The Terminator | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

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Where to Watch The Terminator What to Know Critics Reviews Audience Reviews My Rating Cast & Crew More Like This Related Movie News Photos The Terminator
100% Tomatometer 71 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings

Disguised as a human, a cyborg assassin known as a Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) travels from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). Sent to protect Sarah is Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), who divulges the coming of Skynet, an artificial intelligence system that will spark a nuclear holocaust. Sarah is targeted because Skynet knows that her unborn son will lead the fight against them. With the virtually unstoppable Terminator in hot pursuit, she and Kyle attempt to escape.

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The Terminator

The Terminator

What to Know

Critics Consensus

With its impressive action sequences, taut economic direction, and relentlessly fast pace, it's clear why The Terminator continues to be an influence on sci-fi and action flicks.

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Critics Reviews

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The Terminator | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Deborah Ross The Spectator It’s engrossing, suspenseful, has a personality all of its own and absolutely stands the test of time. Aug 29, 2024 Full Review The Terminator | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Michael Blowen Boston Globe Forget that the premise is silly and the acting second-rate because director James Cameron has the action formula down pat. Apr 27, 2018 Full Review The Terminator | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Paul Attanasio Washington Post "The Terminator" brings film violence into the realm of the surreal. Jan 4, 2018 Full Review The Terminator | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review While Cameron would make better, more ambitious, and certainly more successful projects in the decades to come, none would feel so foundational to Cameron’s auteurism as The Terminator Rated: 4/4 Mar 1, 2024 Full Review The Terminator | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Brian Bisesi Horror Movie Club Podcast Despite its simple plot and uninspired dialogue, The Terminator is an otherwise well-oiled machine propelled forward by the strength of James Cameron’s direction, Stan Winston’s special effects, and Schwarzenegger’s terrifying performance. Rated: 4/5 Feb 7, 2024 Full Review The Terminator | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Howard Waldstein CBR Perhaps no other villain of the 80s is as iconic as Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator. Jul 18, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Geoff F Always an incredible movie but even more so seeing it on the big screen for the first time. Loved it and will seek it out whenever it's at the theater! Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/13/24 Full Review Adam Everything about this movie is awesome (except the sex scene which should have been shorter) Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/14/24 Full Review Diego R They don’t make them like they used to anymore. The Terminator was one of the movies that changed the 80s that alone for science fiction but they don’t make them like they used to one…classic film and I’m glad finally got the experience this one as well as the second one a few month before 🤘 Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/14/24 Full Review jose ramirez Best Movie Ever 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/14/24 Full Review Masashi E It was still the best terminator and it took 40 years for me to watch on big screen!! Hope that they re-release many good old classic movies in 80s!! Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/14/24 Full Review Paul The Terminator is my favorite movie of all time. I saw it when it came out on VHS and I was around 10. I just had to say yes to the opportunity to see it with my son in the movie theater. He loved it! It's amazing how well produced this movie is and my son couldn't believe it was made in 1984. Such a great cross genre film - it is Science Fiction, Horror, Action, and a love story all in one. Unbelievably written and the acting is excellent. There has never been a more believable cyborg than Arnold, his movements and actions are just as a machine would behave. The forced perspective video and machine designs are outstanding and still hold up today. Brad Fiedel's mechanical soundtrack is still the best and has never been improved upon. I love this movie and could watch it again and again. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/14/24 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

James Cameron Director Arnold Schwarzenegger The Terminator Linda Hamilton Sarah Connor Michael Biehn Kyle Reese Paul Winfield Lieutenant Ed Traxler Lance Henriksen Detective Vukovich
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The Terminator

Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator in "The Terminator." (L-R) Michael Biehn as Kyle Reese and Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor in "The Terminator." Michael Biehn as Kyle Reese in "The Terminator." Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator in "The Terminator." Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor in "The Terminator." Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator in "The Terminator." A scene from the film "The Terminator." Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator in "The Terminator." A scene from the film "The Terminator." The Terminator (1984) View more photos

Synopsis Disguised as a human, a cyborg assassin known as a Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) travels from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). Sent to protect Sarah is Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), who divulges the coming of Skynet, an artificial intelligence system that will spark a nuclear holocaust. Sarah is targeted because Skynet knows that her unborn son will lead the fight against them. With the virtually unstoppable Terminator in hot pursuit, she and Kyle attempt to escape.

Director
James Cameron

Producer
Gale Anne Hurd

Screenwriter
James Cameron, Gale Anne Hurd

Distributor
MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Artisan Entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp.

Production Co
Pacific Western

Rating
R

Genre
Sci-Fi, Action, Mystery & Thriller

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 26, 1984, Original

Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 5, 2015

Runtime
1h 48m
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