Reviews of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

He's Back!

Posted : 3 weeks, 4 days ago on 13 November 2009 01:12 (A review of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines)

''I'm back.''

John Connor is now in his 20's, and a female terminator, called T-X or Terminatrix, is after him. Another T-101 is sent back through time to protect John once again on the verge of the rise of the machines.

Arnold Schwarzenegger: Terminator

The first two films in this franchise really set the franchise in immortal stone, the first a low budget cult classic, and the second an overblown but ultimately superb blockbuster action movie. But T-3 is a flawed project. First and foremost there was no James Cameron, meaning Jonathan Mostow got the job instead.

The Terminator is completely straight-edged and T-2 for all the one liners is serious when it needs to be. T-3 is however a different story. From the moment the TX's chest expands it feels silly, at times a little gratuitous. What I liked about the original and it's sequel was how cold and efficient the Terminators were when it came to the killing. In T-3 the deaths are over the top and pointlessly visceral. Why would the TX choose to carve a victim to death rather than just shoot or stab them? Surely that would save valuable time and attract less attention? For me the TX is a real shame in this picture. A female Terminator could have been poignantly chilling, potentially more terrifying than Arnie or Robert Patrick combines. But for some reason it just doesn't work, she's just not cunning, or relentless enough. The T-1000 remains far more intimidating in my book. My other concern is with John Connor. Okay so Ed Furlong was a little annoying in T-2 but at least he had had heart, a spark and initiative. I could perceive him as a leader because he had some BALLS. Nick Stahl just doesn't have any of that. John Connor is too pathetic, too resigned to things to be the hero he'll turn into. I understand maybe Mostow felt he needed to explore Connor a little, but it doesn't work.

''You are terminated.''

It's not all bad though, in fact far from it. T-3 has much to revive itself. As you'd expect the special effects are exceptional, and the action fast paced and easy to watch. The chase scenes are not as good as in T-2 but hey, it's hard to climb Everest twice. In particular Claire Danes is great as Caroline Brewster. Her resourcefulness and spirit despite not having a clue what's going on are hugely refreshing when placed aside Nick Stahl's Connor. And of course who can forget Arnie? The big man delivers enough solid display as a character it's hard not to like. Arnie also delivers one of the best lines in the series so far, ''Desire is irrelevant. I am a machine.''
My favourite part of the movie though, is the end. No i'm not being sarcastic. The ending scene at Crystal Peak is inspired, a wonderful ending to the film. Wheras The Terminator and T-2 needed positive endings, T-3 needed the opposite. The notion that John Connor and Caroline Brewster were only meant to survive, not change the course of history is a far better concept than having them stop Skynet again. Obviously it's leading into a sequel, and it's a fine way to do it. The ending to me is the only time the whole film really captures the spirit of the original, in which survival was the only thing that mattered.

T-3 is a worthy film, but it's not a great film like it's predecessors, and as such will always suffer unfavorable comparisons. Viewed objectively at times, it's very entertaining, but it doesn't do the serious stuff as well as The Terminator or the action sequences as well as T-2.

''Maybe the future has been written. I don't know; all I know is what the Terminator taught me; never stop fighting. And I never will. The battle has just begun.''

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Impressive...

Posted : 1 year, 7 months ago on 22 April 2008 08:02 (A review of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines)

"You are terminated."

Terminator 3 found itself gathering a plethora of haters - even before the movie was first released.

Many disliked the concept of a Terminator film without James Cameron - the mastermind behind the first two movies. Of course Jonathan Mostow is no-where near as good as James Cameron, but he's not as bad as some might be expecting.

In this third instalment of the Terminator series we find John Connor (Stahl) who is now in his early 20s. Due to the threat of Judgment Day and the thought of being hunted by another terminator, John now lives off the grid. No home address, not staying in one city for very long, and always on the move.

Because John cannot be located, the machines in the future send a female terminator - called a Terminatrix (Loken) - back in time to eliminate some of John's fellow comrades who are in a position of power in the future war. But as usual, the humans also send a cyborg back in time in the form of Schwarzenegger.

Because this is a modern Terminator film, one cannot still expect old school effects to appear. Instead of the usual puppets and animatronics, the filmmakers have turned to heavy CGI. Sure there are some old school effects present, but there is an obvious overuse of CGI that killed the unique original atmosphere of the first two movies.

Schwarzenegger, as always, is the definitive Terminator figure. Even at age 60, the man can still look like a machine. At least he was a little more brutal than the corny, more humane cyborg that Cameron decided to use in the second movie.

Nick Stahl was a complete surprise for me. Ed Furlong made an impressive John Connor in the second movie, but Stahl pulls of the role extremely well in my opinion.

Claire Danes, playing a new character, wasn't too bad. She was a decent character, but far too much stereotyped girl antics for my liking (i.e. constant screaming, refusing to listen, etc).

The screenplay is quite decently written, and there are a number of good one-liners. Granted some corny dialogue remains, but nothing's perfect I guess.

Terminator 3 updated the style to suit a 21st Century audience, and it's still a Terminator movie, but the film is the weakest yet and can't match up to Cameron's superb efforts. Followed by yet another sequel.

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Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines review

Posted : 2 years, 3 months ago on 8 September 2007 07:03 (A review of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines)

The problem I have with Terminator 3 is that the story was ended so perfectly in Terminator 2. It would have been wonderful if they'd stopped there. If you look at the benefits modern technology can bring the franchise, all you have is improved special effects. Sadly, the actors who make the Terminator franchise what it is are either ageing or lacking in this film.

The way they just wrote out Sarah Connor for this film was very disappointing. Nick Stahl portrayed a completely unconvincing John Connor and his relationship with Claire Danes' character was just a completely cliched, hollywood coupling of two fairly attractive young people. There was no fire or real passion there at all.

Something you remember about The Treminator series is the resolute indestructable nature of the terminators. I don't think the Terminatrix took nearly enough damage to be considered a fearsome threat to Connor/humanity. I also think the way they finished her off lacked imagination too. I would have liked to see the ultrapowered electromagnet deliver the finishing blow. At least that would've been a bit more entertaining.

I'm not one who craves a happy ending, but the final scenes did leave a bitter taste in my mouth. And it was far too obvious that they'd line up another Terminator sequel. Here's hoping that they cancel it somehow before this excellent franchise goes the way of the Alien one.

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