Terminator Salvation - Second Opinion

Terminator Salvation: Fun..thumbs up for fun but… Spoiler Alert!

Are you saving me? Yourself? McG? Because you’re certainly not saving me, especially not any surprises.

Spoilers!
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The story is a convoluted one to say the least. Present day: Marcus Wright is facing the death penalty. He is approached by Dr. Serena Kogan, the mother of Cyberdyne as it were. He signs over his body and is put to the death. Now, it’s 2018 and John Conner is old. At least he looks old. His girl is young, red-headed hotness, Bryce Dallas Howard so, you can effectively toss out Terminator 3’s story-line right now. It was crap anyway… although Claire Danes was really dreamy. The war with the machines is in full swing, with the humans having discovered the ultimate fatality in a signal that will shut down Skynet once and for all. With the appearance of Marcus in this future (gee, I wonder how that’s possible), he stumbles his way into meeting Kyle Reese who gets captured by Skynet shortly after. Blair brings Marcus to John, where they learn he is a terminator, and all hell breaks lose. John learns of Kyle’s capture and, with Marcus’s help, they attempt to save him from Skynet. When they arrive, they learn the oh-so not so surprising secret that Marcus was part of a plan to trap John Connor all along with the new Terminator fresh off the line…the infamous T-800. Marcus gets it together and saves Kyle & John, successfully bringing down one of the major arms of Skynet.

I caught the midnight showing and have to admit it was a lot of fun. It’s been way overdue for another Terminator flick. With friends nearby, the film was a gas. Finally we got to see some of the war we only heard of in poems and song. I think the excitement of finally getting out of the past and seeing the war John had to fight carried me through this film on a goose-down pillow, held up by cherubs, while being spoon fed cherry-sized cheeseburgers by Bryce Dallas Howard as she clears the path of T-600’s with her gatling gun, wearing nothing but a pair of angel wings and a spare belt.

I dreamed a dream.

When you look at this film more closely, what you find is a film littered with potentially interesting characters, cheated from depth in a rush to get to the action. Marcus’s interesting backstory… ignored. Kate Connor? Who is she? Common has a brother… and? The only person we really understand is John and that’s because it’s been spoon fed to us for three movies… wait, we’re not counting three are we?

Anton Yelchin. My Gods, this kid rocks. He rocked Charlie Bartlett, owned in Star Trek, and portrays Kyle Reese perfectly. Bravo.

Couple of questions…

• Question 1. Why does the computer program that’s speaking to Marcus, (monologuing, mind you, about its nefarious scheme) act surprised that he’s going to help John. Didn’t you program him to do that?! McG for the loss.
• Question 2. Does Kyle need to have a ‘little buddy’ for cute factor? Really? Horrible use of a kid…AND HE’S MUTE! A dog would have worked better! Muted child for the loss.
• Question 3. Why did McG constantly give Christian Bale the direction to “Act like your solving Pi, smelling bad gas, and starving for a Royale with cheese. Go.” I’d rip the lead gaffer a new hole too every time he stopped a scene too. Get me out here and get me to Mc D’s! Poor acting coaching for the…you get the picture.




The major strength of this film is the action is good, very good. Think Star Trek without all the lens flares. It pulls you along, fast and furious.

I’d say check this out at the Grenada while you can, worth seeing on the big screen.






Also check out Gabe’s Review!

Tags: Bryce Dallas Howard, Christian Bale, McG, Terminator: Salvation