The Terminator

What’s it about?

A cyborg assassin is sent from the future to kill a young woman destined to give birth to a warrior that will prevent artificial intelligence from wiping out humankind.

The facts

• Directed by James Cameron (Titanic, Avatar)
• Stars Arnold Schwarzenegger (Predator) and Linda Hamilton (Children of the Corn)
• English and Spanish languages
• Runtime: 102 minutes

Why did it get this rating?

This film game was cross-rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body. You can find out more about cross-rating here.

Violence

The film contains action violence throughout. People are shot, beaten, severely injured and die from explosions.

Of the strongest moments of violence include:

• A man is killed by The Terminator after he is punched through the chest and his heart pulled out. The heart is not seen but blood is shown on The Terminator’s hand.
• People are incinerated by futuristic weapons, with no gore.
• The Terminator cuts open its arm and eye, revealing a robotic skeleton.

The Terminator’s appearance may scare some, especially younger viewers. He is scarier towards the end of the film when more of his metallic skeleton is exposed.

Sex scenes

In two different scenes, a man and woman have sex. Though the sex cannot be seen, her breasts are shown. We see some mild thrusting and sexual moaning, and a man grabs the woman’s breasts.

Offensive language

This film contains offensive language, with words like “f*ck,” “sh*t,” and “b*tch."

When content stays with you:

We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.  

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?
• Brain development – how it works, why it matters