40 Years Ago, The Terminator Created the Ultimate Survival Movie

This article is sponsored by Sneak Energy. Check out their Terminator 40th limited edition collection here!

From its first shocking future-tense moment to its ominous, and haunting ending, The Terminator is so much more than just a well-made action sci-fi movie. Forty years ago, with a script co-written by Gale Anne Hurd, James Cameron directed what can only be called his first masterpiece. Though the larger franchise is broadly beloved, the original film—featuring brilliant performances from Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton, and Arnold Schwarzenegger—remains an unforgettable piece of cinematic art. Now, 40 years after its initial release, The Terminator is back with a blistering 4K re-release, showcasing the ahead-of-its-time visual effects with delicious clarity and sharpness.

But, what kind of movie is The Terminator anyway? Because the legend looms so large in science fiction and cinematic history, the film’s true secret weapon sometimes gets overlooked. First and foremost, The Terminator is a survival movie, focused on how a relatable person with a working-class job manages to beat impossible odds and live to inspire the future. 

Though Schwarzenegger’s relentless portrayal of the T-800 isn’t a role model for daily behavior; he is very efficient. “It doesn’t feel pity or remorse or fear,” Kyle Reese (Biehn) tells Sarah Connor (Hamilton), using words that could describe a strength coach, not a cyborg assassin from the future. The titular Terminator’s relentless energy comes from the fact he’s not human and relies on power, which humans could only tap with some extra caffeine or really great energy drinks. Sarah and Kyle are automatically disadvantaged, simply by being human, and it’s in this truth that the survivalist aspect of the movie really becomes clear.

From the first moment that Kyle Reese arrives from the future, he’s running for his life. So much so, he even get a pair of slick, black Nike Vandals to keep him moving. This detail may be small, but it represents the overall kinetic feeling of The Terminator. Movement and optimization are everything. Whether it’s Kyle’s survival instincts or the T-800’s relentless efficiency, staying in motion is key to making this movie so timeless. Yes, characters stop to regroup, briefly, but the brilliance of the movie is that, on some level, it’s a non-stop chase.

When Kyle meets up with Sarah, he reveals that she is the key to the future of the human revolution against the machines. In several flashbacks (or flash-forwards, depending on how you look at it), we see that Kyle’s life in the resistance requires non-stop vigilance. Whether he’s jumping into Mad Max-esque cars, or fighting Terminators that have infiltrated the base, constant awareness is everything. We don’t see Kyle or the resistance taking any stimulants, but there’s a good bet they’ve got something to keep them going. Double shots of caffeine? 

But, more than anything, what makes The Terminator such a perfectly-paced survival film is the idea that even with limited resources, Kyle and Sarah have to remain extremely organized, even if it kind of looks like they’re making things up on the fly. From escaping the police station to sleeping under a bridge to hiding in a motel, our heroes leave little room for chance, mostly because the alternative is to wait around for the T-800 to blast them. At first, Sarah balks at the notion that she’ll become a resistance leader in the future. She doesn’t even think she’s sufficiently organized enough for the task. “I can’t even balance my checkbook,” she tells Reese, pushing back on the idea that she’s a tough survivalist. But, the spirit to survive, and create a better world is highly motivating. Sarah and Kyle’s relationship begins with his immortal words “Come with me if you want to live.” And in that sentiment, there’s more than just the literalism of the film’s core plot.

The situation of The Terminator puts Sarah into survival mode with Kyle, and we see the nitty-gritty of how that kind of thinking gets them from moment to moment. But the story that’s unfolding is a different one. Obviously, it’s a love story, but more crucially, it’s a story of trust. When Kyle says “Come with me if you want to live,” we know he means that they have to get moving because he’s the only one who understands what the Terminator is. Simultaneously, though, he’s also shaking Sarah out of her day-to-day routine of working at the burger joint and getting stood up by boring guys for boring dates. Kyle’s asking Sarah—and the rest of us—if we want to live, not just exist.

There’s a joke early in the movie that Sarah and her roommate Ginger (Bess Motta) are using an answering machine, and that “machines need love, too.” When the T-800 is searching Sarah’s apartment, the recording, metaphorically anyway, has a conversation with him. This plot detail is crucial because the Terminator determines that Ginger is not Sarah and that Sarah is still alive. And yet, the moment is a little smarter than just a plot breadcrumb. What we’re reminded of here is that neither the answering machine or the Terminator are alive. The day-to-day machines that everyone relies on—from the present to the future—aren’t the things that will make human existence meaningful. Only other humans make life meaningful.

So, when Reese says, “Come with me if you want to live,” he’s making a plea for humanity in general. Life exists outside of answering machines and relentless cyborgs. Sarah later tells him, “On your feet soldier!” and she has a point. It’s only when we get moving, in one way or another, that we feel truly alive.

Now, if like Sarah Conner and Kyle Reese, you need a burst of energy to get moving, you should definitely try Sneak Energy’s new Terminator collection of energy drinks, perfect for when you need the caffeine boost—without all the sugar! Best of all, these new Terminator-themed flavors represent both sides of the battle between humanity and Skynet. Before you pick a side, here’s a quick breakdown of the new flavors…

NEURAL UPGRADE: ORANGE, PINEAPPLE + RHUBARB

Say goodbye to brain fog with Neural Upgrade – a high-octane orange, pineapple and rhubarb infusion with 200mg of caffeine per serving. This cybernetic cocktail is designed to fuel peak performance, sharpening your focus and er… terminating your tiredness. Sorry, we had to. 

REBEL CHARGE: JELLY BEAN

This jelly bean-inspired delight will definitely have you saying ‘I’ll be back’ for more. But what does a handful of jelly beans taste like? We’re getting hints of cherry, lemon, raspberry, grape and orange. One sip will have you feeling like the hero of your own action movie – or the hero of your morning commute, at the very least.