Terminator Salvation
Directed By: McG
Written By: John D. Brancato and Michael Ferris
Runtime: 115 minutes
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and language.
John Connor - Christian Bale
Marcus Wright - Sam Worthington
Kate Connor - Bryce Dallas Howard
Kyle Reese - Anton Yelchin
Blair Williams - Moon Bloodgood
Barnes - Common
General Ashdown - Michael Ironside
Ivan G'Vera - General Losenko
Star - Jadagrace
Dr. Serena Kogan - Helena Bonham Carter
Sarah Connor - Linda Hamilton (voice)
There's a very old saying -- never trust a man named McG. OK, that's not an old saying, but ever since this project was announced, a dedicated film fan of the original Terminator movies directed by James Cameron couldn't help but be skeptical. Then came McG's San Diego Comic Con 2008 presentation, where McG came off as ridiculously scared and insecure. The director of such movies as Charlie's Angels was practically screaming, "Please don't hate me!" Not to mention the way McG seemed to really push the movie so hard that it feels more like Hollywood claptrap rather than the truth.
In recent weeks, much of McG's words turned out to be much the dreaded Hollywood claptrap a cynical minority would suspect. So that meant this would be the first PG-13 Terminator feature. Besides the fact that this is supposed to be a post-Judgment Day, war torn, human genocide via machine, post-apocalyptic future. PG-13 for this type of setting? Are you kidding me? If ever a Terminator feature needs to be darkest, most gruesome, grim, and R-rated, it would be here. Then there is the screenwriting issue. There were a lot of conflicting and suspicious reports about the writers on the movie. Seemingly to gain favor and credibility with the fans, McG would arrogantly boast how Jonah Nolan of The Dark Knight fame was the true movie's screenwriter, and had never met the blokes named Ferris and Brancato." Oh . . . and Casino Royale's Paul Haggis was also a writer. Yet, the WGA did not see fit to give McG's main writer a credit. There's also the lie that McG formulated about pursuing and receiving the blessing of James Cameron, only for James Cameron to embarrass McG by stating that he never formally gave McG any blessing at all.
C'mon McG, put up or shut up. Is anything you say even true?
Terminator Salvation comes off like a confusing bundle of assault on the senses action and plot that is also an utter disappointment. Yes I know a reboot of another beloved sci-fi franchise, Star Trek, also contains the time travel issue. But at least Star Trek gave a decent explanation of sorts for protection from any changes that might occur.
The new movie is continuing off of the plot established in Terminator 3: Rise of The Machines, where it seems Judgment Day was only delayed rather than averted. Judgment Day happened, Skynet and the machines have taken over, and in the ashes John Connor (Bale steps in after the latest Connor exit in Nick Stahl from Terminator 3) must become the great military leader and savior of mankind that Kyle Reese and Sarah Connor believed him to be. Bale is no doubt intense and righteously angry as Connor, but there seems to be little else to the character. Bales comes off as he is trying very hard to channel actress Linda Hamilton’s performance as Sarah Connor in T2, but in doing so seems to not acknowledge the person John Connor was before and in addition is sadly very one-note.
Speaking of Kyle, the man sent from the future to protect Sarah Connor in 1984 played by Michael Biehn in the post Judgment Day year of 2018, is still but a young teenager played by Anton Yelchin as a precocious survivor. Another survivor is a young mute but resourceful girl named Star (Jadagrace). For some unexplained reason, Skynet is fully aware of Kyle's existence and connection with John Connor, putting them on a kill list to put a stop to the future of the resistance once and for all.
