The Terminator is a 1984 American science fiction action film directed by James Cameron, who co-wrote it with producer Gale Anne Hurd. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the titular character, a cybernetic assassin sent back in time from the post-apocalyptic 2029 to 1984 to assassinate Sarah Connor, whose future son will one day save the world from Skynet, a hostile artificial intelligence. Soldier Kyle Reese additionally travels back in time to protect Sarah.