X
- 1984
- R
- Orion Pictures
- 1 h 47 m
- 1984
- R
- Orion Pictures
- 1 h 47 m
Summary A cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is sent from the 21st century to present-day Los Angeles to assassinate a seemingly innocent women whose child will play an important part in the world from which the killer came. [MGM]
Directed By: James Cameron
Written By: James Cameron, Gale Anne Hurd, William Wisher
- 1984
- R
- Orion Pictures
- 1 h 47 m
- 1984
- R
- Orion Pictures
- 1 h 47 m
The Terminator
8.6
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Summary A cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is sent from the 21st century to present-day Los Angeles to assassinate a seemingly innocent women whose child will play an important part in the world from which the killer came. [MGM]
Directed By: James Cameron
Written By: James Cameron, Gale Anne Hurd, William Wisher
Where to Watch
Coming Soon
Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 21 Critic Reviews
84
95% Positive
20 Reviews
20 Reviews
5% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 21 Critic Reviews
84
95% Positive
20 Reviews
20 Reviews
5% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
From the slam-bang direction to the relentless pace to the not-a-word-wasted dialogue and even the driving synth score, everything else about The Terminator just works.
A blazing, cinematic comic book, full of virtuoso moviemaking, terrific momentum, solid performances and a compelling story.
By Staff (Not Credited) FULL REVIEW
User Score
Universal Acclaim Based on 1,100 User Ratings
8.6
94% Positive
1030 Ratings
1030 Ratings
5% Mixed
57 Ratings
57 Ratings
1% Negative
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
User Score
Universal Acclaim Based on 1,100 User Ratings
8.6
94% Positive
1030 Ratings
1030 Ratings
5% Mixed
57 Ratings
57 Ratings
1% Negative
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
Sep 11, 2025
Greetings from Lithuania.
"Terminator" (1984) is a true classic, and one of the most important movies ever created. By "important" I mean that it started lots of things, which later became very common in cinema itself. There isn't anything new that I could write about this picture that wasn't said hundred times before. Everything in this movie works and clicks on all cylinders. Made only for couple of bucks (in terms of today's sci-fi / action films budget, even considering B movies) it stuck in people memories forever. How did maestro J. Cameron achieve that? Here are the main reasons in my opinion. Original and high concept story. Excellent acting. Performances were so good here by all involved that they sold this material. Great writing. Amazing action scenes. Terrific pacing - at running time 1 h 45 min this film is a example of how to make a perfect pacing. And of course all off production values despite not big budget were done to perfection. The idea and concept and vision was always the driving force behind this movie, which is now safe to call masterpiece. James Cameron proofed his genius with his first film (first film I mean "Terminator", not with flying fishes).Overall, as you have probably watched this movie many times, there is nothing new to say. It's a true classic in every meaning of this word. Even now, decades after its release, this mid budget movie from 80's is still managing to attract audiences. If you could check some torrent sites, you would always see this film as one of the most downloadable despite whenever you check it, no matter what season is - it's always among the most popular. The newly remastered 4K UHD version on disk in 2024 was nearly perfect and gave this movie a new life - it looks and sound astonishingly great despite the age. It's simply just for one reason – a true movie entertainment is timeless and ageless.
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Dec 21, 2024
equally a masterpiece as its sequel. one of the greatest movies of all time and i wish current films were like this tbh
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The havoc makes for a genuine steel metal trap of a movie that may very well be the best picture of its kind since The Road Warrior.
By Kirk Ellis FULL REVIEW
An amazingly effective picture that becomes doubly impressive when one considers its small budget.
By Staff (Not Credited) FULL REVIEW
An efficient, cold-blooded sci-fi splatter movie that never makes the mistake of forgetting that on some level it is deeply ridiculous.
