All 6 Terminator Movies Ranked From Worst to Best!

Hasta la vista, baby.

Since I'm stuck at home watching every new movie get delayed by a few weeks, I have had a lot of spare time. Therefore, I have decided to finish watching all the film series I never finished and begin ranking them for your entertainment.

Today, I will be ranking the Terminator films. I have avoided finishing this series due to its messy structure, but I'm not getting any younger. So let's begin ranking these Terminator movies from the worst to the best.

6. Terminator: Genisys (2015) — 4/10 (C-)

In last place is the film I dreaded watching the most: Terminator: Genisys. After a promising first 20 minutes where we get a look at the war against the machines, and John Connor sends Kyle Reese back to 1984, the film devolves into a very confusing modern sci-fi action flick that becomes forgettable in the long run.

While there are some exciting action sequences such as the school bus scene and the helicopter scene, most of the film feels like a high-budget Terminator film with a fanfiction script. It retcons every movie in the series before it and has a muddled plot lacking in ingenuity or depth.

There are a ton of poor ideas in the film with the villains and what they do with Skynet and John Connor. Jai Courtney and Emilia Clarke give dry performances as Kyle Reese and Sarah Connor, Jason Clarke is miscast, and not even Arnold Schwarzenegger can save this misfire.

5. Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) — 6/10 (C+)

Some have said this is the best Terminator sequel since Judgment Day. But while I enjoyed seeing Sarah Connor on the big screen and I liked parts of this film, the film's opening scene makes a horrible decision that I hated.

After that, the film unintentionally renders the events of Judgment Day worthless. It recycles the classic Terminator plot of two people going back in time, one to kill and one to protect. However, it does it with new characters the audience does not grow to care about.

Furthermore, the path they take with Schwarzenegger's character is laughable. Once again, it is a forgettable sci-fi action flick that fails in its mediocrity and dull characters. And it sets up a sequel, which, of course, will not see the light of day.

4. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) — 7/10 (B-)

The direct sequel to T2 is Rise of the Machines, a movie with a miscast Nick Stahl as John Connor. It has an average script that uses most of the first two film's plot and fails to take it any new, better directions.

Schwarzenegger does a great job in his role, but the film's villain fails to be as threatening as Robert Patrick's T-1000. Kristanna Loken's T-X has a strange set of abilities, such as enlarging her breasts and making reception noises into a cell phone.

The action is over-the-top and exciting. There is a lot of excitement in the final act of the film as well. While most of the movie is bland entertainment, this is a movie that sticks the landing very well.

3. Terminator: Salvation (2009) — 7/10 (B-)

While this may be an unpopular opinion, this is my favorite sequel since T2. Christian Bale is my favorite incarnation of a grown-up John Connor, and he looks the part.

The film is also the first to do something unique with Terminator, showing us the war that we had only seen glimpses of in the first few films. The film has grim cinematography, but the action sequences are exciting, and it pays tribute to a lot of moments from the previous Terminator films.

Marcus Wright was a fascinating new character, and while not all of the characters are fleshed out, this is a movie I enjoyed watching. Furthermore, the final action sequence in the factory is very satisfying, and I enjoyed a lot of what the film had to offer.

2. The Terminator (1984) — 9/10 (A)

James Cameron's directorial debut (unless you count Piranha II: The Spawning) is a low-budget feature that spectacularly creates the world of Terminator. It's a well-crafted story with fantastic performances from Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

This film is the closest to a horror slasher film, with exhilarating sequences that manage to be scary and thrilling. Cameron told a vast story with a low budget, and it's filled with iconic moments and a lot of excitement.

With this film, Cameron landed on the map as a filmmaker, and his career has gone to great places ever since.

1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) — 10/10 (A+)

To nobody's surprise, my favorite Terminator film is Terminator 2: Judgment Day. This is the film that every other sequel has tried to match in quality, but none have come close.

As an action movie, it is perfect, with thrilling scenes with helicopters, trucks, and fights with terminators. As a sci-fi movie, it is a smart film, taking characters and ideas from the first movie and expanding on them. It deals with themes in both mature and entertaining ways.

Robert Patrick plays the T-1000 fantastically, and everyone involved with this film is on their A-game. It's a fantastic movie with a ton of amazing setpieces that I loved.

Thank you for reading!