Let me start off by saying that the first film I think is the best, and the second was just as good. 'Rise of the Machines' felt to quick and mainstreamed, and it didn't really have that feel that James Cameron's previous films did. Well, I first saw the teaser for
Terminator Salvation and I was immediatly excited, and started revisting all things Terminator. I felt that the edgy and gritty feel to it would do the franchise justice, and maybe a Terminator film that would be as good if not better as the first and second.
Well, for what it was, I thought it was a great movie. Even though it really felt like it was quick, and almost as if Christian Bale was just simply 'placed' into the role of John Connor. He didn't really seem to put his passion into the part, and really did deliver just a one-sided soldier. However, he did manage to sell me as a soldier trying to become the leader he was destined to become...that part I felt he did right. Sam Worthngton as Marcus was good I thought, but he had too much screentime over Bale, in which being John Connor, Bale should have had the most screentime than any other. The rest of the acting was alright, but nobody really immersed themselves into their roles like they should have, which was the film's greatest downfall.
On the plus side, the landscaping and the environs of the film were amazing. Even though there were flaws and miscasts in the film, the landscape and the sets of the movie was one of its most redeeming quialities. The Terminators were grimy and gritty and just plain dirty, in contrast to the previous Terminators in the other films, and the grittiness helped to give it that war-edge that we all wanted, and made the Terminators look menacing as hell. The special effects of the Terminators made the movie very fun to watch, along with the action.
The final fight between the T-800 and John fit and at the same time didn't. The fight was good between the two, and could have been better without Marcus, and it did make for a very good finale to a film that
needed it. The only particular reason as to why it didn't seem to fit at first was because of the half-assed addition of Arnold. he looked too fake, and the skin wasn't needed. Any serious fan would have been able to tell that that was the classic model of The Terminator we all know and love. The skin, just ruined all the work that the gritty effects did to make it look so real.
I really wanted more after this one ended, and it's a shame that it didn't do as well as it could have. The film did what it was supposed to do, its only curse was that it isn't going to continue. As much as Bale was dry with his performance, I felt that with Worthington out of the way in a possible sequel, he really could have explored the character of John Connor and made him his own. he tried in the film, but because of lack of the spotlight, everyone ended up caring for Marcus more than John. Last time I checked, the series was about the Connors. Not Marcus Wright.
This Terminator film was a good stepping stone to what should have been more. A better cast and better direction would have made this film one of the best in the series, and not so rushed and quick feeling. It could have benn terrific like the second, but just as T3 did, it took the 'summer blockbuster' appraoch. This film had so much potential, and I felt that it should have been explored more than what it was, but all in all, it was a good film with good action, and as a Terminator fan, was satisfying to say the least.
Final rating: 3 out of 5