Rent Terminator Salvation on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: John Brancato & Michael Ferris
Directed by: McG
Starring: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Moon Bloodgood, Helena Bonham Carter, Bryce Dallas Howard, Common, Michael Ironside
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
As the machines prepare for a final attack, John Connor and a mysterious stranger delve into the heart of Skynet and uncover a terrible secret involving the annihilation of mankind.
Verdict
This tries to do a little bit of everything with what's basically three main characters each on their own journey. The action scenes are impressive, but this never feels relentlessly bleak, as the franchise should, due to big set pieces and the movie frequently attempting to appear clever and cute with various machines that Skynet doesn't need. These new machines only exist to set up action sequences. While it's clear the creatives behind this movie love the franchise, it never felt innovative. There are several loose threads that will prompt you to start questioning various plot points. It's enjoyable as an action movie, but it can't compete with the first two Terminator movies.
It depends.
Review
I was so hyped for this movie when it released, boy was I disappointed! It's better than Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), but it's too polished to feel like a true addition to the franchise.
Death row inmate Marcus (Sam Worthington) agrees to sign his body over to scientific research before his death in 2003. Then we jump to 2018 and the plight of John Connor (Christian Bale). At least this movie isn't a fourth iteration of a terminator going back to stop the future. This one is set after the future apocalypse. Connor is a soldier but not the leader of the resistance. It's a pivot from the previous movie that indicated he would be the leader, but it does add tension. Some factions trust him, others don't.
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| Bryce Dallas Howard, Christian Bale play John, Kate Connor |
The resistance finds a code that will turn off all machines. That seems a bit too easy, like some kind of trap. Why none of the humans think so is ridiculous. They seem to believe the machines would make an enormous mistake with no second guessing. I do like the submarine command base that's in charge of the resistance.
This world isn't very bleak, but it's also earlier in the timeline. Past movies have changed events, though I'd rather a darker and starker world.
Fifteen years later and Marcus is back with no memory of what's happened. We know he was killed, so is he the basis of yet another terminator? He conveniently runs into Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin). That's quite the coincidence. If he is a Skynet ruse or Trojan horse, it might make sense that he's programmed to find Reese, but he stumbles upon him purely by accident. Reese is the first person Marcus finds once he gets to Los Angeles. They decide to join the resistance and Connor, which is convenient since Connor also needs to find Reese to protect the future. The machines know how important Reese is.
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| Sam Worthington plays Marcus Wright |
Marcus and Reese run into survivors on their way out of the city. While bartering, a giant fifty foot tall terminator that no one saw coming sneaks up on them. It was completely silent until it engaged, then it's rather noisy. What use would this machine be other than as a wrecking ball for for this one action scene? This movie has fun making unique machines for specific action sequences. This giant terminator dispatches little terminator motorcycles. It's all a bit too cute. Skynet should be utilitarian. It wouldn't need so many versions and variations.
I appreciate this isn't the same formula of go back to the past and rescue someone, but it's a busy movie with three different main characters; Reese, Connor, and Marcus. We get a very big clue about what Marcus is before the movie breaks that wide open, though there are still several questions. Marcus isn't a good guy, he was on death row, but why does he care about Reese other than it helps the plot? He's going to great lengths for him. Granted Reese helped him, but Marcus doesn't know him. Is it just programming? That seems like too easy of an excuse. It's a neat action movie, but it's careless with the franchise lore. It frequently tries to be cool or too cute. Where has Marcus been for fifteen years? Has he been waiting for a resistance encounter to activate? He's an infiltration unit that has a rather easy job. He didn't have to to any research or searching. He stumbled upon Reese and then right into Connor's camp.
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| Anton Yelchin plays Kyle Reese |
The big finale is Connor trying to save Reese with Marcus's help. For unemotional machines, why leave Reese alive? Is he just a lure? Even still, killing him should stop the resistance.
What this sequel misses is the relentless of the terminators and how hopeless opposing them seems. This movie is one big action set piece after another. It never feels depressing. With the lack of attention to detail, once you start picking at the plot, it's easy to find several loose threads. Skynet makes several fancy robots instead of simple killing machines. Part of the reason The Terminator (1984) was so simplistic and stripped down is that it didn't have much budget. It had to be creative and inventive. It's all the better for it, and I wish this movie has the same scrappiness to it.
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| Second opening Title Card |
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