TheTerminatorfranchise has been a pop culture staple since 1984, and for good reason. But it’s worth noting that not allTerminatorfilms are created equal. Looking at the numbers, it’s safe to say thatJames Cameronknows how to make aTerminatormovie, because he wasn’t involved in films after the perfectThe Terminator,and near-perfectTerminator 2: Judgment Day. But when he came back to executive produceTerminator: Dark Fate, we saw a bump in critical reception that almost made us forget aboutGenisys, andSalvation.
With the recent news that James Cameron is actuallywriting a newTerminatorMovie, we thought it would be a great idea to talk about the franchise as a whole, and consider their critical ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. In our minds, the James CameronTerminatorfilms are superior, and thankfully, we have the numbers to back it up.
7Terminator Genisys (2015) - 26%
2015’sTerminator Genisysserves as a reboot to the originalTerminator, and is set back in 1984, where the original film took place, but in an alternate timeline. We’re reintroduced to Kyle Reese, and his efforts to go back to prevent Sarah Connor from being killed by a T-800/Model 101 Terminator, but on this timeline we find out that Sarah has been raised by a reprogrammed model of the same name.
Sarah, Kyle, and the T-800 (also known as “the guardian,” or “pops”), join forces in their efforts to keep Skynet being created, and eradicating humanity. In their journey, they travel from 1984 to 1997, the year that Skynet becomes self-aware. But since the timeline is altered, they have to travel through time once again, to the year 2017, when the global operating system, “Genisys” is about to be unveiled to the public.
Critics overwhelmingly agree thatGenisysis sloppy in its execution, and lacks any of the charm that made the first twoTerminatorfilms so special. The action scenes were considered to be uninspired, and the plot was considered to be convoluted and unnecessary, which is why it ranks last with a 26% critical score.
Related:22 Best Action Movies of All Time, Ranked
6Terminator Salvation (2009) - 33%
ThoughTerminator Salvationwas not without ambition, to say that it fell flat on the critical front would be an understatement. Not only was this the firstTerminatorfilm tonot feature Arnold Schwarzeneggerin any way, but it tried to serve as both a direct sequel toRise of the Machineswhile also being a soft reboot of the franchise as a whole. The story is mostly set in 2018, and centers around John Connor (Christian Bale), and Marcus Wright, a death row inmate who offered his body to science in 2003, and is part cyborg.
Over the course of four days, John Connor has to commence the Human Resistance against Skynet before they kill off himself, and Kyle Reese, who was introduced to us in the firstTerminatorfilm.
Despite Christian Bale’s impressive filmography, and some pretty stunning action sequences, the prevailing sentiment among critics is thatSalvationtapped into the lore of the precedingTerminator Films, but lacked the dramatic element that made the franchise so special. James Cameron once stated thatSalvationmade it clear that he would likely never return to the franchise, stating “the soup’s already been pissed in by other filmmakers,” and that the franchise ran its course at this point in time. As harsh as this criticism may seem, it’s all but justified when you considerSalvation’s33% critical score.
5Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) - 69%
2003’sTerminator 3: Rise of the Machinesmarks the firstTerminatorFilmthat James Cameron wasn’t involved with in any capacity. But it’s worth noting thatRise of the Machinesis a direct sequel toJudgment Day, despite the fact that it is a Jonathan Mostow directed film.This third installment is set 10 years after John and Sarah Connor destroy Cyberdyne Systems, the company responsible for Skynet’s uprising. John Connor is living as a nomad, and Skynet sends an even more advanced robot (T-X) back in time to locate and kill him.
But in their infinite wisdom, the Human Resistance sends back yet another reprogrammed Terminator (the T-850) to protect John and his future wife, Kate. If this method of storytelling sounds like it’s getting a little stale, you’re not alone in thinking this. The general critical consensus is thatRise of the Machinesis that although it’s a welcome addition to theTerminatorfranchise, it fails to live up to its predecessors with its critical score of 69%.
4Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) - 70%
Though James Cameron stated in the past that he’d never return to the franchise, he does in a somewhat significant capacity with 2019’sDark Fate. Though he didn’t have any hand in writing or directingDark Fate, he did function as executive producer, and we can’t help but notice the correlation between his participation in the franchise andDark Fatereceiving a critical score that’s among the top threeTerminatorfilms with a 70%.
Dark Fatediffers from the rest of the films in the sense that itignores the canon that was establishedwithRise of the Machines,Salvation,andGenisys. In other words, even thoughRise of the Machineswas canonically a sequel toJudgment Day,Dark Fateignores these storylines and also serves as a sequel on a different timeline.
Set in 1998, three years after Sarah and John Connor destroyed Cyberdyne Systems, they are faced with a new threat in the form of Legion, an alternate form of AI that’s comparable to Skynet. We’re met with Arnold Schwarzenegger once again taking on the iconic role of the T-800, who is tasked with protecting Sarah from another advanced robot from the future, the Rev-9.
While many considerDark Fateto be a return to form for the franchise, it’s still rated significantly lower thanThe Terminator,andJudgment Day. But despite its shortcomings, it pays proper lip service to the first twoTerminator Filmsas both a satisfying conclusion, or a possible launching point for a reboot.
Related:The 10 Best Action Summer Blockbuster Movies of All Time
3Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008 - 2009) - 85%
The Sarah Connor Chroniclesis the one outlier on this list because it’s not a movie, but rather a short-lived series. But despite its short run, critics agree that it pays proper lip service to the franchise, while exploring new territory at the same time. Set primarily in 2007,The Sarah Connor Chroniclescenters around Sarah, John, and Cameron (not James Cameron), a reprogrammed robot sent from the future to protect John.
After expressing the frustration of having to always live his life on the run, Sarah and John decide to take a more offensive approach against Skynet rather than a defensive one. But despite their efforts to take down Skynet, they’re met with difficulty in the form of more Terminators being sent back from the future to support Skynet on their present-day timeline.
Though the series never got picked up for a third season, it’s evident thatThe Sarah Connor Chronicleswas well-received by audiences and critics alike, with a Rotten Tomatoes critical score of 85%.
2Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) - 91%
Terminator 2: Judgment Dayis a direct sequel toThe Terminator,and is also an amazing feat of cinematography. Following the logical timeline, it’s evident that some time has passed, as John Connor was born, and is now a pre-teen. We learn through the storytelling that his mother has been institutionalized after the events that took place inThe Terminator, but it quickly becomes apparent to John that his mother didn’t actually suffer delusions of a robot uprising, but was actually right.
James Cameron expertly flipped the script on this one when it’s revealed that even though the T-800 resembles the evil robot from the first film, it has actuallybeen reprogrammed by the Human Resistanceto protect John, and not harm him. But matters get complicated because Skynet also sent back the T-1000, a much more advanced robot made out of liquid metal, to kill John. ThoughJudgment Daydidn’t quite satisfy critics in the same way its predecessor did, it received universal acclaim in the form of a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
1The Terminator (1984) - 100%
The Terminatoris considered by many to be the best action movie ever made, and almost 40 years later it still holds up on every front. Not only is this the film that started us all, but without the success of theTerminator, and James Cameron’s world-building, we wouldn’t have a franchise in the first place. Ironically enough,The Terminatorboasts the simplest plot, but has the most effective storytelling.
Set in 1984,The Terminatorfocuses on Sarah Connor, the mother-to-be of John Connor, who is the leader of the Human Resistance movement against Skynet, an army intelligence defense network that has become sentient and is hellbent on eradicating humanity. In their efforts to stop the resistance, Skynet sends a Terminator back in time to kill her, and prevent her son John from being born. At the same time, the Human Resistance sends a human named Kyle Reese back in time, and he’s tasked with protecting Sarah Connor from the Terminator.
The Terminatorshowed us all that a simple narrative, expert storytelling,perfectly placed one-liners, and stunning action sequences are what put this franchise on the map.The Terminatoralso holds the highly-coveted 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which not only makes it the bestTerminatorfilm, but just one of the greatest action movies, period.
