First, you have to remember that in 1984 when this first came out, the whole gritty future-view a la Blade Runner (1982) was just taking hold. Along comes Terminator which melds that future-is-bleak theme with modern day action, and throw a muscle-man and tender-turned-tough woman into the mix.

I am a HUGE fan of this movie for many, many reasons. You have Linda Hamilton as a normal, every day woman who resists what is going on - and in the end finds her strength to go on. That transformation is just amazing. You have the love story between her and the 'normal man' who is sent back in time to try to defend her. And of course you have the 'machine' - Arnold - who single-mindedly works to track her down and destroy her.

There are just so many touches in the movie that show the care that James Cameron put into the film, making it truly the 'baby' of him, Arnold and Linda. This isn't your average action movie where the high bodycount and infinite ammo are key. It is a movie with a lot of thought, with well laid out backgrounds and the time changes between the "current future" of 2029 and the "current present" of 1984 show great connections.

Linda Hamilton in this was always a huge role model to me and many of my friends. She wasn't special. She didn't have ninja training or robotic eyeballs. But she saw what had to be done, and she gathered her strength and did it.

A great movie in its own right, and a must-see for anyone interested in T3!


Same DVD   June 9, 2007
 34 out of 34 found this review helpful

Alright, The Terminator is a classic that helped proppel Arnold S and director Cameron to fame, so I won't bother reviewing the movie because I give it 5 stars all the way, even though I prefer T2.

Okay let's be serious. If you're expecting to get a new DVD edition you're wrong. This is still the same DVD as the last release. Nothing new except now it has a nice sleeve. Now if you don't own a copy and you want the sleeve (Like me) this is good, but if you already own the last release don't buy this one. It is no different except for the nice sleeve that covers it.


Cameron's sci-fi masterpeice is finally done justice   December 29, 2001
 32 out of 33 found this review helpful

The original "Terminator" is arguably the greatest sci-fi/action film ever, and the Special Edition DVD finally does this classic film justice. Many people look at the sequel as the better of the two, but remember, Cameron was given a huge budget for T2. He was forced to film "The Terminator" for less than $6 million. If you're like me, you could write enough about this movie to fill an encyclopedia, but I'll try to give just a breif plot description for those who have yet to see it.

In the future, SkyNET, the supercomputer in control of all military power, decides that humans must be destroyed and begins a massive nuclear war that destroys most of the population. The survivors form a resistance agains the computer and its mechanical army, and eventually defeat it, thanks to their leader John Connor. In a final effort to win, the computer sends a Terminator back in time to kill John's mother, Sarah, before he is born. The humans send back a lone soilder, Kyle Reese, to protect Sarah from the seemingly unstoppable cyborg.

When the movie was originally filmed, the soundtrack was recorded in mono, which sounded horrible on the original DVD release of the Terminator. But here you can find a newly recorded soundtrack, with the original soundtrack remixed along with new gun and explosion sound effects. Most of the new sounds are very cool (esp. the HK entrance in the first scene), and the new gun effects are good for the most part. Only in a few instances are the new sounds a little weak. Fortunately the DVD also sports the original mono soundtrack for when you want to watch the original verion.

Next to the film itself, the best part of this DVD is the Special Features, most of which were unavailable before. There are two Terminator documentaries, which have cast and crew interviews and behind the scene footage of the original filming of the Terminator, very cool stuff for die hards. Also featured are deleted scenes from the original film, which offer a deeper look into the Terminator mythology, and shows different sides of some characters which you wouldn't see in the original. Also in the special features are all the original storyboards for the film and hundreds more photos of the sets, actors and sketches from the original production. Simply put, for die hard Terminator fans, your wait is over. Terminator: Special Edition is a godsend.

HERE ARE ALSO TWO SECRETS I HAVE FOUND SO FAR ON THE DVD. On side one, under Languages, more to "Francais" so it is highlighted. Now move to the right. A little box on the right side of the screen should now be highlighted. Click on it. This gives access to one of four short, random interviews. The second secret is also on side one. Under special features, click on "DVD Rom Features," then under there move so that the Main Menu shortcut is highlighted. Move to the right again, and another small box should now be highlighted. Click on that. This also gives access to four more interviews. Enjoy!


FANTASTIC Movie! Horrible DVD.   January 16, 2000
 26 out of 29 found this review helpful

I am one of the biggest fans of this movie (saw it many times in the theatre when it was released, bought the soundtrack on LP, have almost everything about it), and it IS one of the BEST Sci-Fi movies ever made - especially for its small budget. That said, this is one of the worst DVDs I've seen. The only special feature you get is ONE original trailer. No "Making Of" (which I have the VHS version of), No commentary tracks (come on James Cameron! Get with it! I love your movies and would love to hear your comments!), not even any other language or subtitle tracks - nothing spectacular on this DVD at all. I'm personally glad I have it because I'm a true collector of everything Terminator, but I can't recommend it for people who want more out of it. There really isn't much here in the DVD package - a waste of all that storage space.


Darn Glad I Have This Video   June 3, 2004
 22 out of 42 found this review helpful

I got hundreds of 'em. VHS tapes, collected over the years when VHS was cool. I was digging through them the other day and, to my delight and surprise, rediscovered THE TERMINATOR, a great action thriller that put director James Cameron and "Ahnold" on the superstar map.

Schwarzenegger is absolutely perfect as an unemotional cyborg that travels back in time to 1984 to "terminate" a young woman (Linda Hamilton) destined to give birth to a man who ultimately will lead humans against the machines of the 21st Century. Arnold brings his "A" game to this role, effectively portraying a brutal, stoic, ruthless killing machine that will stop at nothing to achieve its mission. Hamilton as the constantly running victim is very good at screaming and looking terrified, while Michael Biehn is solid as her futuristic "protector."

As entertaining as this movie is, the special effects are dated and quite laughable by today's standards. Equally as laughable are the hairstyles, including a brief appearance by a spike-haired Bill Paxton. Yet the flaws are overcome by the action and nonstop thrills, as Cameron showed the world he is a filmmaker to be reckoned with. And I reckon I'm darn glad to have THE TERMINATOR in my video collection.
--D. Mikels