It's hard for me to understand how anyone could think The Terminator is not a well-made action movie. It's pretty much one of the best action/sci-fi movies ever made.
Yeah, it was pretty obvious he didn't watch the movie. He saw parts of it and assumed the rest. That basically means he's reviewing a movie he imagined. Which is kinda funny when you realize he got paid to do it.
existenceisrelative To think that he was one of the highest paid and popular movie critic of his time and that he brushes of a movie without even paying attention to the details of the movie is really sad. I had a lot of respect for these guys but when you go on national television at a time when there are not as many tv options as there are now and give a half-hearted review without knowing important plot details, is really bad.
"As an action film, it is not so well-made." ??? Back in 1984 when I saw this film, I was thoroughly impressed with the action. Busting through rooms, windows, steel doors, extensive shooting chases with cars, motorcycles, gasoline trucks, not to mention storming a manned police station, blasting everyone interfering with the terminator's mission to kill a young girl before she gives birth to the future human resistance leader. I was really impressed with the melding of special effects, full sets, models, even stop-motion animation. A terrific movie to watch over and over.
These two saw every action segment back to the beginning of time. They're probably right, it's probably weak as an action picture, but I never thought of it as one- it's half neo-noir, half horror. As cheap as the effects look today, I'm still *dying* when I watch this film to the end. There's reason why the concept has captured our imagination for forty years...
Just watched it again, and frankly this movie is very effective on a bunch of levels. It's basically a well-crafted nightmare with a bunch of great action scenes, a convincing love story, and some well-placed comedy. It can be argued that it is a bit gratuitous, but there is no question that it is entertaining.
Siskel was way off on this one. "Another planet... where those guys come from." Did he even watch the movie? It's emphasized multiple times that they come from the future. And then saying it should be a full-scale love story. It's called "The Terminator." There's a reason so many action films in the last several years have scenes that were inspired by this film. Still one of the greatest action movies of all time.
one of the greatest sci-fi action films. Terminator wasn't just an action film, it had a great story. Too bad Siskel had his thumb so far up his ass he couldn't appreciate that
+Jesse Pinkman Hindsight wasn't needed to know the future of this film. It was a blockbuster from the 1st week it was released and only got bigger. It was always going to be one of the best ever.
+rascalMatt17 well they reviewed pretty much every movie for like 20 years or more as far as I can gather so you have to do think did they simply stop enjoying movies at some point and it just became a job ?
I love how Gene Siskel doesn't even know that the film is about time travel and not space travel. Gives you a bit of an indication as to why he didn't recommend it.
He talked referred to the furture as "On the Planets where these guy comes from" (these-meaning the terminator) He also said it wasn't a well made action film. Come on! The Terminator not a good action movie? If you made a list of the best action films/sci-fi action films Terminator will always be around the top 10-20 on that list. Hell at the time this review was made it would probably be in the top 5. It changed the film industry for awhile. The money returns on that movie had studios rethinking a lot of their business practices.
link biff Yeah I guess but the characters talk about very little that doesn't pertain to events in the future. And they have these conversations throughout the entire movie. I dunno, this just reminds me of Siskel's criticism of Aliens. Just lazy
@@theyellowlightsaber3193 Obviously it was such torture for him. Poor guy felt forced to watch an action movie with no love story, and get paid to do it.
@@russn4933 If youd bothered to take notice of his actual words he didnt say he didnt like the film he said it wouldve been good to see a film that just focused on the post traumatic stress story of kyle
That whole beginning intro where Siskel and Ebert get their tickets and concessions and then head up to the balcony is so cool. I wish they had done that for every single show that they did. RIP both Siskel and Ebert. We miss you.
They had multiple shows over the years. First one was called Sneak Previews and it was on PBS. Then At The Movies, which is this show. After that, their show was called Siskel & Ebert & The Movies, shortened to Siskel and Ebert.
From what I’ve seen (at least in these early reviews) is that Ebert reviews these films for what they are, and Siskel reviews them for what he thinks they should be.
@@Zannathin The weirdest one to me was when Ebert didn't like Die Hard because there was a cop in it that was annoying. But Siskel actually really liked it.
Great point 👉, when it comes to The Terminator or the Star Wars reviews. IMO it was generally the other way around with these two. At The Movies was groundbreaking at the time and I always watched them when I could as an aspiring amateur film maker in High School 🎥 🎞
Man, it's a good thing Siskel wasn't producing this film. And did he even pay attention when he watched it? That "other planet" is Earth in the future! Kinda the whole point of the story.
As I kid I thought these guys were always wrong. As an adult I can see that I actually agree with Roger 90% of the time. Gene on the other hand...once in a while he makes a really great point, but most of the time he just misses the point. Either way RIP to the best two movie critics ever to do it. Agree or disagree, they always held my attention.
If Siskel missed the point so many times, then you're implying that he's not that good of a critic, but you just said that he's on the best. So that means you have contradicted yourself.
These guys SUCKED! The whole world knows THEY SUCKED and they are a MAJOR MAJOR reason so many folks HATE CRITICS. The big joke is that they had a prime TV show while they were lousy at their job.
How did they not mention the relentless tension created by this unstoppable unknown force. When I first saw this movie the entire time I could feel something lurking around every corner, in every space and could feel the claws of the animal just missing my achilles. Flight instinct pegged the entire time.
