The Sequel That Is Action, And Not Much Else

Rating: 6/10 (20 July 2003)

I have always been a fan of the Terminator movies, and when I first heard they were doing a third, I couldn't help but be disappointed. Strike One. Then the news hit me that James Cameron opted out on this movie. Strike Two. Then I actually saw the movie. Strike three, Hollywood sucks!
First, there is almost no resemblance between T3 and its predecessors, plot wise. Here there is enough plot to satisfy your typical big-budget summer movie. Yet there were enough continuity and plot holes that I felt empty myself. I've had bowel movements more satisfying than the plot of this movie, which absolutely destroys the beauty of "There is no fate but what we make for ourselves." But for the masses, this is the movie of the summer. It's all action and forced humor. The entrance of Arnold was not entertaining, nor was him using "Talk to the hand." Ick...
Acting...well, it wasn't as bad as "Battlefield Earth" but it wasn't good either. Kristianna Loken is a pretty face, and she is nowhere near as frightening and creepy as Robert Patrick. But he also had a score that made him creepy. Arnold is back to what he did well once, but that is no longer there. Here, he tries to channel the Arnold of T2, and fails. Nick Stahl wasn't a bad choice, and continuity wise, I'm glad they chose him instead of Edward Furlong. Furlong just doesn't have the charisma or brooding sense that Nick Stahl brought to John Connor's role. Claire Danes, forgettable, just like the minor characters that pop up here and there.

The humor...wasn't funny. Trying to make Arnold into a comedian is nearly as bad as making Gimli a comedian. It doesn't fit, it isn't funny, and most of all, it made me want to vomit.
The action is where this movie shines, and that's it. The car chase is phenominal. The fights between the TX and the T800, uh, T101...??? (it was T-800, Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 in the previous films) are very cool. All in all, the action makes this movie.
For being an all-round disappointment for me, it was entertaining. But now my dwindling faith in Hollywood has vanished. No more lacklustre sequels with no plot and all action. 6.5 out of 10