Underrated

Rating: Null/10 (29 May 2009)

Terminator 3 (2003)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
With Judgment Day looming, another Terminator (again played by Schwarzenegger) is sent back in time to protect John Connor (Nick Stahl) who is now a pill taking junkie. The two must also protect another woman (Claire Danes) from a new form of killer in the T-X. This third film in the series gets mostly mixed reviews but I found it to be the perfect way to end the original series and a great way to start up the battle of the future. The movie has some flaws in it but overall this is everything a summer blockbuster should be. We get some nice characters, good laughs and plenty of non-stop action but we also get a good story thrown in as well. I do think the story is a step down from the previous film but then again so is everything in this movie. It certainly doesn't live up to the previous film but not too many can so that's not a reason to bash this one. In terms of action this thing is a homerun as we get one great sequence after another. The highlight of the movie has to be the crane sequence where Schwarzenegger gets attached to it and they make for some great damage. This entire sequence is jaw dropping and really packs a terrific punch in terms of action. I also loved what they did with the ending. I certainly won't ruin what happens but I thought it was handled in a very good way and didn't pull any strings. The one flaw in the movie is Stahl and Danes. Both are fine actors and both are fine here but to me we needed people a little stronger or perhaps their characters should have just been written better. Schwarzenegger is in good form and has plenty of nice one-liners as well. I'm not sure if this will ever gain the classic status of the previous two films but it's a good way to end the original series and we'll just have to see what the future films, taking place in the future, holds.