Made for under 7 million, and by far the best one of the series. Just brilliant. All of the actors, top notch. Loved the pace of the movie. Very, Very scary. He doesn’t stop, he’ll keep coming till he rips her heart out. That’s all he does. Loved it.
I so agree. This was the best one of the series. The rest were just complete garbage and really didn’t follow the baseline on the first one like they should’ve. The only thing that they need to fix on this one was the Reese and Sarah Connor relationship. That was a huge flaw.
American Citizen bro my dad did the exact same thing with me and my older brother lol. said it would make us tough to absorb it at a young age. my mom didn’t know about it at the time haha.
Definitely one of the earliest "badass" movies that I ever saw. The dark futuristic music playing over a giant, ripped, young Schwarzenegger blasting through everything in his path. It all worked so well.
@chris tax - Our RUclips Board is delighted "The Terminator" scared the HELL out of you !! Walking around with "HELL" inside, will only make one dangerous !!
"Not particularly well made"?? How about a six million dollar budget. I would suggest that everyone watching the Making of the Terminator. The end scene is explained as a guy standing behind the crushed exo-skeleton and puffing cigarette smoke to give the effect!! Cameron is a genius.
A franchise that never should have become a franchise in the first place. The first movie is such a tight, perfectly told, simple story. The second is more of an afterthought, a beautifully executed action movie that perfectly rounds up the story and finishes the character arks. All that comes after that is a complete waist of time.
Funny yes, but it also goes to show the good work done by Hamilton, Biehn, and Cameron. Any other actors and most other directors would just do the same thing as a paint-by-numbers excuse to go from one action scene to the next, but not here.
When I got my first v.c.r. in 1986 , the first movie I rented was the Terminator.I became an instant James Cameron fan. I could not believe that someone had done in live action something I had only read about in comics and sci-fi and done it without condescencion.
This was the review that made me realize I had to see a movie for myself and not relegate a film to the trash heap just because of a professional critic.
I'm not stupid enough to get fucked buying a 12 oz. Dr. Pepper for $3.50 and a bucket of popped corn for $6.75. $12.00 to watch a movie that will be on T.V. within a week is also proof how gullible Americans are. Not me. I bring my own and I sneak in whenever possible. I usually use the ruse I'm looking for my kid as his mother just went into the hospital. Works every time.
@@austinteutsch Good job taking the joke too seriously, making fun of Americans, and getting mad at everything. Everyone else can have fun and laugh at the joke.
I was TDY at Incirlik Turkey when this came out. Someone had a copy from the states and was playing it in the day room in the barracks. Standing room only and you could hear a pin drop. Everyone there LOVED that movie.
Holy crap! I remember this specific review! Made 11 year old me want to see the Terminator soooo badly! Loved the Conan movies and was excited to see Arnold in a new role... Had to wait for it to come out on cable, though...
Love these guys. What a joy to watch two professionals banter about a topic near and dear to their hearts: motion pictures. You can only hope that you get this type of incredible chemistry when you set out to do a show like this.
I'm surprised neither one mentioned what a great villain Schwarzenegger's Terminator was. Maybe one of the memorable in film history. The feeling watching this machine that would not stop was powerful and gripping.
Cameron said that's why he cast Schwarzenegger -- he could see in Arnold's face the concept that he wanted to drive, that the Terminator absolutely woud not stop -- ever!
The more I watch these "Siskel and Ebert"reviews, the more I respect Ebert and the less I respect Siskel. Many of Siskel's opinions have been proven wrong---- especially in the "action/sci fi movies" . He obviously hated the genre and showed absolutely no understanding towards any of those movies---- even the ones that are now universally considered as classics today.
Yup look at how he dropped the ball on this one. The Terminator is not just considered a top action film, but a top sci-fi film as well (likely inspired by Philip K. Dick's Second Variety). He also didn't like Aliens, another masterpiece by Cameron.
Eric van Bezooijen Cameron claimed Halloween was the main inspiration for The Terminator. Harlan Ellison settled out of court and got a credit on the film, claiming his story “ Soldier of Tomorrow” and more specifically his adaptation he did for Outer Limits simply titled “Soldier” was ripped off.
The first Terminator film captivated audiences because of its suspense, its scares, its lore, and its love story. James Cameron compensated for his minescule budget with striking neo-noir. As an action film, it's always been average. The shift to action came with T2: Judgement Day.
He said he saw it late, so he must've missed that point. Or he said "planet" as a metaphor for the future to degrade the picture as a whole. Using the term "another planet" for something you don't like is pretty hasty.
@@gumarovasquez5825 Or didn't even listen to what Ebert said mere moments before. But it wouldn't be the first time the two didn't listen to each other
I mean, never mind that it literally says "Los Angeles 2029" on the screen. He must've come into the screening a minute late. Very careless if you're a film critic.
Once Siskel said: "The guys from another planet!" I Knew he was lost and had no idea of what he was talking about! Goes to show you how most so called movie critics have no clue at all! It's all a matter of personal opinion! This movie turned out to be a sci-fi classic, despite it's budget!
This review had some spoilers, taking away from the thrilling development of the movie: figuring out who was who and what was going on. I'm glad I saw "The Terminator" without seeing any reviews first. It was a fun shock to watch! I missed it in theaters, but caught it on VHS with my girlfriend shortly afterward, It instantly became one of my favorite movies and made me a huge Arnold Schwarzenegger fan.
