The Terminator Review (Classic Write-Up)

Sarah's Choice

Part of the problem, I suspect, with Arnold Scwarzeneggers most recent forays into cinema (The Last Stand, Escape Plan, Sabotage) is that audiences don't know what to make of the dude anymore. After his stint as the Governor of California, he returned to movies expecting a whole generation who only knew him as a political figure would know and love his persona as an action movie badass. The guys still got the good to kick ass, as seen in The Last Stand, but marketing for those new movies never really gave any indication to newcomers why Arnold was someone to be reckoned with, they just expected you to know it as a solid fact along the lines of "rain is wet" or "the sky is blue".

I bring up this take on Arnolds public image because the Terminator is both a stark contrast to the lovable muscle-bound figure who would star in the likes of Jingle All The Way, and the perfect foundation for the man who would tell evildoers to "let off some steam". Playing the titular robotic assassin, Arnold plays a character whose relentless in the violence he dishes out, never even breaking a sweat at all the carnage he leaves in his path. Why all the commotion? Because he's out on a mission to kill Sarah Conner (Linda Hamilton), who will one day give birth to John Connor, a figure who will fight against robotic overlords who are the ones who sent The Terminator back in time in the first place.

Seeing Arnold kill civilians and be such a maniacal antagonist is certainly a shocker, with maybe the most shocking aspect of it being how well he plays this unceasing assassin. James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurds script smartly removes any trace of humanity to the character, leaving behind only a constant desire to fulfill his mission. Schwarzenegger is so convincing being this sort of menacing physical force that it's easy to see, even if it's different from roles to come, why audiences would latch onto the actor and his distinctive personality.

It's also easy to see why people would warm up to the character of Sarah Connor, who has become an action movie icon in pop culture. I wish she was less of a damsel-in-distress in certain scenes of The Terminator, but Hamilton lends a cogent sense of disarray to Connor as she comes to grips with how she will impact the future. It's also interesting to see a female character fulfill the "Chosen One" archetype that the likes of Neo and Harry Potter would take on in the future.

In contrast to the marketing for Terminator: Genisys, which focuses on high-octane action, The Terminator is primarily a thriller, with Sarah Connors unfamiliarity with her enemy being utilized to create tension. There's plenty of explosions as well, but James Cameron proves to be more than capable, even at this early point in his career, at making sure the films suspense is delivered powerfully. The Terminator provides perfect fodder to analyze the career of Arnold Schwarzenegger, but I'm also pleased to note that it simultaneously provides a terrific movie that keeps one at the edge of their seat.