Oct 30, 2024
Well, ladies and gentlemen, here it is. The one you all been waiting for, The Terminator, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by James Cameron. And get this: my old friend Jacob Dimmock, he is a fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger and I think everybody's a huge fan of him. This is the first film I've ever looked that has an 100% rating from critics from Rotten Tomatoes and one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's best films. You can't really go wrong. It's just unbelievable. OK, I'm going to tell you the details. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays an evil cyborg aka The Terminator sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 (the film is been released in the year 1984) to kill Sarah Connor played by Linda Hamilton before she gets pregnant to the boy who will one day become a savior against machines in a post-apocalyptic future. So he walks naked and comes across the three punks. One was played by the memorable Bill Paxton and two of them I don't know. One of them said ''Nice night for a walk.'' and ''Nothing clean, right?'' and The Terminator starts copying what he is saying and he says ''Your clothes. Give them me, now.'' and the punk leader says ''Fxxx you, axxxxxe!'' so the Terminator starts beating the punks and kills one of them by punching through his chest, pulls his fist out full of blood and holding his heart and one of them takes his clothes off and makes him wear them. I didn't know he punches through his heart at first because all I can see is a pool of blood but I think my brother had a reaction from that scene what The Terminator had just did. Then we see Michael Biehn as Kyle Reese as an soldier from the future (one possible future) sent back in time to protect Sarah Connor and the first chase scene is gripping it's dark. There's a scene where Sarah goes to the nightclub where the 80s party songs are on is a scene where she's been tracked down by The Terminator and Kyle Reese but Reese protects her from The Terminator before he kills her. I love the pacing and directing for this scene, it's unbelievably brilliant. Now the second chase scene where Kyle drives away from the cyborg Terminator and explains to Sarah that The Terminator can't be bargained with and can't be reasoned with and doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear and absolutely will not stop ever, until she is dead. Now the scene The Terminator is cleaning himself by cutting through his wrist and wipes his face and eyes but pulls his eye out and use a cloth to clean through his eye patch and as you can see Arnold looks so different when he get the cloth out of his eye and you can clearly see that his eye is an robotic cyborg skeleton. OK, there is a shootout scene after Arnold famously says his memorable favourite quote of all time that many people has impressed and blown away by is ''I'll be back.'' I bet he says that at every single movie he does. And there's a scene where the person says ''Hey, you got a dead cat in here or what?'' and The Terminator chooses the possible response choosing Yes/No or What?, Go away, Please come back later, F**k you, **** and F**k you. He chose by saying ''F**k you, ****.'' I even chuckled at that scene. And that it, that's the end of it. I didn't tell about The Terminator killing the wrong Sarah Connor or the ending cause I think you and the audience in the world have already know that movie by heart. Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn't talk much in this film because The Terminator is so quiet and keeps in character while filming. That's why his character is so great in this film. Linda Hamilton is great in this so is Michael Biehn and all the actors and actresses who did their fantastic portrayal in this movie. Well, guys, I guess you've all know this movie by heart and James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd did their fantastic job making this film. Even the special effects at the end looks sort of Stop-Motion-ish. I don't know, it looks like it's from the older films like Sinbad and King Kong and all the other dinosaur films. Jeez. Anyways, The Terminator is one of my favourite films of all time along with the others like Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Highlander, Goldeneye, Bird On A Wire and many more. So I guess this is it then. 10/10. Favorite of all time. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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Jun 29, 2024
I guess Memory tricked me on this one. I watched it for the first Time since 10 Years or something like that, and i am sorry to say it is not as great as i remembered it . For me personally the middle Part is a little too slow and boring but the action towards the end is still fun. I Know it is a classic but i am a little bit disappointed. I recently watched the second one and it is still an awesome Movie. Unfortanetly this one is not, it is just "ok".
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Dec 1, 2021
Not as good as I remembered it being when I was a kid. I wish I could watch it again with those eyes
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Production Company
- Hemdale
- Pacific Western Productions
- Euro Film Funding
- Cinema '84
Release Date Oct 26, 1984
Duration 1 h 47 m
Rating R
Tagline La sua missione e una sola: distruggere, uccidere... (His one and only mission: to destroy, to kill...) (Italian DVD)
Awards
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 3 Wins & 7 Nominations
Online Film & Television Association
• 2 Wins & 2 Nominations
Video Software Dealers Association
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
