Today, I continue my series on movies that have made significant statements about the Information Age or Cyberspace.  I believe that their central themes are worthy of serious thought by Information Technology leaders. I, also, think that their portrayal of these issues to the public is important to understand and appreciate.  In many ways, perception is reality.

Today’s subject is the 1984 sci-fi thriller The Terminator. staring Arnold Schwarzenegger.  The Internet Movie Database describes its plot as:

“A cyborg is sent from the future on a deadly mission. He has to kill Sarah Connor, a young woman whose life will have a great significance in years to come. Sarah has only one protector – Kyle Reese – also sent from the future. The Terminator uses his exceptional intelligence and strength to find Sarah, but is there any way to stop the seemingly indestructible cyborg?” 

Wikipedia offers far more details.

Who does not love The Terminator? This movie is one of the key Information Age shaping movies if ever there was one.  It is geeky to the core and stands up, plot-wise, with the best science fiction movies of all time.  It features themes of information assurance, artificial intelligence, robotics, time travel, and technological responsibility.  It even has views of the world from inside the robot complete with machine code running by in real time!  What is not to like?

It is also a cautionary tale appropriate to all involved with the ever faster pace of technology advance.  With the absolute best of intentions, the US Air Force causes the rise of sentient robots that’s first order of business is the eradication of the human race.  Wow!

the-terminator 
It is impossible not to see this scenario as relevant in today’s tech news.  Hardly a day goes by without a news story about robotics advance, processor power increases, and how machines can now do something faster, better than humans.  One of the most popular movie franchises right now is “Transformers”.  Unmanned Aerial Military vehicles with supposed weapons populate the evening news.  Robots dance on YouTube every day.  Nobody is at all is concerned with Asimov’s Laws of Robotics. I think that we have every need to watch this movie over and over again… and deeply consider its lessons.

By the way, it still has some of the spookiest tech action scenes ever put into a motion picture! Watch it just to see the police station destruction scene!  Go see it again, today!

Do you like this coverage of thought provoking information age related movies?  Which movies do you suggest?  What do you think the first great computer movie was?

That is my Information Technology Thought of the Day (ITTOD) for July 30, 2009 ©Scott Coughlin .

Image Credits: aeropause.com