“I’ll be back.”

These three words uttered by the Austrian born Arnold Schwarzenegger would everlastingly mark his place in American cinema history. As the burly Cyberdine Systems Model 101 a.k.a. The Terminator, Schwarzenegger frighten the leg warmers off of audiences in 1984.

The movie launches with a panoramic view of scorched city remnants devastated by nuclear holocaust. Through the bleak backdrop, massive robots hunt down the remaining human life. A subtitle reveals “The machines war to exterminate mankind has raged for decades.” followed by Brad Fiedel’s oppressive, metallic score.

The Terminator is flung into the future by his mechanical masters to kill young Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) before she gives birth to the child who will eventually lead a rebellion against the machines. Looking human on the outside, the cyborg is the perfect weapon against humanity and will stop at nothing to catch and eliminate his prey. Sarah’s only guide during the non-stop pursuit is a rebel, Reese (Michael Bien), sent to save her using the same time travel technology as The Terminator.

On the surface, The Terminator may seem like nothing more than a series of shoot-outs and chases. Under all the bullets and explosions lies the very real fear of society’s dehumanization and our over-reliance on machines.

Director: James Cameron

Writers: James Cameron
Gale Anne Hurd

MPAA Rating: R for violence and sexual situations.