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CHICAGO – In anticipation of the scariest week of the year, HollywoodChicago.com launches its 2024 Movie Gifts series, which will suggest DVDs and collections for holiday giving.
Christian Bale, Sam Worthington in McG’s Disappointing ‘Terminator: Salvation’
Submitted by BrianTT on May 21, 2009 - 10:06am
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‘Terminator: Salvation’ stars Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Bryce Dallas Howard, Moon Bloodgood, Anton Yelchin, Common, Jadagrace, and Helena Bonham Carter. It was written by John D. Brancato & Michael Ferris and directed by McG. It opens on May 21st, 2009. It is rated PG-13.
Continuing reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “Terminator: Salvation” review.
(L-R) Christian Bale stars as John Connor and Sam Worthington stars as Marcus Wright.
Photo credit: WB/Richard Foreman
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CHICAGO – McG’s loud-and-annoying “Terminator: Salvation” with Christian Bale and Sam Worthington continues the summer of non-Trek disappointments, delivering nothing but a bloated exercise in CGI overload. With awful dialogue, a ridiculous plot, and mostly uninspired performances, the interesting human element has been drained from the franchise. The machines have won.
 Rating: 2.0/5.0 |
Like “Aliens” without Sigourney Weaver or the first two “Terminator” movies without Linda Hamilton, “Terminator: Salvation” forgets a cardinal rule of action cinema - writing human characters that the audience is going to care about. The entire movie plays like a video game tie-in to the original franchise. Sure, it may be fun at times and it looks good, but it doesn’t have nearly the impact as its source.
| Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Terminator: Salvation” in our reviews section. |
The script from the writers of “Catwoman” and “Primeval” (the lame crocodile movie, not the cool BBC show), which really should have been a sign that the entire project was on thin ice to start, opens with the execution of a murderer named Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington). Before he gets his final injection, Wright signs over his body to the research of a dying scientist (Helena Bonham Carter).
Many years later, the future has played out as expected and the war against the machines continues. If you’re not familiar with the mythology of the franchise, “Salvation” will not stand on its own in any way. You need to know the names Sarah Connor, John Connor, and Kyle Reese and the roles they play in this universe before you go in. Even “T3: Rise of the Machines” stays in the canonical fold with Bryce Dallas Howard taking the role once played by Claire Danes, Kate Connor.
Continuing reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “Terminator: Salvation” review.(L-R) Christian Bale stars as John Connor and Sam Worthington stars as Marcus Wright.
Photo credit: WB/Richard Foreman
I would have to disagree
I would have to disagree with the author of this article. The film did well beyond a 2 on a 5 pt scale. It had a lot of action, emotion, and excitment. The way I know this is because I did not get bored thoughout the movie. The plot was well written, it made sense and tied enough information from the previous Terminator movies to make things clear. If you are to give this film a 2 out of 5, you would be comparing this epic movie with The Saw sequels, that should have been finished after the first film. It is almost as though you did not give the film a chance and had a bad attitude towards it from the beginning. Piece of advice: Open your mind.
I Also Disagree with Review
I saw this film on opening night, and the crowds cheered at the appropriate times, and was riveted from start to finish. The crowds would love this film because it has loads of action, a couple of love stories, and a redemption story with Marcus Wright (I actually felt for this man/terminator) who finds out to his horror that he has been turned into a machine, but still has a human heart and soul. I think the reviewer missed the human heart part of the film, the sadness Moon Bloodgood’s character felt about not having come across a human for a while, and the relationship/loyalty that was built up around Jadagrace’s character and Kyle Reese.
I agree with this review.
I agree with this review. This movie flat out sucked the mighty big one. All the characters do is run to the left, run to the right, run all about with all of their might. In the end you really couldn’t give a damn if anyone survives. There is no character development, no actual acting, no drama, just a bunch of dumbed down action scenes so all the teen boys/fanboys/gamers can rush out and buy the Terminator video games and play to their hearts content. That’s it. This movie delivers nothing but cheap CGI thrills and that’s it. One word sums up this movie —-PATHETIC.