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The Terminator Details

1985 DVD Certificate 15.gif
  • Rated:
  • 80
  • from 56,498 members

James Cameron's THE TERMINATOR is one of the tightest, tensest sci-fi films ever made and a landmark in the genre. In the year 2029, battles rage between the superintelligent machines that rule the world and the last vestiges of humanity. In late-20th-century Los Angeles, Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) suddenly finds herself .. Read more

Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Paul Winfield, Michael Biehn
Director James Cameron
Genres Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Thriller

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The Terminator

James Cameron's THE TERMINATOR is one of the tightest, tensest sci-fi films ever made and a landmark in the genre. In the year 2029, battles rage between the superintelligent machines that rule the world and the last vestiges of humanity. In late-20th-century Los Angeles, Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) suddenly finds herself stalked by an unstoppable killing machine--a Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) sent from the future to kill her and her unconceived son, John Connor, the future leader of the human resistance. Sarah can rely only on Reese (Michael Biehn), a soldier sent from the future to protect her from the seemingly indestructible Terminator and save humanity. This low-budget masterpiece was the breakthrough film for director Cameron, who weds special effects, thrills, and understated romance to create one of the finest action films of the 1980s, which spawned many imitations but few equals. Science fiction author Harlan Ellison sued over the film's similarities to his own works, especially the OUTER LIMITS episode "Demon with a Glass Hand," and won acknowledgement in the film's credits. Schwarzenegger will forever be known as the relentless Terminator, a heartless killing machine who returns (in a kinder, gentler form) in 1991's TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY.

Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Paul Winfield, Michael Biehn
Director James Cameron
Studio MGM ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 1 hr 43 mins
Certificate DVD Certificate 15.gif
Collections 100 Eighties Greats
Genres Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Thriller
Language English
Hearing-impaired English
Subtitles Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish
Released DVD: 19 Mar 2001
Production year: 1985
Format DVD

The Terminator (1985)

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  • Critics' reviews (4) of The Terminator

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  • Starring Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana, the best-selling novel gets a Hollywood makeover... read more »

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    • Tom Charity, 
    • LOVEFiLM
  • Most helpful member's review of The Terminator

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  • 13 out of 15 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Great

    The phrase ?I?ll be back,? is engrained on the world ever since Arnie?s deadpan delivery to a policeman in The Terminator. Sales in black shades rocketed and we finally realised that there was a role for a large muscle-bound actor with limited ability in the English language, other than as Conan, The Barbarian.

    The Terminator was the first outing for director James Cameron, and he hit the movie world with a timeless classic. The Terminator is the story of a T-800 robot, sent from the future into the past, to eradicate the mother of the still unborn John Connor ? the man that would prove to be the undoing of the robots.

    Arnie plays the emotionless robot in a way that another actor simply could not. This was inspired casting and has really everything to do with Arnie?s current superstar status.

    Cameron uses suspense in this film well. Although it is an action movie, there is a strong love interest which is tackled sympathetically. Although some of the special effects show up compared to later movies in The Terminator franchise, this movie carries you along out of sheer originality.

    If you enjoyed Terminator, you may also like to hire [Terminator II ? Judgement Day], and [Conan, The Barbarian].

      • A customer from Wirral, England
  • Most recent members' review of The Terminator

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  • 2 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Classic

    So eighties it's frightening (esepcially the hair!) but nontheless a solid sci-fi actioner from James (Aliens) Cameron, featuring Michael (Aliens) Biehn as a fighter sent back in time from a bleak future to protect Sarah Connor, the future mother of a future freedom fighter, who is being pursued by Arnie's relentless Terminator.

    A simple but effective plot, this packs in action, horror and romance. Well worth watching. But you have been warned about the hair.

      • ThursdayNext from Warwickshire
  • News and features

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    The Terminator

    Whedon offers £5,000 for Terminator franchise

    • 03 Nov 2009

    Buffy The Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon has offered £6,250 to take over the Terminator film franchise. The TV mogul has posted an open letter on fansite Whedonesque.com asking film bosses to seriously consider his offer amid reports the franchise is being auctioned off. He tells EW.com, "I love The Terminator... I was thinking to myself, 'Not since they auctioned off frames from The Little Mermaid have I wished I had more money this much. So you know what, never hurts to ask.' "I... Read more

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Rating breakdown

56,498 Member ratings
  • 100
9,747
  • 90
8,204
  • 80
14,382
  • 70
9,825
  • 60
6,902
  • 50
3,625
  • 40
1,568
  • 30
1,019
  • 20
804
  • 10
422

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    • The Terminator
      James Cameron's THE TERMINATOR is one of the tightest, tensest sci-fi films ever made and a landmark in the genre. In the year 2029, battles rage between the superintelligent machines that rule the world and the last vestiges of humanity. In late-20th-century Los Angeles, Sarah Connor (Linda ...