Login
Terminator Salvation takes place in 2018 where war between humans and machines is still raging, John Connor's place in the resistance movement is far from certain.
The film is gritty, action-packed and highly entertaining but it doesn't have the heart of the first Terminator and even T2: Judgement Day.
The landscape presented for this future is mind-blowing. Highways turned to deserts, barren cities with broken down buildings - totally a civilization turned to ruins. But at the same time there were some continuity problems - like how well-equipped the resistance are, or how a small band of survivors manage to have a pristine band-aid and but very little food.
The movie also walks a fine line between continuing a character's arc and ripping off iconic scenes. Yes, the famous lines are there but not all of them are successful.
The two characters with the most development are Marcus Wright and Kyle Reese. Sam Worthington as Marcus Wright is outstanding - he played his character's internal conflicts very well - and I found myself rooting for him more than John Connor.
Anton Yelchin's portrayal of Kyle Reese was also great. I could see how he could mature into the kind of man that Michael Biehn portrayed in the first Terminator.
Sadly, I didn't feel much for John Connor - yes he has the weight of the future on his shoulders and Bale plays that grim determination well but I wasn't emotionally invested in what happens to him. Which is a real pity.
The one character that should not have been there was Blair Williams, played by Moon Bloodgood. This woman just can't act. Every time she was screen I was rolling my eyes at whatever she was saying.
Terminator Salvation is a decent addition to the Terminator franchise but I wish it had more heart.
6/10
