Loud, Intense & Bombastic But Also Downright Stupid, Hollow & Soulless

Rating: Null/10 (29 June 2015)

Loud, intense & bombastic but also downright stupid, hollow & soulless, Terminator Salvation is the fourth instalment in the franchise that was already a full circle with two films, before it got dented by an unnecessary third chapter. And although this sequel might be the worst of the series so far, it still makes up for a more entertaining flick than Rise of the Machines.
Set 14 years after Judgment Day eradicated much of humanity, Terminator Salvation follows a death row inmate who donated his body for medical research before his execution in 2003 yet happens to be alive in the post-apocalyptic future where he finds himself caught in the war between humans & machines and learns about his upgraded identity after coming face to face with John Connor.
Directed by McG, Terminator Salvation is completely devoid of any sort of substance, has no redeeming value despite salvation in its title & is so full of plot holes that the entirety of the picture is one big facepalm moment. But thanks to its vicious pacing, non-stop action, high-definition photography & volatile atmosphere, it also manages to be a relatively fun, entertaining & less tedious affair than the previous entry.
The bleak, desaturated look of the post-apocalyptic setting is captured in crisp detail, the screenplay is an absolute mess, visual effects is striking for the most part, CGI-laden action is engaging & ridiculous at the same time, its entire premise doesn't even has any reason to exist, character depth is nil, the final twist explaining one character's fate is laughable, and Danny Elfman's score is disappointing for it adds nothing to its story.
Coming to the performances, the cast comprises of Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anton Yelchin & Helena Bonham Carter, and everyone is terrible in his or her given roles. Bale hams like never before in the role of John Connor, Worthington does have a few moments to his name, Yelchin takes the role of young Kyle Reese, Dallas Howard is in as Connor's wife & simply exists, and even Bonham Carter chips in with a forgettable input.
On an overall scale, Terminator Salvation is an effects-driven sci-fi actioner that features an entirely different setting compared to its predecessors yet not an ounce of logical storyline. The action in the first act is quite intense & interesting but from there on, it's only a downhill process. Nevertheless, I did have an enjoyable time with the action sequences this film had in store & while it's no better in quality than its equally dull predecessor, it's less frustrating to a considerable extent.