If you’re a diehard fan of the Terminator franchise and you’ve watched every single one (hopefully not back-to-back), you’ll have a relatively strong opinion on how they should be ranked. You might be so passionate about it that you’ve voiced your opinion on Reddit and potentially debated endlessly into the night with fellow diehard Terminator fans. At the risk of this article becoming a hot take, we’ve decided to throw our two cents into the ring and rank the Terminator movies based on how we think each installment holds up against the rest. Let us know if you agree!

1. The Terminator (1984)

When James Cameron directed the first Terminator in 1984, the sci-fi industry suddenly had a new standard to live up to. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays the T-800, a cyborg assassin sent back in time. Linda Hamilton also does a top-notch job of playing Sarah Connor, whose character arc from naïve young woman to survivalist is bar none.

Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) is the human soldier sent to keep her safe. The plot involves Skynet’s attempt to warp the timeline, and Cameron executes it well. While you might laugh at the special effects as someone who probably wasn’t even born in 1984, they were state-of-the-art and awed audiences. If we’re playing devil’s advocate, some critics have said that the character development isn’t as good as the action.

2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

You still might not have been born when Terminator 2 came out, but its legacy as the best action movie of its era has long outlived its time at the box office. Arnold is back as the T-800; this time, his mission is to protect John Connor (Edward Furlong). We’ve also got a new character introduced here, the T-1000, a cyborg played by Robert Patrick that levels up the terror factor.

Linda Hamilton reprises her role as Sarah Connor, and James Cameron proves he’s the master of special effects. The plot adds even more layers to the Terminator lore, but some fans didn’t like how the movie seemed less sci-fi and more action.

3. Terminator Salvation (2009)

Okay, you might have been born in time to see the fourth installment of Terminator, which offered a different perspective on the Terminator universe. Christian Bale plays John Connor, now the human resistance leader against Skynet. Sam Worthington plays Marcus Wright, who is torn between his past as a human and his present as a cyborg.

The film is darker than its predecessors, focusing on the war against the machines. While the plot is interesting, the pace is lacking, and there’s not as much character development as in other films. The special effects are insane but don’t compensate for the movie’s other shortcomings.

4. Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

Terminator: Dark Fate is considered a reboot, as it tries to take things back to the beginning with a bit of nostalgia for the origin of the series. Linda Hamilton comes back as Sarah Connor, and Arnold is the T-800 again. Mackenzie Davis is Grace, and Natalia Reyes is Dani.

This time, Cameron isn’t in the director’s chair; Tim Miller is and does a pretty good job of creating thrilling action sequences alongside state-of-the-art special effects. The plot is a little tired and repetitive, and the new characters introduced don’t resonate with the audience as much as the OG pack did. It’s a relatively decent sequel but not as original as the previous movies.

5. Terminator Genisys (2015)

erminator Genisys is simultaneously a reboot and a sequel, an apparent attempt to reinvigorate the franchise. Jason Clarke plays John Connor, and Emilia Clarke plays Sarah Connor. Jai Courtney is introduced as Kyle Reese. The plot convolutes the original timeline, which can confuse the audience.

Arnold is, of course, the T-800, and while there is an attempt to capture the audience’s hearts with the action sequences and special effects, ultimately, it lacks the depth of previous films.

6. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

The third Terminator movie, Rise of the Machines, is taking on last place. Nick Stahl is John Connor in this installment, and Claire Danes (randomly) is Kate Brewster. Arnold is, of course, the T-800 and faces off against the new T-X (Kristanna Loken).

The movie retains its strong special effects roots and memorable action sequences. However, the plot is weak and lacks originality. We also don’t feel as much emotional connection with the characters as we did with the two previous films. While it’s a reasonable choice if you’re looking for a good action movie, it falls short of the high standards the previous film set.

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