Available now from MVD Rewind Collection
In a near apocalyptic future, 2037 looks quite different than what we expect now with technology that once looked futuristic, a group of people attempt to drive a storm truck called “Monstre” to the end of the line to cash in on a large money prize. Of course, plenty gets in their way.
Written by Pierre-William Glenn, Patrice Duvic, Alain Gillot, and Wallace Potts, and directed by Glenn, Terminus is a pre/post-apocalyptic sorta-kinda film. It’s a bit nuts, a lot of fun, and a boatload of nonsense. There is a ton in here, not all of which makes sense and not all of which feels necessary, but once one gets in and lets the ride take them, it’s just what the doctor ordered in this year of our almost-apocalyptic lord 2025. The film takes place in 2037, just 22 years from today, and it looks like maybe that should be a few decades later. Or maybe it’s exactly right. The film here is often compared to Mad Max which is doing it a disservice. This isn’t Mad Max, it isn’t anything else we already know and love, it’s its own thing that works quite well when one leaves part of their brains at the door. This is an entertaining film and one that is a lot of fun, so some of the writing issues which seem in the direction can easily be forgiven.
The cast here is led at first by Karen Allen, who speaks decent French, giving an entertaining and surprisingly nuanced performance. Soon, her spot in Monstre is taken over by a new character played by Johnny Halliday wearing the whitest of white hair and one hell of a Canadian Tuxedo. His performance here is a bit uneven, but the man was more a rock star than an actor, so considering this, what he brings to the character of Stump works decently well. For fans of Jürgen Prochnow, this is a must see as the man plays three roles, all differently and with a certain je-ne-sais-quoi. His work here is interesting and mostly on point for the three roles. The supporting cast here includes two kids who do quite well and a bunch of other people with few lines and little screen time, so their performances may be uneven but they don’t take away from the film.
The cinematography here is by Jean-Claude Vicquery looks a bit dated, but it works in a nostalgic way. This is the future, through a 1987 lens. The work here, well, works. The images are clear, well shot, give the viewers what they need for the story to advance, and show that even a good cinematography that is a bit dated can often look better than what lesser cinematographers do in modern films. The editing here, by Thierry Derocles, works with these images quite well and so does the score by David Cunningham. The special effects here are mostly practical with some CGI with the latter showing its age more than the former, a classic complaint about CGI in films older than 6 months.
Overall, Terminus is a fun film with entertaining action, good practical effects, cinematography that works for the story, and a cast that is interesting to watch. The film is one that has aged in obvious ways, but also one that can really work for the nostalgia crowd.
This new release by MVD Rewind Collection looks quite good on Blu-ray disc and sounds quite decent. The disc includes both the US cut in 1080p and the French extended cut which is the one that was watched here. The extras here are interesting with a few stacking up better than the others with the interview with Jürgen Prochnow, and the making-of that includes interviews with the director’s son and daughter as well as archival interviews with director Pierre-William Glenn. The box art here feels more on point than older artworks found for the film, which gives visual interest on the shelf as well.