Terminus (1987/I)

User Rating:

2.8/10   

Director:

Pierre-William Glenn

Writers:

Glenn Duvic (writer)
Patrice Duvic (writer)

Release Date:

28 January 1987 (France)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Plot:

In a sort of "Mad Max" futuristic adventure, an international sport has been established where a driver...

Cast

Johnny Hallyday	...	Stump
Karen Allen	...	Gus
Jürgen Prochnow	...	Sir / Doctor / Yellow Truck's Driver
Gabriel Damon	...	Mati
Julie Glenn	...	Princess
Dieter Schidor	...	Doctor's Assistent
János Kulka	...	Man with Dark Glasses
Dominique Valera	...	Major
Jean-Luc Montama	...	Mercenary #1
Ray Montama	...	Mercenary #2
Bruno Ciarrochi	...	Mercenary #3
David Jalil	...	Mercenary #4
André Nocquet	...	Limo Driver
Louise Vincent	...	Monster's Voice (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mathieu Carrière	...	Doctor / Le docteur (voice)
Howard Vernon	...	Monsieur (voice)

Runtime:

France:115 min | Germany:81 min

Country:

France | West Germany

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:K-12 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Hungary

Company:

CBL Films

a typical pessimistic sci/fi movie

Unlike Mad Max, we do not much about any apocalyptic event occurred before the time of the story which takes place in a near future. A strong government is ruling, rogue-military and police are keeping peace, borders are close and secured, and above all, no game is allowed. "Game leads to thinking, and thinking to rebellion". On the other side, an underground mad scientist called "Sir" (Jurgen Prochnow, excellent as usual)is trying to perform cloning experimentations and cybernetic enhancement of the human brain, by helping his own clone (called "Doctor") to create two children whose brain has been upgraded and own will annihilated. The boy "Mati" is the last product of the "Doctor". In order to test him, "Sir" has organized a forbidden game which consists of a truck race across forbidden areas and borders, to reach the "Terminus", i.e the hidden base of the "Doctor". In fact, "Sir"'s purpose is to create an army of young devoted and intelligent fellows in order to take power over the government. Leading the truck race, Mati has created a new era of a computer, "Monster", integrated to a truck driven by Gus, a female truck driver. Somehow, "Monster" experiments failures which do not appear to be purposeless.

Relationships between the two drivers and "Monster", Mati, an orphan girl met in a prison camp, are the heart of the story, and their hope and faith in freethinking, love and protection of the most defenseless ones, is considered to be the main danger for both the government and "Sir".

This movie is dealing with a chase, a race, manipulations and strange hope.

The cinematography is very unusual, the Grey/green/red colors remind the visual universe of sci/fi comics. You need to enter this very personal environment to be delighted in watching this movie.

I remember I was astonished as a teenager, seeing this movie in theaters, long ago.

Karen Allen, Johnny Halyday and Jurgen Prochnow, as well as "Monster" performed this unusual movie as if they were part of Glenn's universe and bad dreams.