I selected T2 because that is the big Hollywood version of the series but I could have easily said T1/T2. Neither movie really appeals to me anymore. The endo is as dated as Dracula or Frankenstein from the 30's were when Terminator first appeared. In its time, T1 was the perfect modern monster... but it is no longer modern. It is a monster of a time past.
You need to take this all back
I still believe the first Alien movie has so much atmosphere that it still holds up even in 2021. And the creature design is still one of the best, most original designs ever... despite being locked into the traditional man-in-suit problems (at least the xenomorph concept explained this with justification).
ALIEN is just one of those perfect films.
The basic concept of the Endo -- killer robot -- obviously still holds up, but to me Cameron's style and his low-brow preference has waned. He's never had innovative camera techniques as one of his tools so his films get dated faster. His 'blue nights' gets tiresome. I still consider him a master filmmaker, but like many great composers, over time he seems to have run out of tricks and many of his movies feel the same, look the same, and have the same band of blue-collar grunt humor.
I think T1 feel the least like a Cameron film.. It lacks the Blue Nights look you mention.. Which I am glad you did.. I always refer to it as Cameron Blue
.. I hate it.. But T1 has very little of that even though most of the film takes place at night.
The lack of a big budget and more of a horror film in style helps it not feel like a Cameron film also.
Personally other then T1 and ALIENS.. I am not really a Cameron fan.
On another note, I'd say Lethal Weapon is one of those movies that is also showing its age. It feels like a bad TV show now. Clothing, hair, film style, everything was of its time... and that was indeed a long time ago.
Because the film always was as much a comedy then anything else I am a bit more forgiving. I personally don't mind the clothing and hair style because its just the time it was made.. It amounts to a period picture for me.
Its film making style is a bit of an issue. Richard Donner always makes good films but lacks a ton of originality with the camera.
But its still a good well made movie..
Its an 80's action film for sure.. But I recently showed it to my kids and they both enjoyed it.
Lethal Weapon 2 is a film I think is a good example of a film that has aged a bit worse with its comic book guys.
Something like Predator the year before hides its age with an exotic jungle, has a really terrific score that elevates the movie well beyond its level, and has some story innovation -- its half Hero vs Monster, and half who will die of the crew -- a great mix of both Alien and Terminator in a glorious locale. Its an A-level "Commando". It could be a Cameron movie but fortunately it isn't dragged down by Cameron's need for schmaltz. Predator is the perfect B movie. Like Die Hard.[
Predator is slightly derailed by the battle scene in the middle.. Only part of the film not directed by JM... And it shows.
Anyways most of that we are discussing are IMO, still well made movies, I guess I look at this list as being more about films like Commando that we once thought were great but there is no denying how bad they have become.
Rambo: First Blood Part 2.
Thought it was the greatest thing ever for a long time.
Its pretty awful. The first "Show the gun firing, show the guy falling, rinse and repeat" film of the 80's Commando might have perfected that
That battle I mentioned in Predator does that same crap.