I don't get where the bad reviews are coming from.

Rating: 7/10 (23 May 2009)

Terminator Salvation is currently sitting at 34% on RottenTomatoes.com. I just don't get it. When it comes to films, I am very hard to please. I'd say out of every fifteen movies I see I would only describe one as a 'good' movie, and even less as a 'great' one. But Terminator Salvation suited me just fine. It's engaging, interesting, well-directed, and at moments surprisingly emotional. Of course it pales in comparison to Terminator 1 and 2, but that's James Cameron for you. I found it to be fathoms better than the abomination on film: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Terminator Salvation had incredible visual effects, preferring to film on real sets rather than extensive green screens and using real helicopters and cars over computer generated replacements, and opting to film Animatronics over CG models. The effect is quite endearing as we movie goers have been bombarded with cheesy CG effects since 1995. (I nearly wanted to gouge my eyes out at the giant CG Sandman in Spiderman 3 or CG baby in Children of Men). The story is straightforward, incorporating elements and themes ever so subtly from previous James Cameron films. Overall, I'd say the movie delivers. Definitely worth your admission price. I plan to buy it and add to my Terminator DVD collection (something I have not and will not give the privilege to the steaming pile that was Terminator 3). I'd say the fair score on rotten tomatoes should be a 69%. Maybe with more time and reviewers, the film will get the buzz it deserves.