Editing The Terminator (section)

===Contemporary===
Contemporary critical responses to ''The Terminator'' were mixed.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Terminator (1984) |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/57224 |website=American Film Institute |access-date=December 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126132000/https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/57224 |archive-date=November 26, 2020 |quote=The Terminator opened 26 Oct 1984 in 1,012 theaters nationwide. While critical notices were mixed, audiences responded enthusiastically [...].}}</ref> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' praised the film, calling it a "blazing, cinematic comic book, full of virtuoso moviemaking, terrific momentum, solid performances and a compelling story&nbsp;... Schwarzenegger is perfectly cast in a machine-like portrayal that requires only a few lines of dialog."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117795542.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&query=the+terminator&display=the+terminator |title=The Terminator Review |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date=September 19, 2010 |date=December 31, 1983 |archive-date=August 29, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100829021737/http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117795542.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&query=the+terminator&display=the+terminator |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Richard Corliss]] of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine said that the film had "plenty of tech-noir savvy to keep infidels and action fans satisfied."<ref>{{cite magazine |date=November 26, 1984 |page=105 |last=Corliss |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Corliss |title=Time review|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> ''Time'' placed ''The Terminator'' on its "10 Best" list for 1984.{{sfn|Keegan|2009|p=53}}

The ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' called the film "a crackling thriller full of all sorts of gory treats&nbsp;... loaded with fuel-injected chase scenes, clever special effects and a sly humor."{{sfn|Keegan|2009|p=53}} The ''[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|Milwaukee Journal]]'' gave the film three stars, calling it "the most chilling science fiction thriller since ''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]''".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=SHQjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vX4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7126,5520761&dq=the+terminator&hl=en |work=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|Milwaukee Journal]] |last=Armstrong |first=Douglas D. |access-date=September 19, 2010 |date=October 26, 1984 |title=Schwarzenegger shows acting muscle in thriller |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305190619/https://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=SHQjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vX4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7126,5520761&dq=the+terminator&hl=en |url-status=live }}</ref> A review in ''Orange Coast'' magazine stated that "the distinguishing virtue of ''The Terminator'' is its relentless tension. Right from the start it's all action and violence with no time taken to set up the story&nbsp;... It's like a streamlined [[Dirty Harry (film series)|''Dirty Harry'' movie]]&nbsp;– no exposition at all; just guns, guns and more guns."<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EBYEAAAAMBAJ&q=The+Terminator |journal=[[Orange Coast Magazine]] |publisher=Emmis Communications |volume=10 |issue=11 |date=November 1984 |title=Brian DePalma's Sleaze Factor |last=Weinberg |first=Marc |page=141 |access-date=September 20, 2010 |archive-date=November 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114044531/https://books.google.com/books?id=EBYEAAAAMBAJ&dq=The+Terminator&hl=en |url-status=live }}</ref> In the May 1985 issue of ''[[Cinefantastique]]'' it was referred to as a film that "manages to be both derivative and original at the same time&nbsp;... not since ''[[Mad Max 2|The Road Warrior]]'' has the genre exhibited so much exuberant carnage" and "an example of science fiction/horror at its best&nbsp;... Cameron's no-nonsense approach will make him a sought-after commodity".{{sfn|French|1996|p=62}} In the United Kingdom the ''[[Monthly Film Bulletin]]'' praised the film's script, special effects, design and Schwarzenegger's performance.{{sfn|French|1996|p=62}}{{sfn|French|1996|p=63}} [[Colin Greenland]] reviewed ''The Terminator'' for ''[[Imagine (game magazine)|Imagine]]'' magazine, and stated that it was "a gripping sf horror movie". He continued, "Linda Hamilton is admirable as the woman in peril who discovers her own strength to survive, and Arnold Schwarzenegger is eerily wonderful as the unstoppable cyborg."<ref name="Imagine25">{{cite journal | last = Greenland|first = Colin |author-link=Colin Greenland| title =Fantasy Media | type = review | journal = [[Imagine (AD&D magazine)|Imagine]] | issue = 25| pages =47 | publisher = TSR Hobbies (UK), Ltd. |date=April 1985| issn = }}</ref>

Other reviews criticized the film's violence and story-telling quality. [[Janet Maslin]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' opined that the film was a "[[B movie|B-movie]] with flair. Much of it&nbsp;... has suspense and personality, and only the obligatory mayhem becomes dull. There is far too much of the latter, in the form of car chases, messy shootouts and Mr. Schwarzenegger's slamming brutally into anything that gets in his way."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9D05E4D91539F935A15753C1A962948260 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 26, 1984 |last=Maslin |first=Janet |access-date=September 19, 2010 |title=The Terminator (1984) The Screen:'Terminator,' suspense tale |archive-date=November 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114044456/https://www.nytimes.com/1984/10/26/movies/the-screen-terminator-suspense-tale.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The ''[[Pittsburgh Press]]'' wrote a negative review, calling the film "just another of the films drenched in artsy ugliness like ''[[Streets of Fire]]'' and ''[[Blade Runner]]''".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0hshAAAAIBAJ&pg=4537,5748946&dq=the+terminator&hl=en |title=Beefcake Violence begets 'Terminator' |work=[[Pittsburgh Press]] |date=October 26, 1984 |access-date=September 19, 2010 |last=Blank |first=Ed |archive-date=September 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908065934/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0hshAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FWEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4537,5748946&dq=the+terminator&hl=en |url-status=live }}</ref> The ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' gave the film two stars, adding that "at times it's horrifyingly violent and suspenseful at others it giggles at itself. This schizoid style actually helps, providing a little humor just when the sci-fi plot turns too sluggish or the dialogue too hokey."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6tsQAAAAIBAJ&pg=6827,9222896&dq=the+terminator&hl=en |title=The Terminator Just a Bit Schizoid |work=[[The Chicago Tribune]] |date=Oct 30, 1984 |access-date=September 19, 2010 |last=Smith |first=Sid |archive-date=September 7, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907221059/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6tsQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vIwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6827,9222896&dq=the+terminator&hl=en |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Advance Publications|Newhouse News Service]] called the film a "lurid, violent, pretentious piece of claptrap".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I_QRAAAAIBAJ&pg=5666,6039509 |title='Conan muscleman takes on new role in 'Terminator' |work=[[Spokane Chronicle]] |date=Oct 26, 1984 |access-date=November 7, 2010 |last=Freeman |first=Richard |archive-date=October 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031002747/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I_QRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Bu8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5666%2C6039509 |url-status=live }}</ref> Scottish author [[Gilbert Adair]] called the film "repellent to the last degree", charging it with "insidious [[Gleichschaltung|Nazification]]" and having an "appeal rooted in an unholy compound of [[fascism]], fashion and fascination".<ref>{{cite book |last=Andrews |first=Nigel |title=True Myths: The Life and Times of Arnold Schwarzenegger |publisher=Bloomsbury |location=London |year=1995 |page=137 |isbn=0-7475-2450-5 }}</ref>

Audience polls by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an {{nowrap|A+ to F}} scale.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cinemascore.com/find_a_movie.epl?id=Terminator|title=''The Terminator'' — CinemaScore|access-date=March 8, 2025|work=[[CinemaScore]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020330075015/http://www.cinemascore.com/find_a_movie.epl?id=Terminator|archive-date=March 30, 2002|url-status=dead}}</ref>