Ever since its arrival on the big screen in 1984, the Terminator trilogy has inspired pop culture in ways that were unexpected at the time. From its iconic one-liners to its dazzling special effects, the Terminator films took risks that few others were willing to take. With James Cameron’s influence, the films have remained pop-cultural touchstones that have stood the test of time. As such, it can be difficult to choose just one Terminator film as the best one, but the list requires that I rank them from worst to best. Without further ado, here are the Terminator trilogy movies ranked from worst to best!
3. Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
It can be downright challenging trying to outdo the previous installments in a franchise and this third film is no exception. Although it sports the return of Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor, that’s not enough to save this long-belated sequel to the second film. After a young woman in Mexico named Dani (Natalie Reyes) is pursued by the latest Terminator, she must team up with future renegade Grace (Mackenzie Davis) and Sarah Connor herself to save humanity from destruction once more. After meeting an aging Terminator played by the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger, the four must embark on the race against time.
Though it lacks the charm of the first two films, Dark Fate is still good fun. The action sequences are exhilarating and there are numerous funny quips that provide much-needed levity. It’s not a classic, but it’s hardly a regrettable two hours either.
2. Terminator (1984)
The original in a series has the monumental task of establishing the groundwork for later installments. It’s safe to say that Terminator succeeds at this with flying colors. After college student Sarah Connor is hunted down by a robot from the future known as a Terminator, she’s joined by her future son Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) to defeat the rogue robot and rescue humanity from itself. Can the mismatched duo save the day?
Terminator is a delightful, visually stunning startup for the trilogy. It uses its effects to enhance the story, rather than overtake it, and there is a wonderful air of suspense that permeates the film. Overall, it’s a bona fide classic.
1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Without question, Judgement Day is the best film in the franchise. After another Terminator (Robert Patrick) arrives from the future to kill Sarah Connor’s son John (Edward Furlong), another Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) must protect the boy as they track down his mother, so that they can save the day. Along the way, the trio grows to understand one another and work together as a team to defeat the nefarious Skynet, which is the company that threatens humanity. Can the ragtag trio defeat the company and the even more advanced Terminator?
It’s very easy to see why Judgement Day stands strong as a sequel. The visual effects that gave the original film their aesthetic charm have been taken to the next level and the result is eye-popping. The character development is even more stellar and the action sequences are downright insane. It is the benchmark of the series and will go down in history as one of the all-time best films.