The Terminator

Also known as Terminator

1984 film by James Cameron

AI overview

"The Terminator" is a 1984 science fiction film directed by James Cameron about a cyborg assassin sent back in time to kill a woman whose future son will lead a human resistance against machines. It became a landmark film that established many conventions of the action and science fiction genres and launched major franchises.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Film · TMDB

7.7

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?

Released: 1984-10-26108 minDir: James CameronAction, Thriller, Science FictionBudget: $6.4MBox office: $78.4MPart of: The Terminator Collection

▶ Watch trailerStream on: HBO Max Amazon Channel, MGM+ Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, HBO Max

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger as Terminator
Michael Biehn as Kyle Reese
Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor
Paul Winfield as Traxler
Lance Henriksen as Vukovich
Rick Rossovich as Matt

Themes

man vs machine
artificial intelligence (a.i.)
saving the world
laser gun
cyborg
killer robot
shotgun
rebel
dystopia
villain

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Ratings

IMDb

8.1/10

1,006,411 votes

Year: 1984
Runtime: 107 min
Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

via IMDb

Wikidata facts

Duration: 108
FilmAffinity ID: 304107
Official website: www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/theterminator

Show 6 more facts

Commons category: The Terminator
publication date: 1987-03-01
title: The Terminator
capital cost: 6400000
box office: 38371200
review score: 84/100

Sources (15)

via Wikidata · CC0

~40 min read

Article

The Terminator is a 1984 American science fiction action film directed by James Cameron, written by Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd, and produced by Hurd. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, a cybernetic assassin sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 to assassinate Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), whose not-yet-conceived son will one day save mankind from extinction by Skynet, a hostile artificial intelligence, in a post-apocalyptic future. Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) is a soldier sent back in time to protect Sarah.

Cameron devised the premise of the film from a fever dream he experienced during the release of his first film, Piranha II: The Spawning (1982), and developed the concept in collaboration with Wisher. He sold the rights to the project to fellow New World Pictures alumna Hurd on the condition that she would produce the film only if he were to direct it; Hurd eventually secured a distribution deal with Orion Pictures, while executive producers John Daly and Derek Gibson of Hemdale Film Corporation were instrumental in setting up the film's financing and production.