Built for replication.

Rating: 8/10 (1 March 2010)

Except for the Christianity v. Satanic references, this film offers excitement, irony, multiple sub-plots and peeks into a world that could be and almost was. While watching, TS seemed like a combination of "The Road Warrior", "Transformers", "Escape From New York" and "The Matrix" but is consistent with the thematic continuity of the Terminator series.
Not easily recognizable, Sam Worthington chalks up high marks as John Connor's half man/half machine enemy by programming and ally by his roots in humanity. His performance is loaded with validity, vitality and energy and challenges Bale's characterization of the man destined to save the world from the machines.
Bale is transitive in his portrayal of a modern day J.C., but adequately toughened up to fit into the framework of sophisticated weaponry and gritty close encounters with savage machines and not-so-friendly humans in the scary detritus of decaying old buildings, vehicle skeletons, lifeless trees and barren, unsightly backdrops of war and chaos. In this setting he prevails with strong support from his followers. This is where the symbolism ends.
The message left on tape from his mother spells out a mission wherein he must defy the command hierarchy set on destroying Skynet. But first he must learn to trust the man (or thing) he fears the most in order to save his own father whom he predates by a good twenty years. The elusive Kyle and his child companion, Star, are sought, and nearly lost in a prison accessible only by the T-800 he fears and later emulates.
Command fails to recognize his plea to stand down. Michael Ironside is credible in the role as the seeker of retribution, but his power is undermined by haste as his fool-proof plan backfires into a watery grave. Being cold and calculating is the machine-like trait Conner is determined to countervail with the message about what makes us different. But is defiance a good lesson?
Uncommon for an Indie film, the 200 million budget is exceeded to almost double and clearly sets the stage for what could be a long list of follow-ons. Will Bale return as Batman, too? Only scattered few know for sure. For the rest of us, the wait for both will be worth it.