The Terminator - Special Edition (1984)
The final battle would not be fought in the future, but here, in our present
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Paul Winfield, Lance Henriksen, Earl Boen, Bess Motta, Rick Rossovich, Bill Paxton
Director: James Cameron
Running Time: 108 minutes
US MPAA rating: N/AUK BBFC rating: 15
Action, Adventure, Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller
On DVD Arnold Schwarzenegger rubber-stamped his place among the Hollywood big-hitters with his terrifyingly hulking display in this classic time-travel thriller. Director James Cameron didn't do too badly out of it either, given that before the 1983 release of this violent blockbuster he was largely unknown.
Arnie's at his monosyllabic best as the cold, emotionless cyborg sent back in time from the wartorn year 2029 to destroy the not-yet-mother of freedom fighter John Connor. That means bad news for target Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), who's already having a fairly rough time of it with her lousy job, non-appearing date and massive mid-80s hair.
Thankfully for Sarah, she's not alone in her seemingly hopeless battle against this unstoppable man-bot. Also back from the future is Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), a slightly-creepy but undeniably heroic crusader sent by John Connor to protect his mother. Why didn't John come back in time himself and do his own dirty work if it was that important to him? Because it turns out that in order to save mankind from a doomed future over-run by marauding machines, Reese has to do a little more for Sarah than just protect her.
As is inevitable in this sort of time-travel escapade, "The Terminator" leaves us with far more questions than answers. For example, why did Skynet, the Termy's creators, bother sending their cyborg back in time when surely John's very existence meant that the mission was doomed to failure? There are plenty of other conundrums, though it's tough doing them justice in a review without also giving away too much of what happens - but watch the movie and you'll soon see what I mean.
This DVD edition allows the film to be seen in arguably better quality than ever, whilst maintaining what made the original version tick - the low-key atmospheric lighting, Brad Fiedel's thumping score, and the overwhelming tension created as the chase develops.
DVD Extras: Two very good documentaries, audio commentary, deleted scenes from the movie, trailers, artwork & photos, and publicity materials. Also a DVD-Rom containing the original script, 1983 4th drafts script, and the final shooting script.
It's Got: Possibly Arnie's last ever appearance as a bad guy.
It Needs: To have been released on DVD with an option of including those deleted scenes in the movie.
Alternatives: Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Blade Runner, Robocop, Alien
Summary: A cold, dark and frightening classic from the pre-Titanic James Cameron.
Review by Gary Panton
Review Date: 20th May 2003
External Links
The Terminator - Special Edition at the IMDB
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