Average Sci-Fi/Action by Today's Standard

Rating: 6/10 (3 July 2009)

*This review contains slight spoilers for Terminator 3*
As a standalone movie, Terminator Salvation is just an okay, passable sci-fi/action flick. As part of the Terminator series, it's a major disappointment. Nowhere in this movie is the Terminator 'feel' present. If you are a Terminator fan, then you know damn well what this feeling is. Hell, even Terminator 3 retained some of it.
Salvation is about the war that's taking place between humans and machines in the future. At the end of T3, which I actually liked unlike some people (don't worry I know it's nowhere near the Cameron films but it holds it's own), we see the machines breaking loose and brutally mowing people down. At the time, I wish we could see more of that. It was then, at the end of T3, that I couldn't wait for T4, when we would see the violent future.
Now, this movie, Terminator Salvation. It's rated PG-13. That should tell you a couple things. First off, whoever is releasing this movie only has money in mind. It's money over quality for them. Secondly, we aren't gonna see the violent future we were longing to see since T3 ended. Sure this movie has 'action'. However it's done in such a way that, well, it's totally okay for the kids. Also, I guess you could say the action is 'McG style', which is definitely not close to 'James Cameron style'. That grit present in the previous movies is just not anywhere to be found here. No genuinely intense scenes. Just a load of generic-ness.
There are a few good things about the movie. Like there are a variety of Terminators, which was okay. You have to admit those motorbike bots were made just for the sake of being cool though. Some of the action is actually kinda stylish and you could tell McG was trying his best in some parts (like the chopper crash from the cockpit POV).
Now I feel like I'm forgetting something...oh yeah...John CONNAH! Hehe...the man of the movie (I bet you'll get sick of hearing his name by the time the movie is over). The Balezor! Okay sorry. Yeah I'm just gonna say what a lot of people have said (and they were right) - Christian Bale is nothing special in this movie. He doesn't make you feel anything at all. Now I know it probably wasn't his fault, could be the script or whatever but I'm just saying. Also, I'm still very curious about something. Y'all remember earlier this year when Bale tripped out and effed up the DP right? Now that I've seen the movie, I can't see a point in Bale's performance that was so intense, that if he was interrupted he'd have to get so angry. If anyone knows what scene it was let me know please, because I can't tell.
Well overall, like I said, this movie is just average and forgettable. At the time of this review I'm sure it's out of most theaters but for the record I'll just say it wasn't worth a big screen viewing.
Honestly, as a Terminator fan, I found that the opening future war sequence of Terminator 2 was more satisfying than this whole movie.