Commissions Earned
Film Title: The Terminator (1984)
Release Date: 2024
Rating: R
Runtime: 107 minutes
Region Coding: Region Free
Distributor: Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment
Audio Formats: Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD MA Mono
High Dynamic Range: HDR10, Dolby Vision
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Version Reviewed: 4K UHD Blu-ray
Release Date: 11/19/24
Director: James Cameron
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton, Paul Winfield, Lance Henriksen, Rick Rossovich, Bess Motta, Earl Boen, Dick Miller, Bill Paxton
Jump to Sections:
Movie | Video | Audio | Bonus | Closing|Screenshots
Full 4K Tech Specs foundat thebottom
click to view a 4K Screenshot
The Movie
“The Terminator” was a 1984 film directed by James Cameron. He is best known for directing several notable films. These include “Aliens” (1986), “The Abyss” (1989), and “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991). He also directed “True Lies” (1994), “Titanic” (1997), and “Avatar” (2009).
The screenplay was co-written by James Cameron, Gale Anne Hurd, and William Wisher. Gale Anne Hurd is best known for also producing the films “Aliens” (1986), “The Abyss” (1989). She also produced this film’s sequel “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991), which James Cameron directed. William Wisher is well-known for co-writing “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991) with Cameron. Wisher also co-wrote the screenplay for “Judge Dredd” (1995).
The story takes place in 1984. On this particular day, two different men travel back in time from the year 2029. They both have been sent to find a woman named “Sarah Connor” (Linda Hamilton).One of the men, “Kyle Reese” (Michael Biehn), is a real human being and friendly. He’s a member of a future army fighting a war against machines. The other man is a fully robotic form of humanoid artificial intelligence known as a “Terminator” (Arnold Schwarzenegger).
Sarah Connor is the target of both time travelers for a reason. She has a link to a key figure in a future war. The war is started by artificial intelligence and fought by machines against humans.
The fate of mankind is in Kyle Reese’s hands. He must take action to keep Sarah Connor safe from the Terminator. That’s a statement that is much easier said that done. Remember this specific phrase. It describes the Terminator. Kyle Reese warns Sarah Connor in the film. He tells her how severe the threat is from what is coming for her.
“It can’t be bargained with, it can’t be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity! Or remorse or fear and it absolutely will not stop!… ever… until you are dead!” – ‘Kyle Reese’
Movie Rating: 4.75 (out of 5)
click to view a 4K Screenshot
Video Quality
“The Terminator” on 4K UHD Blu-ray is presented in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision and HDR10 forms of high dynamic range. This movie was shot on 35mm film. It used the Arriflex 35 BL, Arriflex 35 III, and Fries Mitchell 35R3 cameras with spherical lenses.
First off, James Cameron did supervise this new remastering of the movie. This utilizes the same 4K scan from 2013. That scan was found on the Blu-ray Disc release of the film that year. James Cameron’s company Lightstorm and New Zealand company Park Road Post Production worked on the project. They made use of AI (artificial intelligence) to create a new 4K presentation. Some people oppose the use of AI in film preservation. It’s understandable because it still has some flaws, but thankfully this doesn’t have as many as earlier works. I will discuss some of those AI flaws, later on in this section, but let’s keep moving along for now.
Next, let me get technical about the 4K UHD Blu-ray Disc itself here. This release uses a BD-100 (100 gigabytes) disc, 84.18gigabytes total, and 68.1gigabytes itself for the film. Looking back on it, the 2013 Blu-ray Disc release of the film used 33.65 gigabytes total and 30.6 gigabytes itself for the film (in HD). So, this 4K version is roughly 2.2 times larger of a file than the HD version. From my observations with my 4K UHD Blu-ray player, the bitrate peaks at around 146.3 Mbps. It averages roughly around 70.1 Mbps and occasionally dips as low as 48.4 Mbps. According to info on the PC side, this seems to have an overall video bitrate of 67.2 Mb/s average.
Next, I want to visually compare the original Blu-ray and the 4K UHD Blu-ray. I’ll show you the still screenshots for both the 2013 Blu-ray Disc. You will also see the new 2024 4K UHD Blu-ray releases. For those who want to see more Blu-ray VS. 4K screenshots, click the text below.
