Terminal Entry

Terminal Entry

Year: 1988

Runtime: 98 mins

Language: English

Director: John Kincade

Action

Over a weekend, a group of high‑school friends thinks they’ve cracked a secret satellite‑linked computer system and start a “game” that seems harmless. Unaware that the network is used by a sophisticated terrorist cell, their actions trigger attacks across the United States. An elite anti‑terror unit races to stop the chaos caused by the unwitting players.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Terminal Entry yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – Terminal Entry (1988)

Trace every key event in Terminal Entry (1988) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Opening chase and dream foreshadowing

The film opens with Lady Electric and Bob being chased through a corridor, ending with them plunging into an elevator. Bob snaps out of his daydream at the last second. He later learns that his friends have also 'lost' the game in the same deadly fashion, foreshadowing the real-world consequences of their hacking.

Caltech dorm
2

Terminal Entry password challenge

Back in the dorm, the Caltech students crave another game and discover Terminal Entry is password protected. Tom resolves to crack the password and run the game during a weekend trip to the mountains. They suspect the password scheme was set up by MIT members, fueling their determination.

Caltech dorm room
3

Brass briefings on a terrorist threat

Colonel Styles and Captain Jackson inform General Stewart of the terrorist situation via video conference and request additional personnel to bolster the border. The General, skeptical of a quick solution, decides to fly out to take command personally.

Video conference
4

Terrorist plan targets the General

The terrorist network commander watches a news interview of General Stewart and vows to strike him. The plan is nearly foiled when Captain Jackson escorts the general, interrupting the assassination attempt at the hotel.

Hotel
5

Gwen defeats Dr. Fly

Back at the dorm, Gwen, invited to the weekend retreat, defeats the computer game 'Dr. Fly' with a single command. Her win unsettles the group and shows that a nonchalant approach to games can still outsmart the system. The moment also signals the growing skill of the teenagers with technology.

Caltech dorm room
6

Terrorist leadership sets a timeframe

The terrorist commander, in a video conference with his leader, reminds them of the stakes and sets an initiation timeframe for their coordinated attack. They outline the targets and the urgency of their plan.

Terrorist command post
7

Army locates the terrorist network

The Army anti-terrorism unit makes progress by locating the terrorist network's bulletin board system through searches of known listings. To infiltrate, they pose as Hassan, the operative the team had killed earlier, sparking internal conflict for Dan Jackson over orders.

Desert communications facility
8

Weekend hush-hush: terminal access attempt

During the weekend getaway, the six teenagers fail to crack Terminal Entry through brute force. The mounting pressure and the looming threat push them to search for alternative ways in. Their persistence foreshadows a deeper connection between their play and real events.

Mountain retreat
9

Password revealed by a snack

Bob drops a Twinkie on the keyboard, accidentally typing the numbers 5.9.125.35 and 1/5.25.35, which match Lady Electric's clues from the beginning. Access is granted, and the group discovers a complex program they mistake for a game. The moment marks a turning point where their exploration begins to blur with real consequences.

Mountain retreat
10

Discovery of a powerful program

Inside the system, they find a powerful, complex program that appears to be a game. They interact with it, unaware of how their in-game actions will ripple into the real world. The line between virtual commands and real events begins to blur.

Mountain retreat
11

In-game commands trigger real-world terror

The Army locates the terrorist command post and initiates an assault, but the six students are pulled into the action. As they play the game, their in-game commands trigger real bombings, assassinations, and acts of terrorism, including an attack on a Russian peace delegate and damage to an oil refinery in Los Angeles.

Desert warehouse
12

Hit list and car troubles

Bob, unaware of the full impact, places the six on a hit list and Operator 23 is dispatched before countermeasures can stop them. Their car won’t start, forcing the group to retreat to the house to arm themselves. The situation escalates as the threat closes in on them.

Caltech dorm / house
13

Night siege and rescue

Night falls as a large group of terrorists descends on the house. The anti-terrorist unit is one step ahead and rescues the kids, then proceeds to eradicate the immediate terrorist threat. The group narrowly escapes with their lives intact.

Night Caltech dorm house
14

Bob completes the game, enters initials

Bob, guided by the voice of Lady Electric in his head, returns inside to put his initials into the computer as the winner. The win comes at a tense moment, reinforcing his emerging sense of agency within the chaos. The act also foreshadows the ongoing struggle beyond this victory.

House
15

Ending note: war is not over

Even with the terrorists defeated and the kids safe, Captain Jackson and Colonel Styles acknowledge that the war is not over. The closing scene suggests further threats loom on the horizon, leaving a sense of unresolved danger.

Desert command post

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:34

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Terminal Entry Summary

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Terminal Entry Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Terminal Entry

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Terminal Entry

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