The Terminator (1984): cast, story & where to watch
1984 · Film · ★ 7.6
Released in 1984, The Terminator is an action, thriller and science fiction film directed by James Cameron, running about 108 minutes. “Your future is in its hands.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. 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?
Who’s in it. The Terminator stars Michael Biehn as Kyle Reese, Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator, Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor and Paul Winfield as Lieutenant Ed Traxler, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.6/10, The Terminator has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $78.4M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on HBO Max Amazon Channel, MGM+ Amazon Channel, YouTube TV and HBO Max and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Terminator page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Terminator tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Terminator (1984)?
- In US, The Terminator is available to stream on HBO Max Amazon Channel, MGM+ Amazon Channel and YouTube TV, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Terminator worth watching?
- The Terminator holds an audience score of 7.6 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy action, thriller and science fiction. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The Terminator?
- The Terminator stars Michael Biehn, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Paul Winfield and Lance Henriksen.
- When was The Terminator released?
- The Terminator was released in 1984, with a runtime of about 108 minutes.