The Terminator
October 26, 1984 in theaters
In the post-apocalyptic future, reigning tyrannical supercomputers teleport a cyborg assassin known as the "Terminator" back to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor, whose unborn son is destined to lead insurgents against 21st century mechanical hegemony. Meanwhile, the human-resistance movement dispatches a lone warrior to safeguard Sarah. Can he stop the virtually indestructible killing machine?
Cast
Director
TRAILER
QUOTE
"Come with me if you want to live."
DID YOU KNOW?
Arnold Schwarzenegger originally auditioned for the role of Kyle Reese before Cameron realized he was perfect as the Terminator.
THE VERDICT
Synthesized from published reviews
James Cameron's breakthrough film is a lean, relentless thriller built on a single terrifying premise -- a machine that cannot be reasoned with, bargained with, or stopped. Schwarzenegger's casting as the T-800 is one of cinema's great instinctive decisions, turning physical presence into pure menace. The film operates on a shoestring by later franchise standards and is more effective for it. A model of genre filmmaking that has never been equaled within its own series.
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