"Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines"- A soulless retread of previous films, but still fairly entertaining.

Rating: 5/10 (2 February 2017)

Sometimes, a series just isn't meant to continue. After delivering a solid and exceptionally well-made Sci-Fi thriller with 1984's "The Terminator", director James Cameron followed it up with one of the greatest action films ever made with his 1991 sequel "T2: Judgment Day." But it would be twelve long years before a third film in the iconic franchise. Twelve years of rumors and speculation and hopes and dreams on the part of film-goers the world over. But when details on the production of "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" started to emerge, fans grew noticeably (and rightfully) concerned. Especially with the loss of series creator Cameron, here replaced with director Jonathan Mostow and a small army of screenwriters.
Would it live up to the long-building hype? Could it come even close to matching the essentially perfect quality of the previous films? Would it be another great installment in the franchise?
Well, despite an upfront warm reception from critics and general audiences, the answer to these questions in retrospect is sadly a resounding "No!" While "Terminator 3" is far from being a terrible film, it's unfortunately a painfully generic and often soulless retread of the far superior second chapter, filled to burst with contrived winks and nods tossed in to win over fans... but never feeling necessary or even particularly fulfilling. Yes, it is entertaining enough to warrant a one-time viewing. But on the whole, it's just a prime example of an unneeded continuation to a perfect and self-contained tale.
We pick up some time after the previous tale, as John Connor (Nick Stahl) has grown paranoid about his future, and lives "off the grid." However, he is forced to face his possible destiny as a savior of mankind once again when a new Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) arrives from the future to protect him from another threat- the T-X (Kristanna Loken), a new model that combines liquid metal with an endoskeleton armed to the teeth with future-weaponry. At the same time, a mysterious computer virus is striking all over the world, and the military contemplates using the newly-completed Skynet system to eradicate it, not knowing the power that Skynet has and the destructive consequences its activation would cause.
To give the film credit, there are some elements at play that do indeed work. Schwarzenegger is a joy as always, and it's a blast seeing him reprise what is perhaps his most well-known and beloved role on- screen. The rest of the cast plays their roles well, and there isn't really any sore thumbs. Mostow also delivers some genuinely thriller sequences of action and adventure, including a phenomenal and wildly explosive car-chase early on that still holds up well to this day and is one of the best sequences of the entire franchise. I also thought that despite not quite matching the high- bar set by "Judgement Day", newcomer composer Marco Beltrami does an adequate and admirable job with the film's score. He gets the tone quite well, and while his themes are never as memorable as Brad Fiedel's prior work, it gets the job done with style.
Unfortunately, some great action and performances can't really overcome the biggest issue, which is that this is a really bland and blatant inferior copy of what's come before. Too much of the film is devoted to just trying to match the last film beat-for-beat, to the point it feels borderline condescending. To try and avert this, Mostow and the writers pepper in comedic subversions, but they just feel contrived at best. (Do we really need to see Arnold wearing a male-strippers "Star Sunglasses" as a gag?) The film feels without soul or identity because it plays it far too safe for its own good. And thus it can be tedious to sit through on a second or third viewing.
There's also just a slew of issues I have regarding the general writing and production. The film's pacing is a bit of a mess, and key segments feel left out and poorly established. The idea of the villain being a female Terminator is fascinating and could work, but Loken comes across as miscast looking back. She lacks menace and plays the role a bit too "sexy." (They really needed someone like a Lucy Lawless or an Uma Thurman in this role.) And it lacks the polish of Cameron's work with flat cinematography and sometimes uninspired choices in shots and composition.
Still, it's not a total loss. The story is just solid enough to be worth checking out, the action is great and it's good fun seeing the Terminator back in action. It's not a great film, but "Terminator 3" also isn't objectively terrible. I say give it a shot once if you're curious, because there is some definite fun to be had. But I'd mainly suggest just sticking to the first two.
I give "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" a mediocre 5 out of 10.