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The Terminator poster

The Terminator

Movie 1984 108 min Action, Thriller, Science Fiction Last reviewed 23 Sep 2026
Official Rating M ClearAge 16+

Why our age differs

Official is M. We say 16+ because there is a sex scene with nudity and graphic cyborg injury, including a ripped-out heart. The sustained chase killings and strong swearing also sit hard for younger teens

What we flagged

View all categories
Violence
Strong
Sex and Nudity
Moderate
Frightening
Moderate
Language
Moderate

Our take

A cyborg assassin from the future hunts a young woman through 1980s Los Angeles while a resistance fighter tries to keep her alive. Frequent gunfights and killings, graphic cyborg injury detail, nightclub and chase dread, a sex scene with nudity, smoking and regular strong swearing run through it. Fine with a parent from 16. Younger teens who dislike bloody body damage or on-screen sex should wait.

Uplifting themes

Ordinary people fight for a future, and courage under fear matters A protector risks everything to keep someone safe

Story (may spoil tone)

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?

What we flagged

View all categories

Violence
Strong
Sex and Nudity
Moderate
Frightening
Moderate
Language
Moderate

Details

Violence Strong Frequent shootings, beatings and chase killings drive the whole film

Frequent shootings, beatings and chase killings drive the whole film

Language Moderate Strong swearing shows up often, including the f-word, s-word and g-word

Strong swearing shows up often, including the f-word, s-word and g-word

Sex / nudity Moderate A sex scene includes breast nudity, and time-travel arrivals are naked

A sex scene includes breast nudity, and time-travel arrivals are naked

Drugs / alcohol Mild Cigarette smoking and brief drinking show up in bar and street scenes

Cigarette smoking and brief drinking show up in bar and street scenes

Frightening Moderate An unstoppable assassin, nightclub panic and apocalyptic flashes keep d…

An unstoppable assassin, nightclub panic and apocalyptic flashes keep dread high

Gore / death / weapons Strong Bloody shootouts, a ripped-out heart and cyborg self-surgery showing me…

Bloody shootouts, a ripped-out heart and cyborg self-surgery showing metal under flesh

Dangerous behaviour Mild Gun shopping and street shooting that kids might copy in play

Gun shopping and street shooting that kids might copy in play

Flashing lights We do not have enough information about flashing lights for this versio…

We do not have enough information about flashing lights for this version to confidently confirm.

Talk after watching

  • What would you do if someone from the future said your life mattered that much?
  • When does fighting machines stop being survival and start feeling like endless violence?