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Terminus: Collector's Edition – MVD Rewind Collection (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France/West Germany, 1987
Director: Pierre-William Glenn
Writers: Pierre-William Glenn, Patrice Duvic, Alain Gillot, Wallace Potts
Cast: Johnny Hallyday, Karen Allen, Jürgen Prochnow, Gabriel Damon, Julie Glenn, Dieter Schidor, János Kulka, Dominique Valera, Mathieu Carrière, Howard Vernon

Release Date: June 24th, 2025
Approximate Running Times: 115 Minutes 33 Seconds (Extended French Version), 83 Minutes 44 Seconds (U.S. Version)
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC, (Extended French Version), 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (U.S. Version)
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Stereo French (Extended French Version), LPCM Stereo English (U.S. Version)
Subtitles: English (Extended French Version), English SDH (U.S. Version)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $39.95

"In the year 2037, the future is in the hands of a genetically engineered boy: Mati (Gabriel Damon, RoboCop 2) a child genius with a brain programmed by a brilliant and evil doctor (Jürgen Prochnow, Dune... in three deliciously crazy roles). Mati is the master of a sadistic cross-country rally (with a 100 million dollar prize that no one has ever won), controlling "Monster", a gigantic A.I.-operated storm truck that rumbles across the continent, while being pursued by a squad of rebels determined to stop "Monster" before it reaches the "End of the Line"." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (Extended French Version), 3/5 (U.S. Version)

Terminus comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46.2 GB

Feature: 19.7 GB (Extended French Version), 16.6 GB (U.S. Version)

The French version’s source is superior to the U.S. version, which looks dated. French Version: Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression or digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.25/5 (LPCM Stereo French), 3.5/5 (LPCM Stereo English)

This release comes with two audio options, one for each version: a LPCM stereo mix in French with removable English subtitles and a LPCM stereo mix in English with removable English SDH. Both audio tracks sound clear and balanced. That said, the French language track sounds more robust.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background (stills/soundtrack art/poster/home video art), a theatrical trailer (1 minute 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Jürgen Prochnow (15 minutes 55 seconds, LPCM stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for French film clips), a documentary titled We All Descend—The Making of Terminus, featuring Vincent Glenn (son of director Pierre-William Glenn), actress Julie Glenn (daughter of Pierre-William Glenn) and archival interviews Pierre-William Glenn (49 minutes 29 seconds, LPCM stereo French with non-removable English subtitles), reversible cover art, a collectible mini-poster, and a slipcover (First Pressing Only).

Other extras are trailers for Swamp Thing, Nemesis, Tunnel Vision, One Tough Cop, and Knock Off.

Summary:

Pierre-William Glenn directed Terminus. He’s most known for his work as a cinematographer on films like Out 1, Day for Night, The Clockmaker, Serie Noire, Death Watch, Choice of Arms, and Clean Slate.

Set in the future, truck drivers compete in a cross-country trek through obstacles and dangerous territories, in which the winner gets a 100 million dollar prize.

Avoid the U.S. version; it omits 32 minutes, making it even more convoluted than the already challenging French version. While the opening moments provide most of the key details, many things are never fully fleshed out by the end. That said, it feels like the filmmakers main goal was to make a film about a treacherous race that no one had ever won or survived.

There is a subplot about a doctor who genetically engineered the child geniuses who designed the trucks AI, which assists the drivers. The doctor and one of the child geniuses watch from afar as the driver navigates across the country. There is not much in the way of backstory, especially when it comes to the genetically engineered child geniuses.

The cast has a few recognizable faces: Karen Allen (Raiders of the Lost Ark) in the role of Gus, one of the truck drivers; Johnny Hallyday (The Specialists) in the role of Stump, a driver who's being held prisoner by a warlord; and Jürgen Prochnow (Das Boot), who portrays three characters. Though no performance stands out, they all work well within the story that unfolds.

Terminus is a dialogue-heavy film that has few surprises, and its narrative never fully gains any momentum. That said, the French version flows better than the U.S. version. The special effects are serviceable; the truck's computer interface, a mouth that talks, is Cronenberg-like. Ultimately, Terminus is an overly ambitious Mad Max post-apocalyptic clone that is undermined by the sum of its parts.

The MVD Rewind Collection gives Terminus its best home media release to date.