Freeview film of the day: The Terminator

The Terminator ★★★★★
9.00-11.05pm Spike

The ideal role for Arnold Schwarzenegger – bags of violence and fewer than 100 words of dialogue, three of which became his catchphrase: “I’ll be back.” He’s a cyborg, the Terminator sent from the future to kill Linda Hamilton, whose yet unborn son will save mankind from domination by machines like himself. Only Michael Biehn, a human also back from the future, can protect her. Splendid sci-fi this, tense, fast-moving and deftly handled by director James Cameron, hitherto known only for Piranha II: the Spawning. Schwarzie, going around ripping people’s hearts out, dominates; not as an actor, of course – he never really bothered with acting – but as the closest thing movies have ever got to a human special effect.