The Terminator (1984)

Strip out the time travel and this is a slasher movie with a better haircut. That’s a compliment, by the way. James Cameron made it on a reported $6.4 million budget and you can tell in spots: some late effects shots look like claymation, the synth score sounds like a car alarm with ambition, and Kyle Reese has to explain the entire future to Sarah in the middle of a car chase. But Arnold Schwarzenegger barely talks and barely blinks, and it’s terrifying, a machine strolling through a police station like it’s running errands. Linda Hamilton starts as a waitress whose biggest problem is a bad shift and ends up as somebody you’d follow anywhere. Michael Biehn sells the panic of a guy who has already seen what’s coming. 107 minutes, no fat on it. It made $78.4 million worldwide. An 8.7 because it’s lean, nasty fun and scarier than any of the sequels. $29.37 says you hesitate for a second the next time a stranger asks for your name.

What works: Arnold’s blank, relentless killer, Linda Hamilton’s arc from waitress to fighter, and a lean story with no wasted scenes.

What doesn’t: Some of the late effects shots look like claymation, the synth score is dated, and Kyle explains the future in one big info dump.

Who it’s for: Fans of tight, scrappy thrillers, and anyone who thinks the sequels got too shiny.