Terminator Salvation

Arnold is back (for a while) Arnold is back (for a while), although in a quite different movie this time. Salvation has little to do with the original trilogy, well… other than being a sequel to it. But the real powerhouse turned out to be Cameron's dark horse Sam Worthington as Marcus. He’s the only one who moves the main storyline forward. The rest is just filler until what's about to happen happens. I also believe that Bale was only given the role of Connor because he comes across good and leader-like and can create a depressing atmosphere with his hoarse voice. By the way, I barely noticed Bryce Dallas Howard. McG shot an impressive action sci-fi (with robots from Sam Winston's mind), but it can’t touch the Terminator saga. Maybe because I realized this from the beginning, I kind of enjoyed this fourth part. (19/06/2009)

An A-movie budget for a B-movie that takes itself way too seriously, and which would benefit immensely if the director, instead of watching the Transformers movies and War of the Worlds, had put on the original Terminator. (08/06/2009)

I did not rush to watch this movie, even though the series is among my favorites. However, the first reactions from fans and reviews warned me that this would not be my cup of tea, and my expectations were completely fulfilled. Not that Salvation doesn't have anything to offer, as it has a very decent budget, the special effects are good, and it also has a decent pace and action. In principle, the reviews are right, which mention the resemblance to Transformers or Mad Max. But that is precisely the kind of movie that doesn't appeal to me. The original Terminator managed to create a myth alongside action, realistic violence, and adventure elements thanks to a quality screenplay that strictly adhered to logic within its sci-fi construct, and that is simply something that the fourth installment lacks. The screenplay is stitched with a needle that is too hot, the plot contains a number of inconsistencies, and the overall concept is somewhat fantastical. It reminds me of sci-fi for older children. Just the appearance of the giant robots, as if they escaped from a construction set... Overall impression: 45%. (21/07/2009)

It's hard to expect anything more than what the trailers showed us. McG serves up (unsurprisingly) a decent summer blockbuster, cheerfully shoving in one quote after another, all in the visual style of Charlie’s Angels. It works, especially in the first half, more than adequately. The atmosphere of the demolished streets draws the viewer right into the middle of any hit game, and the action sequences, in which the heroes are chased by giant robots, have more life in them than all of Transformers. The problem, however, is the writers, who obviously don't care much for sound logic and have to start dissecting characters and relationships just to get to the tear-jerking ending that grabs you (literally) by the heart. In the end, one name comes to mind - Sam Worthington. This guy is going to make a big splash in the ranks of charismatic Hollywood guys. It is he who overrides my seventy percent hesitation to give it a fourth star. It's hard to say what time away and a potential second watch will do to that. (08/06/2009)

The world of a dark future, which Cameron only hinted at, which gave a sense of something unknown and which I never wanted to see on screen, so that its menacing atmosphere would not disappear. Exactly this world is brought to us by McG with Skynet and the Resistance Movement, and to my great relief, he manages to dispel all concerns already with the exposition. There are plenty of reasons to be joyful after all. Whether it's both the dignified opponents at the center of the action, the crucial supporting characters, or the gallery of Terminator villains. But above all, the feeling that the saga was meant to come to these moments. For the direct continuation, thanks to the feeling that something great is being born, I enthusiastically supported it. However, the reality was different. (09/06/2009)