One of the best sci-fi movies of all time is about to leave Prime Video

It doesn't get much more influential than this – one of the most era-defining sci-fi movies ever is about to leave the Amazon Prime Video streaming library.

The Terminator launched a franchise that survives to this day when it came out in 1984, and while it was greeted at the time as a shlocky flick, it's since been reappraised as one of the greatest action movies ever released. 

That renewed wave of enthusiasm sees the movie now sitting on a bonafide 100% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, something very few action movies from the 1980s can match. 

The movie is only around on Amazon Prime Video until 1 May, though, giving you a matter of hours rather than days in which to watch it. Good news, though – it's only 1h 47m long, so you should be able to make light work of it.

The Terminator stars Arnold Schwarzenegger in the titular role, an assassin sent back in time as an agent of the robotic forces that will come to dominate the world. His mission is to kill Sarah Conner, played by Linda Hamilton, because she'll eventually be a leader of the human resistance movement. 

It's a brilliant set-up, right from the top drawer where sci-fi is concerned, and the movie makes the most of it, with some unbelievably memorable moments – not least when Arnie first has to take clothes off a punk near where he arrives, stylishly nude and in the shape of his life. 

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The Terminator is also the first half of one of the greatest two-film sequences in any franchise – its sequel, Judgment Day, sits at 91% on Rotten Tomatoes to prove it.

So, if you're looking to understand a lot more about where the action sci-fi genre came from, this is a foundational movie to watch, and you've only got until 1 May to do so. 

That'll be a bit of a blow to Prime Video's hopes to compete as the best streaming service, but at least there are some stunning new movies and shows coming to its library throughout May to make up for this loss.