"The planet that this guy comes from" ??? Did he even watch the movie? Where do I sign up for that job? (where I get paid for having opinions about movies I didn't even watch).
I was in California attending systems training for the CH53 Sea Stallion. The group of us from New River, NC had a few hours and thought “What the hell” and caught it. It was AWESOME.
Its so funny, after watching these things I remember why I liked Ebert more, I mean siskel was good and all but he rarely liked my favorite movies (and honestly its surprising when he likes a movie lol)
Roger you are on point it was a great action movie and it did have a surprising love story . It's very violent and a classic in the action movie world.
Always appreciated Eberts reviews because he reviewed films with respect for the type of film it was and what the average movie goer expected from that type of film. Gene struggled with that and the attitude he expresses here is a good example. His critique seems like a dismissal of something not worth his time, like a resentment of another film he had to endure, than a fair critique of this film in particular.
I know, Gene really was a critic's critic!! He always seemed to suggest inserting really long drawn out sappy scenes to movies that weren't really necessary in the type of movie that he was usually reviewing. Never really understood it but that's just how he was.
Yes, Siskel was killed by a Terminator. They call him the grim reaper. Siskel was the anti Ebert. He did that for.....get this........RATINGS! Sort of like Faux Snooze having Juan WIlliams on their programs....a counter weight to spur discussion. It is all about....RATINGS!
RonJohn63 Last Action Hero had too many writers should have decided to pick one universe or another not both. True Lies was Arnies best except for the ending.
I've never been a fan of action films, and I waited a long time to see The Terminator. I don't believe I even saw it on its first run. I think I rented it. But anyway, when I *did* finally see it, I was blown away by how good it was. It's an excellent story that actually justifies its action sequences. I don't believe Gene Siskel payed enough attention to it to understand its plot.
It’s insane to me that their show goes this far back. I always thought they started their show in the late ‘90s. Their show basically covers the entirety of what we think of as “modern Hollywood cinema”, not counting the beginnings of blockbusters in the late ‘70s.
I wonder what Siskel would think of his comments in hindsight now? I liked him but he could be a bit of a movie "snob" at times. And to think he gave a better review to Speed 2. lol.
Also, I forgot how much these guys would spoil movies when giving their reviews. Wowzers. I was lucky enough to see the Terminator in theaters with no prior knowledge as to what it was about, and it remains not only my favorite in the series, but one of my all time favorite science fiction flicks
Ive always loved this old show, even became a critic into my 20s. Now what amazes me is how coveted and secreted movies were back then. If you were a kid and or had no money to burn, good luck seeing anything until 2 years later on cable. Now we can see everything for free usually on the net, often before its released!
I always went to the movies they hated because I knew the movie would rock . They were almost always so wrong you could judge how good the movie would be by how much they hated it
What I meant was if they both hated the film there was a good chance I might like like it . Most of the films they raved about I didn't like. On occasion my taste and theirs coincided but it was rare , the best I could hope for was a split decision . In that case I would side with Siskel more often than Ebert. Sometimes they couldn't get it wrong like "Jaws the Revenge". Why they even bothered to review it is beyond me .
Really? if you watch their best of and worst of series that hey did every year, they were spot on. It is true they really didn't care for Horror films that much. But they both liked Halloween and Ebert like Candy man and Chucky. Siskel was much harder than Ebert when it came to movies, I think its weird that you agreed with him more.
I knew what I was getting when I would watch a "B" movie . I loved Phantasm and the sequel , but not the 3rd. I watched Siskel and Ebert as much to get a longer preview as to listen to their reviews , OK mostly for the film clips . I thought they were to hard on films that that weren't serious to begin with , like restaurant critics reviewing McDonalds or Red Lobster . Pointless .
Critics back then still had pretensions about movies somehow elevating the mind of the common man. Old Victorian social critic/Marxist perspective on "art." It's basically gone to the wayside in favor of just hoping shit is well-done and engaging. I can't say it's a tremendous loss, it was always a douchebag POV. New York Times and Time gave "Terminator" a great review when it came out.
Most critics did. Sometimes Siskel was fantastic, he loved Rocky IV and the two Burton Batman's for example. But every now and then, he'd flub one. And The Terminator was a case for sure.
It's not that Siskel wasn't smart, it was just the premises he was sometimes arguing under (your Dad should learn to love "Schindlier's List" and not "Predator") were kinda dumb. Human nature is hugely malleable, but not that malleable. I don't even consider uplifting the soul of the common man anymore, but it was a fairly common perspective back then.
Cliff Slatterly Ebert was usually fantastic because he made good calls like thumbing down both Burton Batmans. Batman Returns is still one of the worst moviegoing experiences I've ever had at the cinemas.
Surprising to look back and see how poorly Siskel reviewed this. He would have preferred had they focused more on the love story between Sarah and Kyle and less on the action - you know, less on the title character. Wow, was he for real?
Кино
It's hard for me to understand how anyone could think The Terminator is not a well-made action movie. It's pretty much one of the best action/sci-fi movies ever made.
Truth!!
Agree
It is well made, those 2 are overrated reviewers!
@@johnmc3862extremely, very sensitive to violence as well which definitely clouds their judgement
They don’t like genre pictures.
They are almost always on the wrong side of history when it comes to them.
This movie is extremely well made. A total classic.
Gene: doesn’t like The Terminator.
Also Gene: thinks Kyle and the Terminator come from another planet.
