The Terminator
dir. James Cameron (1984)
Though irrevocably lodged in the 1980s, the original Terminator nevertheless stands up well as a nightmarish SF thriller. The final effects are a bit ropey but Hamilton, Biehn and Schwarzenegger nail their roles, allowing James Cameron’s straightforward plot to carry the day.
Terminator: Dark Fate
dir. Tim Miller (2019)
Scripted by committee and rife with pointless action. If James Cameron, David Goyer and the rest of the fast food brains trust had collaborated with Warner Bros. to make Terminator versus Road Runner, the result could hardly have been any less tense.
Mardoc
by Ronald A. McQueen (Hale, 1981)
Unintentionally reactivated by a corrupt corporate government, a genetically engineered sleeper agent (think James Cameron’s Dark Angel) sets out to topple the established order. McQueen’s novel is a curious yet memorable mix of SF politics and super-powered insurgency. Intriguing, though plainly written.