Great addition to the series

Rating: Null/10 (2 July 2003)

I was skeptical about how good Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines would be. Sure, it's got Arnold, which is probably the most important factor. But there's no Linda Hamilton, no Eddie Furlong, and no James Cameron. He wrote and directed the first two. Could new people take over the series and do it justice? Well my fears were put to rest after tonight. T3 is awesome.
Even though the original date of Judgement Day has passed, John Conner is still struggling with his unknown destiny. But there's not a whole lot of time for philosophizing about fate and the nature of humanity. No need really, since that was already covered very well in T2. This film gets the action started early, and it's on full speed until the end. Everything is bigger here. You haven't seen a car chase until you see the massive action sequences here with so many oversized vehicles. I don't think I've ever seen so many broken windows, overturned cars, and explosions in one movie. The theater was shaking, and I was loving it.
I liked the idea of a sexy female Terminator, and not just because I'm a guy (although that helped). It made for interesting contrast to the previous villains of this series, and made a potentially similar sequel feel fresh. The T-X has all that liquid metal shape-shifting stuff mastered, not too mention plenty of new tricks up her sleeve. If Schwarzenegger wasn't such a cool hero, I would have easily rooted for the Terminatrix.
There's an awesome fight scene between the Terminators, T-X versus T-850. I've seen enough wire kung fu lately, so I really enjoyed this brutal fight where they literally throw each other through walls, floors, and anything else that looks painful. Plenty of computer graphics are implemented in the movie, but it is cleverly shot, and rarely noticeable. I doubt T3 will get the same "cartoony video game" complaints that plagued many Matrix Reloaded reviews.
If you like the previous Terminator flicks, and have an open mind about the new cast and director, you should have a great time. There's new catch phrases, as you'd expect. Some great moments of humor too, that really get a laugh against the otherwise serious tone. Your questions (Where's Sara? Why are the machines still rising? Why doesn't the Terminator remember John?) will be answered. And there's quite a few references to the older movies for those who really pay attention.
It's hard to say if Terminator 3 is better than T2. That 1991 film is a classic. Great story and ground breaking special effects. T3 isn't necessary to complete a trilogy, so it could have ended with T2. That's how James Cameron would have liked it. But T3 certainly doesn't feel like it was tacked on to the end of the series to make a buck. It fits very well with the other films, and shows off some incredible effects not possible 12 years ago. All the Terminator films have their own merits, so I can easily foresee my future. I am destined to one day purchase the 3 film DVD Terminator boxed set.