A good follow-up

Rating: 7/10 (29 May 2009)

When I heard that the new Terminator movie was rated PG-13 in stead of R like the rest of them, I lost faith in it (changing the rating for a sequel never works...remember the Whole Ten Yards? Or the Fantastic Four sequel?). Then I remembered how corrupt the MPAA is, especially when it comes to big budget action movies, so my hopes rose. The truth is that Terminator Salvation is really no more violent than the last two films (once again calling into question the dubious practices of the MPAA. If you're worried about the sequel being "neutered" to allow the teenage audience to see it, fear not. You'll get what you paid for.
That being said, "Terminator Salvation" is a good film despite the lower rating. There are moments of sheer suspense and a good few jump moments. That, and the story is actually pretty engaging. And, the acting is solid across the board as well.
Unlike the previous features in the "Terminator" franchise, "Terminator Salvation" takes place strictly in the future, after Judgement Day. The world has plunged into darkness and humanity is losing the war against the machines. John Connor (Christian Bale) is the head of the resistance, as the previous films foreshadowed. But there is another character that comes into play. That is Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), an amnesiac who carries a dark secret that could change everything.
As promised, "Terminator Salvation" is darker and grittier than any of the previous installments. However, this is no "Saving Private Ryan." Director McG's goal is to create excitement in the audience, and the tone exists only to give the story an extra visceral punch. The visuals are desaturated to the point where everything is almost gray, yet again, "depressing" is not a word that anyone would use to describe the film.
The acting is solid across the board. Christian Bale gives a terrific intensity to John Connor, and while unlike either Edward Furlong or Nick Stahl, his performance works (I suppose anyone would act different in a post-apocalyptic war as opposed to the early 90's or 2000's). Newcomer Sam Worthington is clearly a hopeful A-lister to producers (he's already in James Cameron's upcoming sci-fi epic "Avatar"), and if he keeps up the work that he does here, I'll be willing to bet that the producers' gamble will pay off. He very nearly steals the movie from Bale (though his character is more central to the story than Bale's). Moon Bloodgood, Bryce Dallas Howard (even though her talents are wasted here), Anton Yelchin, Michael Ironside, and, in what could charitably be called a cameo, Helena Bonham Carter, are solid as well.
The film's structure is similar to the previous films, but there are a few noticeable differences. Primarily, the film tells two stories at the same time: John Connor's and Marcus Wright's. Marcus's story is more compelling, and at least for the first hour, that's who the focus is on (Bale doesn't appear much during this time). These stories converge and intersect from time to time. They also shift focus between characters as the story requires. In another movie, this may seem like a flaw, but at least here, it works.
Despite the perceived limitations, I enjoyed this film, and I would definitely recommend it, especially if you're a fan of the franchise.