Almost as Good as the First

Rating: 8/10 (23 June 2005)

I watched this film again the other night and it continues to grow on me. In fact, I upgraded my vote form an 8 to a 9. This film is so much better than T2. I know it's devoid James Cameron and some feel that this film lacked his vision and leadership. But somehow, I feel that Cameron has lost his ability to tell a story without a $100+ Million dollar budget. I like this story because it relies on and clings to the original premise unlike the second film. To me, T2 was all about eye candy and had very little to do with story. T3 returns to the gritty hard-core reality of a post-nuke world at war against SkyNet and the machines. I get chills at the end. I also love the return of the Love Story element. The first film is a love story as much as it is an action film. THat element was totally lost in T2. Congrats to the producers and all for returning the franchise to its roots.