Terminator fans have been waiting for this film ever since the adult Kyle Reese's futuristic nightmares in 1984's "The Terminator." "Terminator Salvation" is set post-Judgment Day, after the machines led by the super computer Skynet have taken control of the planet. Christian Bale ("The Dark Knight") is John Connor, a leader of the Resistance. Bale's charisma, intensity, and world-weariness add heft to the action film; his performance of John Connor is so natural, its as though the actor is used to living the hell of the future.
But centering the film on one character wouldn't have been enough to carry this complex mythology, so viewers learn of a man named Marcus Wright, as portrayed by Sam Worthington ("The Great Raid"). I couldn't get enough of this character or his story-line. Wright has a mysterious past which include prior incarceration. When Wright awakens to this new world order of machine armaggedon, the audience perceives the world through his disbelief and distrustfulness. Wright's gruff exterior and survival instinct may be all that will keep him alive. With these two powerful actors and their performances', "Terminator Salvation" outclasses the normal summer action extravaganza.
The year is 2018 and Skynet is still developing more advanced robots to exterminate the humans. Connor leads a resistance cell of fiercely loyal fighters who include his wife Kate, the unit's medical specialist. The future his mother Sarah warned him about is not unfolding according to expectations. The multiple trips back in time by the Terminators (assassin robots with a human exterior) may have changed how everything is supposed to happen. Connor and the Resistance develop a secret weapon to disable the machines but it needs to be tested before being used in battle. Along the way, Connor learns that he is on Skynet's extermination list, along with his father-to-be Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin; "Star Trek"), who Connor has yet to find. When Connor learns from the mysterious stranger Marcus that Skynet has captured Kyle, humanity's only hope must decide if anything can be done to save his future father; because if Kyle is killed before being sent back in time, John may never exist and the resistance would be doomed.
The director, McG, is clearly comfortable with creating the riveting action sequences in the film. Whether crash landing a helicopter, racing away from killer motorcycles, or battling a new line of Terminator; the action scenes are intense with an ingrained sense of realistic. The terrain looks as though its out of Cormac McCarthy's post-apocalyptic novel "The Road," which the filmmaker was apparently influenced by. McG creates depth within the film by exploring the main characters' lives amidst the bleak environment. Hearing Connor talk to other resistance cells by short-wave radio, reminiscent of Radio Free Europe, is powerful and evocative. Moral choices are raised for the characters and the audience to grapple with, allowing the film to rise above its action roots. But "Terminator Salvation" is still unable to meet the high standards set by the original two films in the franchise.
The emotional impact of James Cameron's first two "Terminators" is mostly missing from "Terminator Salvation." McG is a skilled action director and builds an interesting story within which the action occurs, but only rarely do his characters' plights emotionally resonate. When major characters are on death's door, a greater weight should fall upon the audience. I did not feel the pain or sorrow I was expecting in otherwise somber scenes. It doesn't help the film that there is some choppy editing, leaving the audience without its bearings on more than one occasion. Perhaps scenes were taken out of the film late and no one went back to clean up the finished version. These minor issues show a lack of attention to detail which was never one of Cameron's faults. Thankfully the tone-inappropriate humor of "Terminator 3" is left out of this new film, allowing a bleak movie to remain bleak.
McG's "Terminator Salvation" is a solid start to the "Terminator" future war trilogy. The filmmaker ably-handles complex material, making the movie entertaining while creating some gravity to the characters' actions. It pays homage to the prior installments and is as internally consistent as possible, including a wonderful surprise at the end. I would like to see more exploration of the supporting characters in future installments and a greater emotional investment in these characters. Not as good as the first two films but on par with the third movie, I recommend "Terminator Salvation" as a fun escape for action and science fiction fans.
PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and language.
