Who would have thought that The Terminator (1984) will remain a strong reference point for movies from the same genre? The movie, directed by James Cameron, and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, is indeed a science fiction story but it is so much more. It is a social commentary on the invasion of artificial intelligence (AI) over our life through SKynet. It is a take on what a post-apocalyptic future will look like. There is time travel involved with the Terminator loving across timelines to reach its destinations. In Terminator, the characters of the Terminator and Kyle Reese arrive in 1984. They both are from 2029. Reese has to protest against Sarah Conner from The Terminator.
In Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991), the year 2029 is shown where the humans are fighting against the AI and Skynet. The humans are the resistance. The T-800 (Schwarzenegger) and T-1000 (Robert Patrick), the antagonist, arrive from 2029 to 1995 to protect John Connor, who will eventually become the leader of the resistance in 2029.
“Getting the audience to cry for the Terminator at the end of T2, for me that was the whole purpose of making the film. If you can get the audience to feel emotion for a character that in the previous film you despised utterly and were terrified by, then that’s a cinematic arc.”
james cameron, Director/Writer of The Terminator (1984), Terminator 2: Judgement Day
The Terminator movie franchise explores the use of technology and how machines may take over humans and the Earth. The perils of artificial intelligence are also shown in great detail. Terminator Genisys (2015), the reboot of the Terminator Franchise, revolves around the life of Kyle Reese who is in 2029 and sent back to 1984. He has to protect Sarah Conner (Emilia Clarke). Skynet has become a powerful system that is going to eliminate human life. The Terminator franchise deeply explores how technology can become more powerful than humans. The impact of nuclear war on society is also discussed. There is the concept of a post-apocalyptic war where humans are living in the aftermath of a nuclear attack launched by Skynet. The concepts of imperialism are also discussed by the use of humans as the suppressive race and the Terminator and Skynet as the highly advanced race.
Overall, Terminator uses science fiction to explore a variety of important social allegories, encouraging viewers to think critically about the role of technology in our society, the impact of war and oppressive governments, and the potential consequences of altering the course of history.
Scifiers explores science fiction narratives that enliven our imagination and compel us to think about the “what-ifs” of creative world-building. It is on a mission to discuss ideas about sci-fi in its various forms that keep the genre in a state of continuous expansion.
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Image Source: Space.com