Once again the Hollywood machine turns out another movie in a franchise that has hit the overkill limit two movies ago, but with "Terminator: Salvation" we get a fresh look at an old warhorse. One that may just breath new life into what should have been laid to rest a long time ago. This action packed movie is set in post-apocalyptic 2018, John Connor (Christian Bale) is the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. Never before have we seen the full devastation of this war, we only got flashbacks and dream sequences. In this new vibrant story we see first hand the devastation that has been brought against the few remaining humans. But the future Connor was raised to believe in, is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), whose last memory is of being on death row.
Marcus is visited on the day of his execution by Dr. Serena Kogan (Helena Bonham Carter) and is asked to participate in a new experiment by a new company that has been given a government contract to help protect the country from nuclear annihilation. He signs the paper for a kiss. When he next makes an appearance, it is just after Connor and his men attack an underground Skynet facility. The ensuing battle leaves Connor as the sole survivor. The cast here is strong enough to make the scenes with bale move smoothly, Kate Connor (Bryce Dallas Howard) is very good as Connor's wife/second-in-command, other resistance fighters that carry their scenes are Blair Williams (Moon Bloodgood), Barnes (Common), who sadly is in only a few scenes, and General Ashdown (Michael Ironside) Making the biggest impression on me was Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin), up to now I have found Yelchin to be playing beneath his talent and it has long been dull and boring. In Terminator, unlike in Star Trek he shines as brightly as the bigger name co-stars. One character that doesn't say much but is exciting in every one of her scenes is Star (Jadagrace) this cute young star steals every scene she is in. There are a few big name stars here that don't say much, one glaring example is Virginia (Jane Alexander) who in her scenes comes off more as a mother hen then a fierce freedom fighter.
The intense action sequences were filmed real against a backdrop, the actors did most of their own stunts and the director McG added his own MTV generation spin to liven this franchise up. The boost comes at the right time. McG throws in plenty of nods to the older films without all of them seeing too forced, we get such classic lines as "come with me if you want to live" and the huge fan favorite "I'll be back" we even see how Connor got the scar on his face. This time out there's literally an army of different models of terminators here, some older models are slow, but they carry heavy firepower. The hunter killers are sleek fighting machines designed to do what their name says, hunt and kill humans. Giant robots suddenly appear and grab people like rag dolls, motorcycles break off from the tall robot's feet and give chase to Marcus and Kyle. These scenes are one of the movies best action sequences, it is also where Marcus will meet Blair, when he saves her from some bandits she takes him back to the base camp, landmines that are magnetic stick to Marcus's leg and blow him up. Here is where the resistance fighters meet the newest form of terminator. The robotic snakes are very cool and the scenes where Connor is trapped in the water and being attacked by the snakes is very gripping. When Connor and Marcus form a pact to save Kyle both men agree that they can't really trust the other but are willing to work together each for his own reasons. Marcus because he feels responsible for the terminators catching Kyle in the first place and Connor because he needs Kyle to travel back in time, or else he won't even be born to lead the fighters.
The final showdown between Connor and Skynet plays out by the numbers, John gets in, finds himself trapped, makes his move, finds hims self having to fight yet another terminator. Marcus comes to help, Marcus is trapped, Marcus fight the terminator. One. Two. Three. Who can guess whats next? Well you will probably be right, but it still doesn't take away from the fun that you will find yourself having. The Jim Cameron creation is synonymous with both the action and science fiction genre. But McG. has added his own flair to the franchise and its an energetic feel that this movie needed. One scene that McG. gives his special touch to is the early scene where we first encounter Connor, John comes out of an underground base, is seen getting into a helicopter, then having it hit by one of the many Terminator machines, having the helicopter crash back to Earth, than having Conner crawl out of the helicopter, fight a determined terminator and than having Conner look up at a huge mushroom cloud hundreds of feet away. This is one long amazing technical scene of movie magic.
I give Terminator: Salvation a 3 and on my avoidance scale a 0, this will be one of the better smash-um up summer movies. This is one movie that parents can take their children to see and not have to worry so much about graphic violence or nudity. Go out and catch this one while you can still enjoy the panoramic views of an annihilated Earth. They are spectacular.
Terminator: Salvation is rated PG-13 for Intense Sequences of Sci - Fi Violence and Action and Language
Running time is 1 hr. 54 mins.
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