Blu-ray VS. 4K Screenshots Comparison:
SOURCES: 2013 Blu-ray (left), 2024 4K UHD Blu-ray (right)
So, as you can first tell, this is much brighter now with the 4K presentation. There’s a more solid black level now. The colors feel much more spot-on. This improvement is thanks to the addition of the high dynamic range (via Dolby Vision or HDR10). A good amount of edge enhancement has been used here, no doubt about that. It sharpens up that 2013 4K scan of the movie. The result honestly looks rather impressive.
Now, let me be clear here. Some occasional AI flaws are visible that you can spot doing a close comparison. Yet, chances are high that you won’t notice the AI flaws unless you pause this 4K presentation. I did not see these flaws during my first time watching this. It was only afterward while doing screenshots, that I spotted the problems.
It is certainly ironic. A movie involving artificial intelligence going wrong now uses AI for its remastering 40 years later. Additionally, a 11 year old transfer is employed. Surprisingly, this new 4K master looks pretty awesome. I am actually quite impressed by this 4K presentation. But let’s face it, James Cameron insists on continuing to work with the Park Road Post Production company. They [like “Skynet”] use AI technology. And, let’s not forget that he also opted to revisit the existing 4K scan of the film. Something about that seems wrong, given it was from 2013 and it’s presently 2024. To put that into perspective, this scan was used for a Blu-ray release that very same year.
So, this looks great and is by far the best that the film has ever looked. Still, it’s a shame we are seeing a scan that old. AI has occasional flaws, but chances are you won’t even notice any of the flaws created by artificial intelligence here. I actually find this 4K presentation to be impressive. Still, it’s definitely not perfect by any means. I must say this is a highly recommended upgrade to all earlier home video releases. Sure, it’s artificial detail through edge enhancement filters being seen at times but it looks good. Also, some of the film grain that is shown is replicated in an artificial digital manner. Despite all of that this just happens to work. It’s as simple as that. That being said, it earns itself a very respectable 4.75 rating for video quality.
Video Quality Rating: 4.75 (out of 5)
click to view a 4K Screenshot
Audio Quality
“The Terminator” arrives on 4K UHD Blu-ray with a new Dolby Atmos sound mix (with a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 core) as well as the original theatrical mix in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono, with a DTS 2.0 Mono core. I obviously have opted for the Dolby Atmos mix here and that’s what I’ll be covering here in this section.
Now, keep in mind that this film and its sequel are as known for being “demo material” as they are. This film has always sounded rather impressive in just lossless 5.1 surround sound. Looking back on it, the 2013 Blu-ray had a really admirable 5.1 presentation. Now, in a Dolby Atmos mix, it makes effective use of the height channel speakers all throughout.
Dialogue is driven distinctly from the center channel speaker, so there is no reason to make any volume adjustment. There’s a significant amount of rear channel use for both the original music (composed by Brad Fiedel) and sound effects. The sound can be heard from the left and right sides of the room. There is a hefty amount of LFE in the Atmos mix. Your subwoofer will shake the room on more than a handful of occasions.
This Atmos mix is certainly intense and it manages to do the film justice in terms of its audio presentation. That being said, the new Dolby Atmos mix for “The Terminator” on 4K UHD Blu-ray sounds incredible. It earns itself a perfect 5 rating for audio quality.
Audio Quality Rating: 5 (out of 5)
click to view a 4K Screenshot
Bonus Materials
A Digital Copy of the film in 4K resolution is included. You will find it via paper insert. It is only compatible with Fandango At Home (formerly known as VUDU). This is in 2160p video quality with Dolby Vision and HDR10 forms of high dynamic range and Dolby Atmos sound.
Bonus materials included on the 4K UHD Blu-ray are listed below.
- Deleted Scenes (9 minutes, 59 seconds – HD)
- Deleted Scenes with James Cameron Audio Commentary (9 minutes, 59 seconds – HD) is definitely worth hearing. It is recommended to listen after you’ve watched the deleted scenes separately with their own audio.
- ”Creating The Terminator: Visual Effects & Music” (12 minutes, 58 seconds – HD) includes interviews with Gene Warren, Jr. (Fanasty II VFX supervisor), Joe Viskocil (VFX pyrotechnician), and Brad Fiedel (composer).
