Definitely A Must See

Rating: 9/10 (6 July 2003)

SPOILERS: Saw the movie and have to say that it was a very pleasant surprise. Not only was it faithful to the concept of the first two movies, but like T2, builds on its foundation and brings new ideas. I particularly liked the concept of fate...John Conner, knowing his fate, yet denying it; the inevitable takeover by Skynet, etc. It also managed to bring in new and exciting action and special effects, as well as building onto the plot and surprising me by taking it in unexpected directions. All these factors make the movie very entertaining, and worth the price, especially for Terminator/Schwarzeneggar fans.
Another tidbit that I've been pondering since seeing the movie, is the evolutionary psychology behind all 3 films. The first one came out during the cold war, in which the Soviet Union and the United States were in the middle of a Mexican standoff with a combined nuclear arsenal capable of wiping out human civilization hundreds of times over. The first movie was created within those times, and the message was one in which the human spirit can prevail, in spite of the potential armageddon, and can seek to change a probable future. The second movie, created at the end of the cold war in which detente and diplomacy had achieved a bloodless end to the potential nuclear confrontation that had been hanging over the world for the past two generations, had a different message: one in which man is in complete control of his destiny, and if he is willing to take the risks and make the sacrifices, anything is possible. Now we come to the 3rd movie, and the current world is much different. No longer do we face a potential standoff between nuclear states, but the specter of international terrorists, and the possibility of a nuclear, chemical or biological attack by these ruthless groups, especially in a post 9-11 world, I think has brought back the fear of armageddon again, albeit from a different direction, and I believe this last installment of the Terminator series, reflects that fear. We fear something catastrophic is around the corner, something terrible and unavoidable feels bound to happen, and it is now just a matter of time, so prepare for it. The enemy is not within a single mainframe at one specific location, it is all around us, and unable to be removed. I believe that is the underlying pervasive psychology behind this movie, and as an honest reflection of the times, brings another element of pleasant surprise, and another reason to not miss this movie.