Cameron (Terminator, Titanic) is an eccentric genius, with a fixation on detail and obsessive consistency that makes Lucas and Spielberg look like a couple of Troma interns. The "hard" special effects, executed by some of the best in the business on carte blanche budgets, are what make the current digital state of the art look fake. The acting is on target and the story is dark, cerebral, inventive, and as utterly believable as it is fantastic. A standard is set here which has never been matched since - this movie makes the Matrix look like a bad Barney episode. I must warn you, seriously, that once you see this, you will be ruined for other science fiction forever.