Pretty good, but it can't hold a candle to T2.

Rating: Null/10 (28 November 2003)

POSSIBLE SPOILERS
This is a very well done action film that's really fun to watch. Acting and special effects are excellent, and Arnold is funny as usual. But it actually does disappoint somewhat, because of course Sarah is gone and John is played by a different actor. The guy who plays John does a good job, but he just doesn't seem like the same person. I'm not sure it would have been much better with Edward Furlong playing the part, though, since this installment of the series lacks both the dark and brutal atmosphere of T1 and the emotional warmth and thought-provoking depth of T2. Those hoping for any deep connection between John and his protector in this episode will be disappointed. This is a straightforward action flick that doesn't leave much room for that kind of development. And I do like Claire Danes, she always seems to put her all into a performance, but her character didn't really add much to the story. In T1 and T2, Sarah goes from an innocent young girl to a hardened warrior. Danes doesn't seem to do anything but scream and get knocked around. T3 is fun to watch, however, and the new female Terminator does some pretty cool tricks, though she isn't nearly as creepy as Richard Patrick's T-1000. All in all it's worth renting and even buying, as long as you're not expecting it to top T2, which was a masterpiece and the end of the story, as far as I'm concerned.

PS - To those of you who think this was better than T2, please get real here. T2 was more than just an action/sci-fi flick, it was a deeply human story that had something important to say, while T3 is basically just a long, entertaining action sequence. Ok, I'll shut up now.