“Come with me if you want to live.” —Kyle Reese
Today’s quick review: Terminator Salvation. By the year 2018, Skynet has wiped out most of humanity and is rounding up the survivors with its army of Terminator robots. John Connor (Christian Bale) leads the fight against the machines, bringing hope to survivors like Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin). On the verge of a pivotal confrontation, John’s plans are disrupted by the arrival of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a convict with a mysterious past.
Terminator Salvation is a sci-fi action movie and the fourth movie in the Terminator franchise. Terminator Salvation takes the series in a new direction, fleshing out the dystopian future where the Terminators of the previous movies originate. The movie handles its task well, serving up a new plot, an expanded setting, and several new Terminator designs. However, none of its characters or ideas shine the way the original movies do.
Terminator Salvation sticks to the basics of the sci-fi genre but handles them well. Its vision of the future is a ruined place, plagued by dangerous machines and full of tough choices. Some creative future technology and a sizable special effects budget help the movie live up to its promises on the action side. The plot, while not inspired, hits all the beats it needs to. These features make it a good standalone movie for newcomers to the series.
Still, Terminator Salvation lacks the clear vision and outstanding quality of the first two movies. The script comes close to some interesting ideas but never quite hits the nail on the head. The quality is serviceable, but there’s nothing iconic. The full dystopian future and lack of time travel are serious changes to the formula that fans may not like. None of these issues are enough to cripple the movie, but they do take off some of its sheen.
Terminator Salvation is a solid pick for fans of the science fiction genre. The changes to its story and setting place it in a somewhat different category than the movies that came before it. Those looking for a dose of gritty action with menacing enemies should give it a shot. Those hoping for a movie that hews closer to the earlier entries in the franchise or matches their degree of innovation may want to give it a pass.
For another war between man and machine, try The Matrix Reloaded or The Matrix Revolutions. For a similar flavor of military sci-fi, try Edge of Tomorrow. For a Terminator movie with a plot but more attitude, try Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. For budget sci-fi action in a similar vein, try Revolt, Skyline, or Beyond Skyline.
6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for solid craftsmanship without the inspiration to go farther.