8.5 | / 10 |
Users | 3.7 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.6 |
In the year 2029, the ruling supercomputer Skynet sends an indestructible cyborg back in time to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor, the woman who will birth its greatest enemy.
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton, Paul Winfield, Lance HenriksenAction | 100% |
Thriller | 76% |
Sci-Fi | 70% |
Video codec: MPEG-2
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: LPCM 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 EX (640 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 EX (640 kbps)
English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Cantonese, Korean, Thai
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
It can’t be bargained with, it cant be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity or remorse or fear
and
it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead.
The Terminator is one of the more important films of the last 25 years. It launched both
director James Cameron and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger to stardom. Cameron would go on to
direct several
blockbusters including The Abyss, Aliens, True Lies, Titanic,
and, of
course, Terminator 2:
Judgment Day. "The Austrian Oak" Schwarzenegger, the former world-renowned body
builder and Mr. Olympia,
had starred in several low budget films like Hercules in New York and the moderately
successful Conan films before donning the
trademark shades of the Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 Terminator. Schwarzenegger too would
star in the Cameron
films True Lies
and T2, not to
mention Predator, Commando, and the touching, vastly underrated comedy
Twins. Now dubbed "The Governator," Schwarzenegger has moved past film and is
currently the governor of the State of California. The Terminator is the movie that
created two Hollywood legends and for good reason. This is one of the most remarkable science
fiction/action films in Hollywood history, featuring then-groundbreaking effects on a low budget, a
mesmerizing story line, fine acting and direction, and, of course, tremendous action sequences.
Uzi 9mm! .45 long slide! Phased plasma rifle in the 40-watt range!
Presented in 1.85:1 high definition 1080p, I must admit that I was not vastly impressed with the image found on this Blu-ray disc. Granted, the film is more than twenty years old, but this particular print used for the transfer was in less than ideal condition. There were severe and clearly discernible instances of scratches and speckles all over the place. There is a great deal more clarity here than on previous editions, however, so much so that many of the phony looking special effects look even phonier in high definition. Black levels are not entirely solid, bordering on dark gray at times, but I've seen much worse on many newer titles (such as in Broken Arrow). Overall the image quality is sufficient. It's certainly better than its recent DVD counterparts, but not overwhelmingly so. I don't think The Terminator will ever look much better than it does here. It's also the best the film has ever looked and these two factors make this image quality score better than it probably should.
You haven't heard The Terminator until you have heard it in uncompressed PCM 5.1 sound. I've seen this movie more times than I can remember and it was like hearing it for the very first time. High definition sound is every bit as good as high definition imagery and believe me, the difference is clear and discernible to even the average listener with a decent setup. This track is active and loud. Surrounds are in play throughout. Dialogue can be a little muffled under the loud and rambunctious effects. Sometimes it does sound a bit forced, but it's a very well done remix overall. Rumbling bass is ever present in action shots. I guess the biggest drawback would be the music emanating from the rear channels, but otherwise this is a fabulous remix of the original monaural track. The war sequences set in the future literally put you in the middle of the action. I was most impressed with this mix. The overall score receives minus half a point for the mix being too aggressive at times with the music coming from the rear speakers, and it also gets knocked half a point for the lack of the inclusion of the original mono track for the purists out there who want both (myself included). This is the type of movie that lends itself well to a remix, unlike some other recent films I have reviewed that included a mono-only track, and I'm not disappointed with it. I just would like to have both this and the original mono mix available to me.
The Terminator is a film that screams for a special edition, but what we get on this Blu- ray disc is severely lacking. Leading off is Creating the Terminator: Visual Effects and Music (480p, 12:58). This is a fascinating look at making parts of the film, notably the futuristic battle sequences, but a more comprehensive version (which is out there, just not included here) would have been welcome. Terminator: A Retrospective (480p, 20:31) is a dated, somewhat cheesy retrospective that starts out with a trailer and becomes a discussion between James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold discusses his reaction to the script (he originally read for the part of Reese) and the duo discuss some of the behaviors of the Terminator and Arnold's portrayal, and the origins of the famous "I'll be back" line. Terminated Scenes (480p, 9:56 total) are seven short scenes cut from the film, one of which is a precursor to events in the second film. Finally, 1080p trailers for S.W.A.T., Underworld: Evolution, and xXx finish off this disappointing group of extras.
Like the movie's villain, this film is relentless in tension, action, and appeal. Looking back, the effects are dated but the intriguing plot, fine direction, and, at least at the time, a groundbreaking and plausible science fiction story made The Terminator a film for the ages. It engendered a new era of science fiction/action films that is only surpassed in scope by its sequel, a film with an appeal all its own that is certainly more polished and slick than The Terminator but it doesn't quite manage to beat out its predecessor in heart. This Blu-ray edition represents quite the quandary for me. The image and sound are certainly better represented here, but the real question is if it's worth the upgrade. Certainly the PCM track is worthy of your dollars, unless, of course, the purist in you demands the original mono and eschews the remixed multi-channel version, which I, the purist, surprisingly loved. The image quality is spotty at best, a shinier and crisper image than its standard definition counterpart to be sure, but it's not so much better that the upgrade is necessarily warranted. The special features, of course, are pitiful and lacking for a film of this stature. I'm recommending The Terminator on Blu-ray, but cautiously. You can bet your bottom dollar that there will be another edition somewhere down the road, but until then, I'd go ahead and pick this up, especially of you are equipped to hear the full PCM 5.1 soundtrack via HDMI.
1984
1984
Limited Edition
1984
1984
Remastered
1984
1984
Remastered
1984
2015 Comic Con Exclusive
1984
Remastered | Deadpool Photobomb Series | Deadpool 2 Movie Cash
1984
Comic Con Exclusive
1984
Remastered | Deadpool Slipcover
1984
40th Anniversary Edition
1984
40th Anniversary Edition
1984
+BD with the 3 versions
1991
Director's Cut
2009
1080p Corrected Version
2003
2008
2015
3 Disc Edition
2012
1990
2007
1987
2014
2008
2009
2003
10th Anniversary Edition
2012
PG-13 Theatrical Cut
2006
2019
1987
2009
Remastered | Director's Cut
1987
2015