Good attempt and successful execution

Rating: Null/10 (9 July 2003)

I compare this third installment to the third installment of the 'Godfather' films in terms of how audiences may perceive it even though the genres are completely different. Let's look at the similarities. First, there was 16 years between 'The Godfather Part II and III'. There are 12 years between this and the last 'Terminator' movie. There are past characters from both films that you long for. In both cases, the third installment doesn't measure up critically with its other two chapters but, nevertheless, you're glad it was made.
'Terminator III' has several things going for it. Nick Stahl has far more appeal and better acting ability than the whiney and annoying Edward Furlong. The computer effects look better than ever and the resolution of this third film stirs up debate better than ever about fate vs. choice and which one decides the future. Arnold has lost a lot of edge since the original film in 1984 but he has some good lines, still looks physically convincing in the role and the biggest surprise of all for me was Claire Danes. I thought her role would be written in as an unnecessary replacement for the absent Linda Hamilton but we see that her character is important to the fate of the future.
Director Jonathan Mostow is no James Cameron but he has a strong industrial vision for action, keeps every second of this movie interesting and likens its running time closer to the first film than the second and this is a plus because there are parts of 'T2' that really dragged for me and half an hour could have been chopped off its original theatrical release. 'T3' is more tight than the second film. It's open for a fourth film and I recommend it because it JUST FEELS RIGHT!