OK hold up. Even going off of Terminator 2 and Terminator 3 how does Skynet know these things? In Terminator, Skynet and the machines were actually quite stupid. In sending back a T-800 model Terminator to kill Sarah Connor, Skyet did not prevent the birth of John Connor, but actually caused it. Kyle Reese traveled to the past and impregnated Sarah Connor with John -- in effect causing the future that Skynet was trying to prevent. The idea of Skynet's new found awareness of time and alternate time lines seems to come from traveling through the void of time like the Doctor's Tardis. None of this is even discussed or suggested by the plot. This simply gives the plot an arbitrary conflict and deadline; if John doesn't save Kyle then his existence would basically unravel, right? This is the problem with the movie, the story just tosses in this idea so McG can say he is honoring the first two movies, but in effect this plot element is completely and utterly ridiculous. Well . . . but think about it. Time has already changed hasn't it? It is clear that the Kyle Reese of the first movie came from a different time then the time in this movie. So wouldn't logic dictate that the Kyle Reese in Terminator and Kyle Reese in Terminator Salvation are not even the same Kyle? What would really happen if this Kyle Reese died?
In the middle of the conflict is the death row inmate with a flabby faux-American-trying-to-hide-his-Australian-accent named Marcus Wright (Worthington). In an awkward, lame, and forced prologue, Marcus is convinced to sign a release form to donate his body to science following Marcus’ execution. Marcus possibly did something terrible, but he appears remorseful and wishes for scientists to "cut him apart until there's nothing left." See, Marcus wants to give some sort of penance. Marcus feels guilt and wants redemption. Marcus does awaken though following a Skynet base infiltration by a resistance troupe that leaves only John Connor alive. Marcus unwittingly (or did he?) meets up with Kyle and Star who under constant pursuit from the machines try to find Connor. Connor, in his radio addresses, gives hope to the remaining humans on Earth. Hope and change you can believe in.
The John Connor thing feels like a bust. Ultimately it comes across like another retread of The Matrix Revolution (in itself reminiscent of the original Terminator films) because Connor is the all-knowing "The One" who will save humankind from the machines, while *****ebag commanders led by General Ashdown (Ironside) think Connor is nothing but a soothsaying kook. Since John is aware in advance of events from knowledge gained by the Terminators that protected him, shouldn't there be more of an urgency to prevent or at least slow down the creation of the T-800's? Also, would doing so prevent the events of Terminator 2 as well? Time travel is still the trickiest business in storytelling.
McG more or less sacrifices anything in the way of the strong plot, storytelling, and character development that James Cameron mastered to try and dazzle the audience with a nonstop barrage of action sequences every five minutes. And make no mistake. The action scenes are impressive. The fully in-power and dominant Skynet is cool to see in action, but ultimately appeared much cooler left to the imagination in the earlier movies.
There are two romantic love interests for the main leads: Kate Connor (recast from Claire Danes in T3) and resistance pilot, Blair Williams (Bloodgood). Blair makes cow-eyes with Marcus and wants to jump his bones after Marcus saves her from getting violated by a bunch of backwoods redneck hillbillies who still exist in post-Apocalyptic 2018. The one dimensional Blair, in seemingly about five minutes, is ready to put her life on the line for Marcus in hopes for some third act celebratory or anguished nookie ala Terminator. Blair disappointingly lacks the power, independence, and intensity that Sarah Connor gave to female action heroes in the 1990's. Blair is the cover model cliche antithesis of Sarah Connor. Kate really does not serve much significance at all aside from some brief expository knowledge about Terminator mechanics.
Unfortunately, Danny Elfman's score underscores how much of the classic composers of yesterday have lost their touch and that their best work is behind them. Elfman's score while at times fittingly mechanical, sacrifices the strong themes that Brad Fiedel created in exchange for lame guitar riffs and generic, Hans Zimmer style muzak. The only remnants of the classic theme are that loud drumming part which you've heard in the trailers, "DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN!" These all too brief parts are more like a consolation to desperately try and win over fans much the same way McG tried and failed.
The 411: All critiques and complaints aside, Terminator Salvation does have some fun, action-packed, and whiz-bang elements, but ultimately it lacks in re-creating the greatness of classic Terminator. Not everyone can be James Cameron, but this franchise would've been better off in the long run if Terminator 2 3D was the last sort of sequel we got out of it. McG totally misses why Terminator 2 is such a great film. Its a great action film, but the action is not all there is to it. Meanwhile, McG, so desperate to escape the persona he has amongst fans as the "boy band music video/Charlie's Angels guy," well McG its still there. You still call yourself McG as well.
Final Score: 6.0 [ Average ] legend