Right.
Also Gene: "Cocaine is one hell of a drug"
Hahaha!
Gene never seemed to get anything right. He was just their as fodder for Ebert's reviews.
They don't?
Brad Fiedel's score for the film is very distinctive. Even in those short clips you can hear how much it does for the movie.
"On the planet where this guy comes from." You mean Earth, Gene...Earth.
Yeah, it was pretty obvious he didn't watch the movie. He saw parts of it and assumed the rest. That basically means he's reviewing a movie he imagined. Which is kinda funny when you realize he got paid to do it.
I just don't think he was paying attention.
existenceisrelative To think that he was one of the highest paid and popular movie critic of his time and that he brushes of a movie without even paying attention to the details of the movie is really sad. I had a lot of respect for these guys but when you go on national television at a time when there are not as many tv options as there are now and give a half-hearted review without knowing important plot details, is really bad.
existenceisrelative Maybe he didn't just pay attention?
Alex Naoum I know it's late but...thank you, yes, I was on the verge of making the same post. So much for dedicated cinemaphiles! :D
"As an action film, it is not so well-made." ??? Back in 1984 when I saw this film, I was thoroughly impressed with the action. Busting through rooms, windows, steel doors, extensive shooting chases with cars, motorcycles, gasoline trucks, not to mention storming a manned police station, blasting everyone interfering with the terminator's mission to kill a young girl before she gives birth to the future human resistance leader. I was really impressed with the melding of special effects, full sets, models, even stop-motion animation. A terrific movie to watch over and over.
The violent scenes were more horror/suspense than action, so I can see why someone expecting a straight-up action movie might be disappointed.
These two saw every action segment back to the beginning of time. They're probably right, it's probably weak as an action picture, but I never thought of it as one- it's half neo-noir, half horror. As cheap as the effects look today, I'm still *dying* when I watch this film to the end. There's reason why the concept has captured our imagination for forty years...
1) Horror, not action. T2 was action
2) Considering the Corman level budget, it was VERY well made!
I like the grittiness of the first Terminator. The big budget sequel just wasn't as good.
@@vincentmarcellino7183 This!
Just watched it again, and frankly this movie is very effective on a bunch of levels. It's basically a well-crafted nightmare with a bunch of great action scenes, a convincing love story, and some well-placed comedy. It can be argued that it is a bit gratuitous, but there is no question that it is entertaining.
still holds up in 2019 , just watched it
Still better than Dark Fate. By a mile.
@@Sixstringman by 10'000 miles gawd
watched it over the summer. fantastic movie. ive always loved both terminator movies.
@@spyrosbreath95 11 million miles.
Excellent movie
Siskel was way off on this one. "Another planet... where those guys come from." Did he even watch the movie? It's emphasized multiple times that they come from the future. And then saying it should be a full-scale love story. It's called "The Terminator." There's a reason so many action films in the last several years have scenes that were inspired by this film. Still one of the greatest action movies of all time.
one of the greatest sci-fi action films. Terminator wasn't just an action film, it had a great story. Too bad Siskel had his thumb so far up his ass he couldn't appreciate that
+jjman9 Not one of the best. The best.
+Jesse Pinkman
Hindsight wasn't needed to know the future of this film. It was a blockbuster from the 1st week it was released and only got bigger. It was always going to be one of the best ever.
+gorrow1990 Another planet. WTF??? Siskel was such a twat.
+rascalMatt17 well they reviewed pretty much every movie for like 20 years or more as far as I can gather so you have to do think did they simply stop enjoying movies at some point and it just became a job ?
I love how Gene Siskel doesn't even know that the film is about time travel and not space travel. Gives you a bit of an indication as to why he didn't recommend it.
He talked referred to the furture as "On the Planets where these guy comes from" (these-meaning the terminator) He also said it wasn't a well made action film. Come on! The Terminator not a good action movie? If you made a list of the best action films/sci-fi action films Terminator will always be around the top 10-20 on that list. Hell at the time this review was made it would probably be in the top 5. It changed the film industry for awhile. The money returns on that movie had studios rethinking a lot of their business practices.
He said he saw it a little late, so he must've missed the key element.
link biff Yeah I guess but the characters talk about very little that doesn't pertain to events in the future. And they have these conversations throughout the entire movie. I dunno, this just reminds me of Siskel's criticism of Aliens. Just lazy
It also gives indication of the time of this movie's release and how the common mindset was not prepared for this concept.
Rudolf Menon Great Point. Didn't even think of that.
Who goes to watch an action movie and says "needs less action, more love story"?
Well nobody now, since Gene Siskel's dead
You do realise this was a job right? He didnt do this for fun idiot on a wet saturday night.
@@theyellowlightsaber3193 Obviously it was such torture for him. Poor guy felt forced to watch an action movie with no love story, and get paid to do it.
@@russn4933 If youd bothered to take notice of his actual words he didnt say he didnt like the film he said it wouldve been good to see a film that just focused on the post traumatic stress story of kyle
"I didn't like it; I don't know why." isn't that your job, to know why you didn't like the movie? Gene!
Hello me
Gene was such a hipster contrarian. I bet he'll recommend films all day but as soon as anyone tries to do the same their choices suck
That whole beginning intro where Siskel and Ebert get their tickets and concessions and then head up to the balcony is so cool. I wish they had done that for every single show that they did. RIP both Siskel and Ebert. We miss you.
