Terminator Salvation Review

Terminator Salvation Poster

I got the chance to see this film yesterday and, after reading many positive reviews, I was expecting good things. In the end, however, I felt it was just, erm, average.

The storyline is set after Judgement Day when Skynet is already in control and the older John Connor (played by Christian Bale) is plotting against the machines. He learns that a teenage Kyle Reese (his future, or rather past, father) is the number one target of Skynet, whilst the resistant learn of a potential way to shut down the machines once and for all. Throw into the mix a stranger by the name of Marcus, who’s last memory was being put to death by lethal injection before Judgement Day occurred.

The effects, and terminators, are superb. The music, by Danny Elfman, is in keeping with the past movies and, again, is very good. McG often creates entire, complex scenes which shows in one apparent take (for example, John Connor getting into a helicopter, taking off, being shot down, landing upside down and getting out).

What let the movie down, however, was the lack of a half decent plot. The storyline of Marcus seemed pretty obvious to me and there were numerous plot holes. For instance – John and Marcus end up at the “headquarters” of Skynet, where they end up in a factory making Terminators. Yet during all of this they are attacked by a couple of Terminators. The resistance then fly in and rescue a load of freed human slaves – all of this is done without a single Terminator or machine attempting to stop them.

And, yes, Arnie does appear – or rather his likeness. They CGI’d his face onto a similar body, introducing the T-800 to the time line. The CGI however was a touch ropey and I don’t think it really advanced the storyline a great deal.

Maybe a second viewing on DVD will improve my view, but after sitting through a 2 hour film I was just expecting a little more.