Excellent

Rating: 9/10 (22 May 2009)

Let me start off by saying that Terminator 2: Judgment Day is my all-time favorite film. Because of this, I was very annoyed to hear of another Terminator film being made, let alone by McG. I was all for boycotting the film but then, little by little, things started to look up. First Christian Bale was cast...OK that's great. Then I started seeing things pop up that being a fan of the franchise, made me more interested. Things like the inclusion of Kyle Reese and the only-mentioned T-600 model Terminators. Then the trailer was released and I went from interested to very excited. Swimming Terminators? Cool. Terminator motorcycles? Even better! Badass car chases? Oh hell yes! Then I saw the film itself.
My expectations were met in nearly every regard. The casting was excellent. Christian Bale was superb and very intense and Sam Worthington was great as well. I'm looking forward to seeing Worthington in James Cameron's Avatar. Anton Yelchin was a dead ringer for a young Reese and did a fine job. Everyone else was fine. It was cool to see Michael Ironside in a Terminator film.
The action was spectacular! I love action, especially car chases and I haven't enjoyed a car chase like the one in the film since The Island in 2005. Most of it was live-action too, which only added to my enjoyment. The gunfights and Terminator battles were violent and intense, while the explosions were massive and bone jarring. Needless to say, the action was quite thrilling.
The special effects were top-notch and there was also a surprising amount of live-action effects as well, all of which were utilized to perfection. The cinematography and direction were fantastic. I have a new respect for McG after seeing this film. The score was great as well and only added to the experience, especially the use of the original score from the first two films.
I think the thing I enjoyed the most was the nods to the earlier films that made me realize that the people that made this were really here to make a quality Terminator film, not just a moneymaker. I yelled when Reese said "Come with me if you want to live" and and I jumped out of my seat when John Connor played "You Could Be Mine" by Guns N' Roses (used by Connor in T2 as well) to attract a MotoTerminator. If you're a fan, this only sweetens the experience.
I had a few gripes, but as I went through them in my head, they're kind of superfluous and might only bother a die hard fan.
All in all, I was impressed and extremely happy with how the film turned out. Go see it on the big screen if you can!