The probably weren't allowed to use that sequence or even a similar one when they changed production companies
They had multiple shows over the years. First one was called Sneak Previews and it was on PBS. Then At The Movies, which is this show. After that, their show was called Siskel & Ebert & The Movies, shortened to Siskel and Ebert.
Back when clubs let you in wearing dirty bum pants and a trench coat with a shotgun.
He must have reeked of shit. Dude didn’t even wash them shits and put them on commando style!
@@pungisotu It was the style of the time
Back when LA wasn’t a cesspool.
😂
@Obi Wan Kenobi yeh, i just saw it too. 😄
From what I’ve seen (at least in these early reviews) is that Ebert reviews these films for what they are, and Siskel reviews them for what he thinks they should be.
@@Zannathin The weirdest one to me was when Ebert didn't like Die Hard because there was a cop in it that was annoying. But Siskel actually really liked it.
@@Zannathin Most critics don't get comedies, and they are the hardest thing to get right.
They both didn't like Return of the Jedi, either
@@lockandloadlikehell They came around on ROTJ. Later on they defended it.
Great point 👉, when it comes to The Terminator or the Star Wars reviews. IMO it was generally the other way around with these two.
At The Movies was groundbreaking at the time and I always watched them when I could as an aspiring amateur film maker in High School 🎥 🎞
Man, it's a good thing Siskel wasn't producing this film.
And did he even pay attention when he watched it? That "other planet" is Earth in the future! Kinda the whole point of the story.
Yeah, it's kinda hard to have an opinion on something you didn't really pay attention to.
As I kid I thought these guys were always wrong. As an adult I can see that I actually agree with Roger 90% of the time. Gene on the other hand...once in a while he makes a really great point, but most of the time he just misses the point. Either way RIP to the best two movie critics ever to do it. Agree or disagree, they always held my attention.
I grew up on S&E on PBS, they're like family to me.
MTRIP.
The "best two movie critics ever to do it"...on TV. I agree.
If Siskel missed the point so many times, then you're implying that he's not that good of a critic, but you just said that he's on the best. So that means you have contradicted yourself.
These guys SUCKED! The whole world knows THEY SUCKED and they are a MAJOR MAJOR reason so many folks HATE CRITICS. The big joke is that they had a prime TV show while they were lousy at their job.
I HONESTLY put Ebert up there with Hemingway. Love him.
This is my favorite movie of all time. I don't understand how anybody can not like it.
Dr.Feel Good then get your head out of your ass.
señor eric calm down dude
Randy White STFU LOLZ
I hope you've seen some better movies in the three years since you wrote this comment.
señor eric you STFU pussy
How did they not mention the relentless tension created by this unstoppable unknown force. When I first saw this movie the entire time I could feel something lurking around every corner, in every space and could feel the claws of the animal just missing my achilles. Flight instinct pegged the entire time.
Made for under 7 million, and by far the best one of the series. Just brilliant. All of the actors, top notch. Loved the pace of the movie. Very, Very scary. He doesn’t stop, he’ll keep coming till he rips her heart out. That’s all he does. Loved it.
Shows what Cameron can do, even w/o the enormous budgets. In Terminator II Arnold's salary was almost double the entire budget of the first movie.
I so agree. This was the best one of the series. The rest were just complete garbage and really didn’t follow the baseline on the first one like they should’ve. The only thing that they need to fix on this one was the Reese and Sarah Connor relationship. That was a huge flaw.
sometimes limited budget force people to be creative.
@@vardenlongraf4688are you saying Terminator 2 is complete garbage????
@@nolanrussell6326 He's obviously full of shit, don't bother.
the terminator scared the hell out of me when i first watched it i was 10 years old.
I first watched it at 4 and while I was scared of some moments, I was also fascinated with it.
American Citizen bro my dad did the exact same thing with me and my older brother lol. said it would make us tough to absorb it at a young age. my mom didn’t know about it at the time haha.
100%
Definitely one of the earliest "badass" movies that I ever saw. The dark futuristic music playing over a giant, ripped, young Schwarzenegger blasting through everything in his path. It all worked so well.
@chris tax - Our RUclips Board is delighted "The Terminator" scared the HELL out of you !! Walking around with "HELL" inside, will only make one dangerous !!
"Not particularly well made"?? How about a six million dollar budget. I would suggest that everyone watching the Making of the Terminator. The end scene is explained as a guy standing behind the crushed exo-skeleton and puffing cigarette smoke to give the effect!! Cameron is a genius.
Too bad the 'genius' went on to make Avatar. It's one of the most retarded films ever made.
Ted Striker What's your point? I never saw Avatar but he made it 25 years after Terminator. Different era.
*****
The man is an idiot.
Ted Striker Sounds like you have an ax to grind.
Daniel Kelegian He's saying avatar sucked and the terminator was awesome.
Little did they know that was the start of a movie franchise.
Yes Im sure Siskel would be cackling away in his grave to know its been completely driven into the ground with endless shitty sequels.
A franchise that never should have become a franchise in the first place. The first movie is such a tight, perfectly told, simple story. The second is more of an afterthought, a beautifully executed action movie that perfectly rounds up the story and finishes the character arks. All that comes after that is a complete waist of time.
@@christophzeit6282 Salvation was okay, that furthered the story
@@christophzeit6282 exactly, spot on
@@christophzeit6282 Rise of machines was the conclusion.
