This did not deserve the criticism it got!

Rating: 8/10 (8 June 2011)

Why Terminator: Salvation was so criticized is a mystery to me. It's a ripping action film, very well made, strongly acted and surprisingly - McG's direction is slick, fast-paced and very loyal to the franchise. Arnie's presence was not missed - and let's face it, he didn't save Terminator 3 from being corny and soft - in fact he ADDED to it.
Sam Worthington was very impressive as Marcus, and although Conner's role was not very interesting, Bale's performance was solid and delivered with conviction. Perhaps if the story was more layered and there were more 'character' moments the film would've felt deeper. This was why T2 was so memorable, because it had a very deep soul. But SALVATION is a much shorter film - and McG is not Jim Cameron, so it was never going to beat T2.
The action scenes are terrific and exciting with McG showing off his ability to stage long takes instead doing a Michael Bay - CUT, CUT, CUT, CUT - CUT! The whole movie is very gritty and feels realistic - very little green-screen work.
Overall, its not as satisfying as the first 2 Terminator films, but for a fun-filled action fest and a nod to the original films, T4 is a worthy addition to the franchise. I was personally disappointed that McG wasn't going to make the other two Terminator films he had planned.
Such is the power of bad publicity and poor reviews. No wonder I resent the film critics.