I think this is the ruins of it all.

Rating: 3/10 (2 August 2003)

As a big fan of the Terminator movies I was in awe of the possibility of a third installment. Although the chance of wrecking those other two great movies was evident I was quietly hoping for another one. As long as James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzeneger, Linda Hamilton and Edward Furlong were involved and they could explain how the machines have made a come-back decently I would be happy. Two out of six just isn't good enough.
Terminator 3: The Rise of the Machines is the biggest disappointment I think I'll ever have in my life. Let's face it we all knew when James Cameron didn't sign up it was going in the wrong direction. I just didn't realize HOW WRONG. The appointment of Jonathan Mostow as director wasn't exactly showing the studio were moving hell and high water to give this movie any sort of chance. Although I hear that the bigwigs cut Mr. Mostow's original T3 to shreds so maybe he isn't THAT bad. Then we hear that Edward Furlong has been forgotten as John Connor because of drug problems. Now I don't know about you but if I were in charge of a major franchise such as The Terminator, I would not change the face of the main character in the third movie. It just cheapens the movie so much and when you go and hire Nick Stahl, a guy who looks nothing like Edward Furlong then your going the right way for a wrong Terminator sequel. Maybe if the studio waited a few months and actually HELPED Edward out then this movie wouldn't be so fake to the real fans. Most of you will know that Sarah Connor isn't in this movie. I don't want to spoil this big surprise that you have already worked out but I'll just say it's a storyline that I would be expecting from a Sons & Daughters TV soap episode, not a multi-million dollar budget action movie.
Arnold Schwarzeneger makes his return as the terminator that we all love so dearly. He enters in that chaotic fashion as in the first two films in the big disco-ball thingy. Look at this scene and remember it as this is the last time you will have any sort of love for this movie. Up comes the "I need your clothes" scene. Humour they call it. I can't describe the pain I felt while watching this bit...You'll have to experience it for yourself. Arnold isn't the same here. In the other two movies he was believable and menacing. His acting is truelly dire here and his character doesn't have any connections with the other's at all. Where as in the second he was learning stuff and asking questions in this one he's just...there. Kristanna Loken. She is a mobile phone with legs and a flamethrower compared to the T-1000 from Terminator 2. Her part in the film makes no sense to me at all. Skynet would not think that if the next assassin they send out had boobs it would have any sort of advantage. No...the STUDIO thought that if they had a T-X with boobs they would pull in the male's who are guided by their "other organ" and maybe get a sponsorship deal with Kleenex Tissues when the DVD comes out. The T-X isn't menacing, it isn't scary nor is it big or clever. It's just...there. For your viewing pleasure. Please enjoy while I go throw up into a lucky-bag.
Ah...John Connor. Living "off the grid". Now before this movie I was led to believe that he was trained ever since he was a small boy to be a huge commando leader type. Instead we have a puny, moany, cry-baby wuss who I would be able to terminate with an elastic band and a paper-clip. Nick Stahl isn't the same mould as Furlong. He doesn't have that same street cred or charm. He's just...there. Now the storyline between him and Kate Brewster (Claire Danes) was pretty interesting but not enough to save this movie. All Claire Danes did in this movie was scream and look horrified. It isn't asking much and well...she delivered. Well done Claire! You have just shown you are able to do the two most useful things a female can do in a male-dominated movie world. Maybe you'll be in the next Scream sequel. *yawn*
Now the special-effects were the main attraction of Terminator 2: Judgement Day. I'm shure they will be passed off as the main attraction here as well. I just don't see why. The fight scenes were just unbelievable...in a bad way, and the car chase scene although a good idea could have been filmed A LOT better. To me it just isn't good enough. You need a good director, good actors and a good script. All three were atrocious here. People who love this movie will hold the storyline and the apocalyptic ending (yeah you know how it ends) as their two shining good-points. The storyline was pretty good but it sets itself up for a tire-some "I seen this coming a mile away!" ending that doesn't cut it. People have been ending their movies on notes like this for so long I was shure it wouldn't be a surprise to anybody. I haven't even mentioned the score being missing. You would not believe how much this film misses it. I was actually humming the tune to the start of the movie because it so obviously should have been there.
Well to sum this movie up, I hated it with all my heart. They ruined the first two classics and have the sheer audacity to set themselves up for a fourth. Terminator fans will have to be given some sort of injection to let their grip be realised from the cinema-seats and the rest...well...they can just sit and enjoy their popcorn, the big explosions and the boobs like they are expected to.
3/10