Recommended to me in 2021, used to watch their show I missed them so much.
Oh, yes, “The Terminator” would have been so much better if it was a romantic comedy. :-/
I see i'm not the only one who found that funny
felicity4711 😆😆
T1 definitely has a romantic subplot, and there's a couple funny parts
Funny yes, but it also goes to show the good work done by Hamilton, Biehn, and Cameron. Any other actors and most other directors would just do the same thing as a paint-by-numbers excuse to go from one action scene to the next, but not here.
😂😂😂😂!!!!
When I got my first v.c.r. in 1986 , the first movie I rented was the Terminator.I became an instant James Cameron fan. I could not believe that someone had done in live action something I had only read about in comics and sci-fi and done it without condescencion.
Gene is just weirdly off base here. It's like he didn't even see the whole movie.
Technophobe Technology it’s like he wrote a book report on book he didn’t even read , and just got his opinion from the book cover .
He probably only watched it once, and didn't pay much attention when he did.
I know 30 years later and very few movies even come close
I sure like that other movie that nobody remembers
These guys spend more time writing notes than watching the movie.
This was the review that made me realize I had to see a movie for myself and not relegate a film to the trash heap just because of a professional critic.
Everyone is missing the point of this review. Siskel sneaks outside food and beverages in.
For shame Siskel. For shame.
LOL
I'm not stupid enough to get fucked buying a 12 oz. Dr. Pepper for $3.50 and a bucket of popped corn for $6.75. $12.00 to watch a movie that will be on T.V. within a week is also proof how gullible Americans are. Not me. I bring my own and I sneak in whenever possible. I usually use the ruse I'm looking for my kid as his mother just went into the hospital. Works every time.
@@austinteutsch The guy was joking. Just about everybody sneaks in their own food. I don't even know anyone who buys that shit at the theater.
@@austinteutsch Good job taking the joke too seriously, making fun of Americans, and getting mad at everything. Everyone else can have fun and laugh at the joke.
@@austinteutsch woah there tough guy
Seems like Gene did not actually see the film and based his review on a clip reel or something.
Siskel was way off on this one, the Terminator is one of the best sci-fi action films ever made.
I was TDY at Incirlik Turkey when this came out. Someone had a copy from the states and was playing it in the day room in the barracks. Standing room only and you could hear a pin drop. Everyone there LOVED that movie.
Siskel what the????!! This movie rocked the film world. Completely original and just down right bomby. What he meant to say was "thumbs up".
Siskel ended up on the wrong side of history a lot...
On a deleted timeline.
Watch their reviews on the first Saw
Looked for the saw review couldn’t find it
Ebert and Roeper worst movies of 2004 type that in
@@josephcarl4167 Saw wasnt great . Most reviewers hated it. I dont think theres a single saw movie that isnt rated rotten on on RT
How can you not like "The Terminator"? It is the perfect action film.
"The other planet where these guys come from" 😂😂😂
"On the planet where this guy comes from."
Maybe had he understood the film a little better he would have liked it more.
Gene seems to make those mistakes from time to time
This movie is a classic without a doubt. Use to watch this show in the 90's.
Iam 45 so it when I was still pretty young. It was mind blowing. Love this movie.
"I thought The Terminator was a non-stop rollercoaster of chills, thrills, spills and kills!"
Holy crap! I remember this specific review! Made 11 year old me want to see the Terminator soooo badly! Loved the Conan movies and was excited to see Arnold in a new role... Had to wait for it to come out on cable, though...
Arnold tells you he'll be back, believe him.
Yo he just said it on the fly
Love these guys. What a joy to watch two professionals banter about a topic near and dear to their hearts: motion pictures. You can only hope that you get this type of incredible chemistry when you set out to do a show like this.
I'm surprised neither one mentioned what a great villain Schwarzenegger's Terminator was. Maybe one of the memorable in film history. The feeling watching this machine that would not stop was powerful and gripping.
Cameron said that's why he cast Schwarzenegger -- he could see in Arnold's face the concept that he wanted to drive, that the Terminator absolutely woud not stop -- ever!
The more I watch these "Siskel and Ebert"reviews, the more I respect Ebert and the less I respect Siskel. Many of Siskel's opinions have been proven wrong---- especially in the "action/sci fi movies" . He obviously hated the genre and showed absolutely no understanding towards any of those movies---- even the ones that are now universally considered as classics today.
Yup look at how he dropped the ball on this one. The Terminator is not just considered a top action film, but a top sci-fi film as well (likely inspired by Philip K. Dick's Second Variety). He also didn't like Aliens, another masterpiece by Cameron.
Eric van Bezooijen Cameron claimed Halloween was the main inspiration for The Terminator. Harlan Ellison settled out of court and got a credit on the film, claiming his story “ Soldier of Tomorrow” and more specifically his adaptation he did for Outer Limits simply titled “Soldier” was ripped off.
He did love the Star War films, at least the first three made!
@Jamie Whitfield Yes. Watch him and Roger defend the series from another brutal critic.
m.ruclips.net/video/Ky9-eIlHzAE/видео.html
@@4redniwediS Roger Ebert gave The Phantom Menace, one of the worst films I have ever seen in a movie theater, 3 1/2 stars.
I knew Roger was headed straight for that vending machine.
@MassiveTree - Are you a know-it-all - much in daily life, too?!?
This intro to at the movies always gives me that warm cozy feeling. Ahh to be a kid again in front of the tube in the 80s.
