The Terminator (1984)

Terminator is the second-best and second-best-known classic Arnold Schwarzenegger movie where He of the Chiseled Physique, iron jaw, steely stare, and robotic monotone (this time all literally so) gets to do his worst as the unstoppable killer robot from the future. (His best and best-known movie is, of course, Terminator 2, where I don't think it's a spoiler 20 years later to merely murmur that Ahnuld plays for the other team.) The premise of time travel is a bit shopworn in Terminator but the manner of travel from the future was groundbreaking (literally) in its naked glory! The menace builds as one realizes this robohulk will stop at nothing to kill his target (plus anyone who gets in the way). Now and then time folds as neatly as a towel (back on and over itself) so that we come to see the salvation of Linda Hamilton (and the future of humanity) as well as the inception of the Terminator timeline. Like Star Trek, the technology and physiology of the future evolves and becomes more impressive with each generation but the myth and the wonder of what we found at the beginning of the story remains gritty and golden. 5 stars. (3-18-09 posted 7-31-09)