- ”The Terminator: Closer to the Real Thing” (11 minutes, 56 seconds – HD) includes interviews with James Cameron (director/co-writer, “The Terminator”, “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”), Russ Tedrake (postdoctoral associate, M.I.T.), Jonathan Mostow (director, “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines”), Michael Ferris (writer, “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines”), John Brancato (writer, “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines”), Earle Bishop (project coordinator, M.P.S.) and Hideyoshi Izumi (test pilot interface designer, M.P.S.).
- ”Unstoppable Force: The Legacy of The Terminator“ (9 minutes, 38 seconds – HD) includes interviews with Jonathan Mostow (director, “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines”), John Landis (director, “An American Werewolf in London”), Michael Ferris (writer, “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines”), John Brancato (writer, “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines”), Stuart Gordon (director, “Robot Jox”), James Cameron (director/co-writer, “The Terminator”, “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”), and Edward Furlong (actor, “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”).
Overall, the bonus materials are all great. Still though, they are a tad bit short. They feel obviously dated, as they are 19 years old now. This is because they were released in 2005. It’s highly unlikely that director/writer James Cameron will sit down again. None of the original cast & crew members are expected to return either. We should just be happy that we get the bonus material for this film that we do. The extras (including the deleted scenes) total up to around 45 minutes.
Bonus Materials Rating: 3 (out of 5)
click to view a 4K Screenshot
Closing Thoughts
“The Terminator” is certainly one of the most memorable science fiction films. It was also one of the top action films of the eighties. James Cameron would go on to direct many more films. Notably, he directed this film’s sequel “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991). Everyone in this film gives an excellent performance, namely Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, and Michael Biehn. The critics really loved this film back in 1984 and still do to this day. In fact, it carries an incredible 100% rating (at time of writing) and is deemed “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes.
The movie reportedly had a budget of 6.4 million dollars and ended up making a return gross of 78 million dollars worldwide. That’s proof that it was a true success. It continues to make sales daily on home video and now this is especially true with this new 4K release. “The Terminator” as a film has stood up to the test of time and is now celebrating its 40th anniversary.
In terms of video quality, this delivers you a new impressive 4K video presentation. It also comes with an incredible amount of newfound detail. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) has certainly caused some folks to be upset. The use of AI has also brought with it occasional mistakes. Yet the presentation still manages to be good enough to overlook the few flaws. This is by far the best that the film has ever looked on home video.
In terms of audio quality, this introduces a new Dolby Atmos mix. It certainly is the definition of “demo material.” It also includes the original lossless Mono theatrical mix. I opted only for the Atmos, but I’m glad from a purist perspective that the original theatrical mix was included. The new Atmos mix is something that you’ll be glad to have. If you don’t have a sound system capable of it, it will decode as Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (as well as 5.1). So, there’s a basic surround sound mix there for the older home theaters.
The bonus materials here are rather short (at 45 minutes) but prove to be very informative and entertaining. You only get a digital copy that is compatible with Fandango at Home (formerly known as VUDU). The reason for that has to do with licensing (for MGM). That’s why you don’t get a digital copy on any of the other services.
“The Terminator” on 4K UHD Blu-ray is extremely impressive. It is one of the most remarkable James Cameron films released on the physical media format to date. The 4K presentation is surprisingly impressive. It uses an old scan and AI technology. You need to overlook that to truly enjoy it. The new Dolby Atmos sound mix is downright excellent and the extras are enough to please the fans. That being said, this release comes as Highly Recommended.
In terms of 4K UHD Blu-ray release, this gets:
4.75 (out of 5) for video quality
5 (out of 5) for audio quality
3 (out of 5) for bonus materials
Overall Verdict:
Highly Recommended
Available As:
2024 4K UHD Blu-ray Release
Available at: Amazon | GRUV | Walmart
2024 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook
Available at: Amazon | GRUV | Walmart
Commissions Earned
4K UHD Blu-ray Screenshots:
Blu-ray VS. 4K Screenshots Comparison:
SOURCES: 2013 Blu-ray (left), 2024 4K UHD Blu-ray (right)
4K UHD Blu-ray Technical Specifications:
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Exact Runtime(s): 1:47:22
Audio Format(s): English Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 core), English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (with a DTS 2.0 Mono core), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (with a DTS 5.1 core)
Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Czech
Subtitles: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
Disc Size: BD-100
Disc Use: 84.18GB total / 68.1GB for the film
Video Bitrate: 67.2 Mb/s