Agreed! My grandmother always used to watch Siskel and Ebert on Saturdays...brings me back to easier times.
keefriff99 yes saturdays!! Early evening Saturdays before the nbc sat lineup featuring golden girls lol
Yes the best thing to note about The Terminator are the love scenes.
I remember the days when "Two Thumbs Up" meant a lot to movies!
Siskel never likes anything cool.
It's an act for the show. He doesn't actually hate it. In that way, they offer perspective
You should watch him and Ebert defend Star Wars from another brutal critic.
m.ruclips.net/video/Ky9-eIlHzAE/видео.html
I don’t think Siskel watched anything cool in the 80s. Think he sent a copy boy to jot notes down for him back then.
He liked Mortal Kombat 🤷🏽♂️
Alexander Wright again 80s Siskel would hated it. I don’t know...guess he mellowed as he got older.
This is a movie that I never get tired of watching.
Siskel with his wife: I was thinking a little to the left would've been better.
Glad I wasn't drinking when I read this 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
this movie is a masterpiece. nuff' said
Damn Siskel was way off on that one 😂 what a Douche. it only ended up becoming the one of the greatest sci-fi action movie ever
Bullshit.
Jose Luiz Exactly!!
The first Terminator film captivated audiences because of its suspense, its scares, its lore, and its love story. James Cameron compensated for his minescule budget with striking neo-noir. As an action film, it's always been average. The shift to action came with T2: Judgement Day.
Douchebag Siskel - clueless really
Miss these guys! First time I saw Terminator, I thought it was revolutionary.
The best movie of the 80s period!😎👍
at 5:11 "the planet where this guys from" - wtf movie is he talking about?? it was just set in the future. it's like he didn't even watch the movie
He said he saw it late, so he must've missed that point.
Or he said "planet" as a metaphor for the future to degrade the picture as a whole. Using the term "another planet" for something you don't like is pretty hasty.
I love this guy but he probably duct out to get something to eat. He didn’t watch all of it.
@@gumarovasquez5825 Or didn't even listen to what Ebert said mere moments before. But it wouldn't be the first time the two didn't listen to each other
I mean, never mind that it literally says "Los Angeles 2029" on the screen. He must've come into the screening a minute late. Very careless if you're a film critic.
How the hell do you give The Terminator a negative review. That’s nuts.
Siskel always was a wet blanket!
The first one was not as impressive as the 2nd.
@@sj4632 first one slightly better imo
@@alterbridgegod No way, you're definitely in the minority.
@@sj4632 there's more than you think
I'm speechless... Fortunately for these guys I refuse to speak ill of the dead. "Terminator" is one of the greatest films ever made.
Roger got it; Gene did not.
In The Terminator,the doctor had never seen him walk in the police station.
In Terminator 2,he was surprised.
Both of them,great movies.
Once Siskel said: "The guys from another planet!" I Knew he was lost and had no idea of what he was talking about! Goes to show you how most so called movie critics have no clue at all! It's all a matter of personal opinion! This movie turned out to be a sci-fi classic, despite it's budget!
This review had some spoilers, taking away from the thrilling development of the movie: figuring out who was who and what was going on.
I'm glad I saw "The Terminator" without seeing any reviews first. It was a fun shock to watch!
I missed it in theaters, but caught it on VHS with my girlfriend shortly afterward,
It instantly became one of my favorite movies and made me a huge Arnold Schwarzenegger fan.
THIS IS TIME TRAVEL!!!!
Thank you for uploading these. Grew up watching this right before SNL. 1982.1984.85.1987. Great years for 80s movies. Classics
How could anyone with more than a brain stem not give "The Terminator" thumbs up?
Unbelievable.
There is something wrong with you if you don't like this movie because it's one of the best films ever made. It's up there with Robocop and Die Hard.
"The planet that this guy comes from" ??? Did he even watch the movie? Where do I sign up for that job? (where I get paid for having opinions about movies I didn't even watch).
It's called the Internet.
“Thumbs down on the planet where you come from gene?”, you better watch it again.
I was in California attending systems training for the CH53 Sea Stallion. The group of us from New River, NC had a few hours and thought “What the hell” and caught it. It was AWESOME.
From another planet?! Ha ha! Siskel was a dope!
Its so funny, after watching these things I remember why I liked Ebert more, I mean siskel was good and all but he rarely liked my favorite movies (and honestly its surprising when he likes a movie lol)
'As an action movie this was not well made.' - Gene Siskel 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Roger you are on point it was a great action movie and it did have a surprising love story . It's very violent and a classic in the action movie world.
Honestly, I want to hear about the film that's about two rival ice-cream companies based in Scotland.
Needless to say, Roger Ebert has been proven right.
Miss you guys Siskel and Ebert. 🍿🌷😃
Oooooo! Comfort and Joy!!!! I can't wait to see that!!!
Always appreciated Eberts reviews because he reviewed films with respect for the type of film it was and what the average movie goer expected from that type of film. Gene struggled with that and the attitude he expresses here is a good example. His critique seems like a dismissal of something not worth his time, like a resentment of another film he had to endure, than a fair critique of this film in particular.
The love story? Gene it's not steel magnolias bro.
This comment is so painfully stupid lol
I know, Gene really was a critic's critic!! He always seemed to suggest inserting really long drawn out sappy scenes to movies that weren't really necessary in the type of movie that he was usually reviewing. Never really understood it but that's just how he was.
