Better than 3 day old Coyote

Rating: 6/10 (30 May 2009)

Greetings again from the darkness. Can't quite put my finger on it. Amazing action and terrific special effects, stunning sound and a decent story that compliments the previous installments ... but still something is missing.
First off, the casting is very odd throughout - Christian Bale as John Connor, Sam Worthington (in place of first choice Josh Brolin), bland Bryce Dallas Howard (replacing Claire Danes), Helena Bonham Carter (seriously??), Jane Alexander (in an action film??), and Common (with a competent scowl). Best choice is Anton Yelchin as Kyle Reese. Mr. Yelchin is having a nice summer with Terminator and Star Trek (where he is even better).
Next, director McG is an odd choice. Which of the Charlie's Angels films qualified him for this? Actually, most of his work is decent, but his work with the actors left much to be desired.
Thirdly, why the heck is Sam Worthington on screen more than Christian Bale? Just a wild guess, but I suppose there was quite a disparity in their paychecks!
Can't help but get a kick out the tie-ins to previous installment - Linda Hamilton's voice on tape, re-treads of famous lines and even CGI Arnold making an appearance. The machinery and effects continue to amaze, but this time the humans just don't hold up.