Falls Hard.

Rating: Null/10 (4 August 2003)

A "Terminator" film without writer-director James Cameron seemed doomed from the start and sadly the prediction would ultimately become a reality. "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" picks up several years after the events of the second film and John Connor (Nick Stahl) has become little more than a nomad, constantly moving around because of the fact he does not feel safe anywhere. Even though everything was supposedly solved at the conclusion of "Terminator 2", Stahl cannot help but feel that danger still looms. He is of course right as a new terminator (in the form of the strikingly beautiful Kristanna Loken) comes into the picture and chaos strikes. Naturally Arnold Schwarzenegger returns as a re-programmed terminator sent from the future to protect Stahl at all costs. Also along for the ride is engaged veterinarian Claire Danes who has an important role to play in the future. Skynet (ran by David Andrews, who is also Danes' father) is still the governmental entity that must be stopped, altering the future for good. "Terminator 3" struggles the whole way through and nearly won me over anyway with fast-paced action and clever one-liners. However, the direction by Jonathan Mostow (a film-maker who does not hold a candle to Cameron) is never very clear and the writing staggers throughout. The final moments of the production are a huge downer too and it is made blatantly clear that there is always a chance for more installments. I was very close to giving "Terminator 3" a marginal thumbs up, but the ending was such a mess that it soured me on that notion. Not in the same league with the first installment and not in the same cinematic galaxy as the second. 2.5 out of 5 stars.