I think he missed it on this one
I had a sleep over party and we watched The Terminator and it was fantastic viewing experience
Siskel..was half asleep watching it. He thought he was watching Alien.
I don’t like the terminator
-Gene Siskel
RIP
Why am I watching this in 2019?
Yes, Siskel was killed by a Terminator. They call him the grim reaper.
Siskel was the anti Ebert. He did that for.....get this........RATINGS!
Sort of like Faux Snooze having Juan WIlliams on their programs....a counter weight to spur discussion. It is all about....RATINGS!
Gene hated Arnold I think! He gave Terminator, True Lies, Predator and Total Recall thumbs down!
He did like T2 ;)
I certainly agree with him on True Lies - but T, Predator, and Total Recall were 3 of his best
@@emmetzet _True Lies_ was a fun movie. As was _Last Action Hero._
RonJohn63 Last Action Hero had too many writers should have decided to pick one universe or another not both. True Lies was Arnies best except for the ending.
It means, to me, that Siskel had good taste.
I've never been a fan of action films, and I waited a long time to see The Terminator. I don't believe I even saw it on its first run. I think I rented it. But anyway, when I *did* finally see it, I was blown away by how good it was. It's an excellent story that actually justifies its action sequences. I don't believe Gene Siskel payed enough attention to it to understand its plot.
It’s insane to me that their show goes this far back. I always thought they started their show in the late ‘90s. Their show basically covers the entirety of what we think of as “modern Hollywood cinema”, not counting the beginnings of blockbusters in the late ‘70s.
I wonder what Siskel would think of his comments in hindsight now? I liked him but he could be a bit of a movie "snob" at times. And to think he gave a better review to Speed 2. lol.
Speed 2 is one of the worst pieces of crap, ever.
LivingInVancouverBC I think Ebert and her fanboys are the worst piece of crap ever
Did Gene say The Terminator came from another planet. Did he even watch the movie?!
What an incredible time capsule
Also, I forgot how much these guys would spoil movies when giving their reviews. Wowzers.
I was lucky enough to see the Terminator in theaters with no prior knowledge as to what it was about, and it remains not only my favorite in the series, but one of my all time favorite science fiction flicks
Ebert was right on the money. Siskel failed.
Nice night for a walk.
Ive always loved this old show, even became a critic into my 20s. Now what amazes me is how coveted and secreted movies were back then. If you were a kid and or had no money to burn, good luck seeing anything until 2 years later on cable. Now we can see everything for free usually on the net, often before its released!
"Siskel and Ebert give it one thumb up!"
Imagine that statement being used in an ad for this movie.
I always went to the movies they hated because I knew the movie would rock . They were almost always so wrong you could judge how good the movie would be by how much they hated it
Exactly!
Billy C. LeWorth roger liked the movie. what are you talking about?
Did you like Jaws the Revenge? Bc both of them hated that dumb movie
What I meant was if they both hated the film there was a good chance I might like like it . Most of the films they raved about I didn't like. On occasion my taste and theirs coincided but it was rare , the best I could hope for was a split decision . In that case I would side with Siskel more often than Ebert. Sometimes they couldn't get it wrong like "Jaws the Revenge". Why they even bothered to review it is beyond me .
Really? if you watch their best of and worst of series that hey did every year, they were spot on. It is true they really didn't care for Horror films that much. But they both liked Halloween and Ebert like Candy man and Chucky. Siskel was much harder than Ebert when it came to movies, I think its weird that you agreed with him more.
I knew what I was getting when I would watch a "B" movie . I loved Phantasm and the sequel , but not the 3rd. I watched Siskel and Ebert as much to get a longer preview as
to listen to their reviews , OK mostly for the film clips . I thought they were to hard on films that that weren't serious to begin with , like restaurant critics reviewing McDonalds or Red Lobster . Pointless .
Siskel was way off on this one.
Critics back then still had pretensions about movies somehow elevating the mind of the common man. Old Victorian social critic/Marxist perspective on "art." It's basically gone to the wayside in favor of just hoping shit is well-done and engaging. I can't say it's a tremendous loss, it was always a douchebag POV. New York Times and Time gave "Terminator" a great review when it came out.
Most critics did. Sometimes Siskel was fantastic, he loved Rocky IV and the two Burton Batman's for example. But every now and then, he'd flub one. And The Terminator was a case for sure.
It's not that Siskel wasn't smart, it was just the premises he was sometimes arguing under (your Dad should learn to love "Schindlier's List" and not "Predator") were kinda dumb. Human nature is hugely malleable, but not that malleable. I don't even consider uplifting the soul of the common man anymore, but it was a fairly common perspective back then.
Cliff Slatterly Ebert was usually fantastic because he made good calls like thumbing down both Burton Batmans. Batman Returns is still one of the worst moviegoing experiences I've ever had at the cinemas.
Funny. It's one of the best movie going experiences I've ever had.
Thank you so much for recommending a
number one movie
One of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time.
Surprising to look back and see how poorly Siskel reviewed this. He would have preferred had they focused more on the love story between Sarah and Kyle and less on the action - you know, less on the title character. Wow, was he for real?
The 80’s rotten tomatoes
Yep, just as accurate... As in not.
Terminator has 100% on RT.
They have their opinions, we have ours. We need shows like this again.
This is what you call a perfect film