Terminator Review
Today's society is more into technology then ever before. From the internet to cellphones. From Mp3's to beepers, kids of today (including myself) are into electronics more then going outside and playing in the park and even there we still use cell phones and beepers. Most parents complain that technology has taken over our lives. And some have even gone far enough (like Ted Kizanincki) to destroy technology headquarters to prevent the evolution of technology.
But what if technology really took over our lives? And worse, what if it destroyed it? These questions are anwsered (sorta) in this classic 1984 flick that made Arnold Schwarzenegger a star, "I'll be back" a pop culture catchphrase, and a good little morality play on what happens when we let our technology grow to fast.
An excellent, innovative story way ahead of its time. The Terminator starts off in the yeat 2029. A war is being waged all over the world between humans and machines. (though we learn more of the background in Terminator 2), humanity is near extniction after a super defense computer named Skynet wiped out half the population in the year 1997. But, one man, one man named John Connor leads what is left of humanity to victory destroying the machines.
Well, Skynet will have none of that and decides to send someone into the past to kill the mother of John Connor and prevent the humans from gaining victory in this 30 year war. They decide to send the T-800 (Schwarzenegger) a model of a terminator. A robot disguised as a human who feels no pain and has one mission: kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). Fortunaley, the human resistance hears of this and decides to send a guirella warrior to protect Sarah from the T-800. They send Kyle Reese (Micheal Bihen in the role he will Always be remember for) to 1984 Los Angeles.
Sarah has no idea of her destiny and is just a depressed waitress at a crappy diner. The T-800 tracks Sarah but not the Sarah Connor played by Linda Hamilton. First, he kills 2 other Sarah Connors whom he found in the phone book until he finally finds Hamiltons Sarah living with her best friend and boyfriend.
Sarah, already tramutized from witnessing the deaths of her friend and boyfriend, stays at the LAPD police station where, by fate, Kyle is also staying (or being incarcarated rather) after stealing a bums clothes. The police think Kyle is a loon and who can blame them? Kyle is dirty, smelly, and dress like one of those people you see on the street with those big signs at Times Square yelling "Repent! The end is near!"
In the scene that made Ah-nould a superstar, the T-800 first says "I'll be back" and crashes through the police station (and crushing a police officer in the process), and finally finds the Sarah Connor that is the mother of John Connor. He almost kills Sarah but in all the chaos, Kyle saves Sarah and injures the T-800 in the process.
Sarah also thinks Kyle is crazy as he explains to her her destiny. This leads to a damn good chase scene involving Kyle and Sarah in a police car being chased by the T-800 and his signature motorcycle. They escape and decide to crash at a motel far away from Los Angeles to plan the termination of the terminator (get it? hahahahahahahaha!)
The movie slows down a bit after this thus lowering a star. This is just bascially the T-800 or rather a Arnold pupet, taking care of his injury to his eye and donning the trademark shades. The Terminator is complete.
Kyle talks about his childhood in a lame scene and Kyle and Sarah have sex. It turns out that KYLE is the father of John Connor!
Soon, the T-800 finds the two and this leads to the climatic final battle scene and the best part of the film! When I was little, I was scared of the T-800 during this scene as he kept getting ripped apart and in one scene, he jumps onto a truck and sits underneath there. The trucker relizes something is under there and tries to stop the truck ripping the T-800's face in the process. The truck stops and the T-800 gets onto the drivers postion and, with one eye falling out and blood coming from the other says, "ow." That scene was funny yet creepy at the same time and creeped me out when I was little. This showed he would not died.
Needless to say, the trucker is scared outta his mind and the T-800 takes control of the truck and tries to kill Sarah and Kyle. The music is perfect for this scene as it gets higher and louder as the T-800 comes closer and closer to Sarah and Kyle. Suddenly, the T-800 runs into another truck and the truck explodes burning him in the process. The music is all happy and goody as Sarah and Kyle are relieved to have finally killed the T-800.
Except, they don't. The music transcends into darkness again as the T-800 is rid of his human skin and is in exoskelton form. Makes sense, his skin is made of rubber right? This leads to the last moments of the battle as Sarah and Kyle run into an automation factory where the T-800 kills Kyle! That was a shock without a doubt. So now, it is just Sarah vs. the exoskelton. This was actually good in retrospect as it showed an independant woman fightning on her own which would be copied in another sci-fi classic, Aliens. (See creative story!) It looks like the end for Sarah but she traps the exoskelton into a chopping like machine (I don't know the name) and presses the button to finally, finally destroy the T-800 exoskelton once and for all.
Sarah goes to live in Mexico and lives happily ever after. The war will happen, but the humans will win!
A scene was cut that actually set the stage for part two. The police and the EMTs come to take Kyle to the morgue and to investigate what the hell happened. Well, one of the EMTs sees what's left of the T-800. He takes out his computer chip and gives it to a corporate man who takes it to the headquarters of the villian in T2: Cyberdyne. I don't know why this scene was cut except for the fact that maybe James Cameron (the director) didn't know if there would be a sequel.
Well, there was a sequel. And it was millions of lightyears better then this one. But more on that tommorrow.
Bottom Line: Well, what can be said about Terminator that hasn't been said before. A classic story way ahead of its time. This is the type of stuff you didn't watch in 1984! A good morality play about the evils of technology. The movie that made Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton stars. Poor Micheal Bihen. The movie that made James Cameron a sought after director in Hollywood. And, a blockbuster and the most rented video of all time.
Is it better then its sequeal? Most likely not. There were more slow parts in part 2 but the special effects made up for it big time. Plus, the ending isn't exactly the most satisfying in part 1. The war still goes on. But part 2 would take care of that.
So, I give Terminator ****1/2. Slow parts yes but innovative especially for a 1984 audience. Hey, it is still a classic. Not all the movies I review get ****1/2.
So, thank you for reading this! Apperciate it.
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