another hobby like reading or so nah I don’t have the patience. Besides I still think it’s fun hunting for that gem even if I have to go through dozens of movies that eventually became a miss. Ok, anyone who feels bitten in the ass now, don’t this is all meant in good fun.

Now finally onto the movie. I already mentioned most of its weak parts. I don’t really mind the straightforward simplistic story. I mean I have seen the Matrix long ago and I wonder what was the point of this over explaining the whole damn thing while fans are going to watch it for the action anyway. A small cast is handy too there is just 3 characters you need to memorize: Sarah (the target), Kyle (the protector) and the Terminator. The others are merely attributes needed to fill up the world and the story. Talking about fillers even though it takes a while before we get to some longer action scenes there is actually few scenes that would pad or stretch out the movie to an unbearable length. They might have cut about 10 minutes but the intention of the movie is clear pretty quick. Arnie the terminator has one mission: destroy Sarah Connor. Sure there is the dialogue between Sarah and Kyle with flash backs that do slow things down but understandable the viewer wants to know why 2 beings from the future travel to the past. Sarah will eventually become the mother of a future rebellion leader names John Connor. Since he is bearing his mother’s name the identity of the father remains unknown, well at the end you will know that as well or you might even guess it before. I don’t think it was that surprising, future romances are often easy to predict. In the end that makes no sense at all though and IMO virtually impossible but name one movie where time travel actions can be explained with bullet-proof certainty there are no flaws. It’s a movie, don’t overanalyze Box would say I guess.

This reminds me actually of Back to the Future possible the worst culprit to have time travel actions make sense. Don’t get me wrong I absolutely love the first movie since it was the perfect ending (minus the part Doc eventually taking Marty and his gf to the future to initiate the next installment). While enjoyable in parts those sequels were not needed IMO. I particularly didn’t like Doc eventually remained in the Wild West not to mention the changes they made should have come back in their face.

Back to the Terminator. The Terminator himself or itself since it is just a genderless machine. Kyle refers to the Terminator as a cyborg. I always thought a cyborg was a creature being a mixture of human and mechanical parts. Sure Terminator is a robot with human flesh around it. But is this skin really human flesh, it seemed more synthetic to me. Also he had no emotions, he just did what was instructed: kill Sarah Connor. He didn’t target others unless they would walk in his way. So there isn’t much acting involved in this character. I don’t think Arnie is a good actor but I do think he really shines in action roles. There are exceptions where he actually goes out of this comfort zone like Maggie where he did play the caring father convincingly. Personally I don’t think the Terminator rates as his best action role I think Conan and Commando are better not only because he actually is the good guy and does have a personality I just think they are better action movies. I actually need to revisit Conan. Oh yeah there is Red Sonja too but that one is rather dumb IMO. Anyway to me he is the best action actor.

Now the favorite parts. The ‘Ill’ be back’ scene isn’t particularly good or memorable but eventually became a popular quote among young people here (and other parts of the world I bet) certainly in that typical English with German accent. It was amusing to link it to images even though in the end I mostly remember the quote and how he says it. Other action scenes are rather standard fare, shooting and car chasing. It’s the last 40 minutes however that the movie becomes more engaging where we actually get to the parts that could be described as (graphical) horror; Actually the scene where Arnie starts poking in his flesh and eye with a knife was one I did see before. I’m not a person who is squeamish or disgusted easily but eyes woah such scenes I find painful to watch. Than there is the scene where Arnie shoos away the boy in the truck with a robotic dry ‘get out’. I can understand wit that face the boy didn’t hesitate to follow this order. Finally we come to the best parts when the terminator gets burnt and shows his true form: a skeleton robot with glowing red eyes. Yes the movements are wooden and robotic and clumsy (he didn’t have that problem in human flesh) and may I say pretty dated now. However it is the moment where to me he is most threatening especially when only haf a robot he still keeps going and that hand reaching out for Sarah’s throat.

In the end I’m happy to finally have seen it in full. Does it invite me to see the sequels, not really. I actually did see a sequel in theatre with a friend who does like action movies but other than the beginning where Terminator Arnie asks a male stripper for the guy’s clothes (pretty similar to the beginning of the original movie) which includes funny sunglasses which Arnie tramples I don’t remember anything about it anymore. Besides Onyx already told me the first one is the darkest more horror so let’s leave it at that. I might try the arcade game again (Terminator 2 I think) I remember this being fun playing in the arcade halls with a friend shooting at the terminators.