The Ultimate Terminator Thread

[dgoswald]

I thought I'd create a central thread to discuss all things Terminator related. Whilst not wishing to get bogged down in timelines and alternate realities (although that's entirely up to the individual), I just wanted a thread where the great aspects of the world and characters originally created by Cameron - and expanded upon by others that have followed - could be celebrated and discussed.

I'll get this out the way first:

The Terminator > Terminator 2 > Terminator 3 > Terminator Salvation.

[The Fallen Deity]

A great idea for a thread.

Btw you forgot to mention Terminator Genisys or was that intentional?

Also my ranking of the films in order of my favourite to least favourite:

1. The Terminator
2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
3. Terminator Genisys
4. Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines
5. Terminator Salvation

[L.J.]

Cool thread as a kid have always liked any thing with robots in it. Terminator then and now was always a favorite. My rank of them is.
T1
T2
T4
T5
T3

There was an animated film that came out the time of Salvation it was alright.

[dgoswald]

Originally Posted by The Fallen Deity

Btw you forgot to mention Terminator Genisys or was that intentional?

I'm not going to be negative and bash that film beyond reason. Yep, I don't like it at all, but I understand others don't share that opinion, and I respect that wholeheartedly. In terms of rankings, it would be in last place.

---

For those who have an encyclopaediac knowledge of the Terminator mythos, is it true Cameron took "inspiration" for his creation from a sci-fi story written by another author, hence the small note at the beginning of The Terminator (I've only got the remastered Blu-ray, so I'm not sure whether it's present on earlier editions or formats)?

[imsounoriginal]

Nice thread. Funnily enough, I happened to be at the local library the other day and founda VHS of "The Terminator Collection" (just the first two movies) for 50 cents. Bought it for A) nostalgia and B) never owned them on VHS anyway

Ranking is easy: T2 (theatrical) > The Terminator > ... > Genisys > Rise of the Machines > Salvation

(Never seen Sarah Connor Chronicles but I've heard good things.)

[dgoswald]

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

Nice thread. Funnily enough, I happened to be at the local library the other day and founda VHS of "The Terminator Collection" (just the first two movies) for 50 cents. Bought it for A) nostalgia and B) never owned them on VHS anyway

Ha, I still have that knocking around somewhere. It's near unwatchable due to wear and tear, considering how many times I must've seen both films from the age of 9 onwards until the DVD was released in 2001.

[sandman slim]

Originally Posted by dgoswald

For those who have an encyclopaediac knowledge of the Terminator mythos, is it true Cameron took "inspiration" for his creation from a sci-fi story written by another author, hence the small note at the beginning of The Terminator (I've only got the remastered Blu-ray, so I'm not sure whether it's present on earlier editions or formats)?

In short, Harlan Ellison wrote two similarly themed Outer Limits episodes, "Soldier" and "Demon with a Glass Hand". Ellison threatened Orion Pictures with a lawsuit, Cameron wanted to fight it, they said no and settled out of court. Ellison probably made more off of that lawsuit than his entire writing career...

[dgoswald]

Any possible ideas for a third Cameron Terminator film that would've adhered to his writing, themes, and overall style?

I think a final Terminator film from Cameron should've focused on Kyle and the Future Wars. I haven't quite fleshed out the details, but the final scene would've been Kyle stepping into the Time Displacement machine (after having gone through hell to get there), with a voiceover from Kyle stating, "The future is not set." Fade to black. It would've been a nice lead-in to Terminator 1.

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

Ranking is easy: T2 (theatrical) > The Terminator > ... > Genisys > Rise of the Machines > Salvation.

Do you not think much of the EE additions?

[imsounoriginal]

Originally Posted by dgoswald

Do you not think much of the EE additions?

I think T2 in any of its three versions is the best of the series. It's a rare movie whose additions are almost all good, in that they expand on the theatrical cut while not slowing down the movie too much. But at the end of the day, it's an action movie, and I just prefer the pacing of the theatrical cut, so that's my preferred version. Haven't seen either of the extended cuts in a while.

[Walts Ghost]

Terminator 2: Judgement Day
The Terminator


Terminator: Genisys


Terminator 3




Terminator Salvation

I love this series, but the quality is so all over the place. Sad we probably won't get another one, but the first two are game changers for cinema, and two of my all time favorite films.

[Astro Zombie]

Terminator 2 is my still favorite, but man the more I watch the first one the more I'm inclined to call it my favorite. It's super great.

[tigertron]

T2
TSCC
T1
T3

Salvation

Not seen Genisys.

My favourite Terminator? Cameron followed by Uncle Bob.

[Scottie]

2 > 1 > 5 > 3 > 4

[dallywhitty]

My ranking is pretty much in chronological order with the exception of Salvation, which is rubbish and I think Genisys bettered it. The original film has this gritty 80s vibe which I love. It operates as a horror film as much as it does a sci-fi action flick.

[Ultra_Violence]

I only rate the real Terminator films.

1. The Terminator
2. T2

[Geoff D]

The Terminator is head and shoulders above the rest. Dark, nihilistic sci-fi action at its finest.

T2 is a fabulously well made remake of the first, it's cracking entertainment but falls short of the greatness of the original.

T3 I don't mind at all, some of the action is amazing and I love the ending but the rest of it feels like a TV movie, it must be the cheapest looking $200 million dollar movie ever made.

Salvation I can tolerate because at least it's not constantly chasing the magic T2 formula (which hasn't resulted in the same sort of box office bonanza since, funny that), but by setting up a future which isn't yet the one we know - which ultimately didn't get the chance to become the one we know - it's all a bit pointless.

Genisys starts off well, I love the 1984 stuff but as soon as it becomes Generic 21st Century Action Movie™ I tune out.

I'd put my personal order as T1, T2, T3, Genisys, Salvation.

[Freezeup]

T2 for me, to this day, is still one of the greatest movies.

1. Terminator 2: Judgement Day
2. The Terminator
3. Sarah Connor Chronicles
4. Terminator Genisys (I enjoyed it for what it was, so it was worth a rank)






5. The "others". Not even worth a rank to me.

[dgoswald]

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

I think T2 in any of its three versions is the best of the series. It's a rare movie whose additions are almost all good, in that they expand on the theatrical cut while not slowing down the movie too much. But at the end of the day, it's an action movie, and I just prefer the pacing of the theatrical cut, so that's my preferred version. Haven't seen either of the extended cuts in a while.

Fair play. Pacing issues aside, I just wanted as much of the world of T2 as I could muster, so those additional scenes in the EE were more than welcome. But from the perspective of a professional or someone with a discerning eye for such things - which I'm not - I could appreciate how the theatrical cut is preferable.

Originally Posted by Astro Zombie

Terminator 2 is my still favorite, but man the more I watch the first one the more I'm inclined to call it my favorite. It's super great.

I know exactly where you're coming from. T2 was always the "go-to" Terminator film ever since I saw it as a kid. But in the past couple of years, I've found myself gravitating towards T1 whenever I need my Terminator fix. It's an 80's film, but it's not dated or of its time in an incredibly obvious way, if that makes sense. Michael Biehn makes T1 for me; he's absolutely fantastic as Kyle Rees.

[Tony208]

T1
t2
tscc
tg
t3
ts

[Mandalorian]

The first one became my favorite last year during my rewatch marathon leading up to Genysis in theaters. That 80's synth and neon style, coupled with the horror/thriller tone just hit all the right beats for me. T2 is still top shelf though. No slight to either of Cameron's 'bigger than the last one' sequels, but Alien and The Terminator are in the same school for me.