'Terminator 3' to Open in 2 Days (Review)

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[GulliverSwift]

"Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines," opens in theaters on July 2.

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - In football terms, the first two "Terminator" movies, written and directed by James Cameron (news), were akin to a brilliant, wide-open offense, mixing a strong ground game with a flamboyant aerial attack and bewildering trick plays.

"Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines," directed by Jonathan Mostow, resembles offenses at many Midwestern schools, where coaches grind it out three yards at a time, resolutely but mechanically pulverizing the opposition as the team lumbers toward the goal line. Where "The Terminator" and "T2" wowed audiences with exciting action and knock-out effects -- remember when you first saw "liquid metal?" -- this new edition relies on wanton mayhem and a blitz of visual effects. Both methods rack up points, but "T3" lacks the wonder, surprises and supercool attitude Cameron achieved.

"T3" is no weak sister, though. With Arnold Schwarzenegger (news) back as the iconic title character and an often witty, fast-paced script by John Brancato, Michael Ferris and Tedi Sarafian, audiences worldwide will embrace the new film. Just be prepared for a movie determined to wear a viewer down with over-the-top mass destruction rather than innovation and cleverness. That R rating may also prove a handicap at the box office.

Schwarzenegger looks as physically buff as ever, and he's willing to kid the Terminator image. Coming back from the future, his cyborg arrives naked once more, so he must assemble his wardrobe. He swiftly acquires the black leather jacket and boots, amusingly, from a male stripper. But when he dons the guy's rhinestone glasses, this causes one of the movie's first big laughs.

A major plot hole, which no one even bothers to paper over, is why his cyborg returns at all. Schwarzenegger's Terminator readily admits he is obsolete compared to his new adversary -- T-X (in the curvaceous and athletic form of Kristanna Loken (news)), a much more sophisticated killing machine that is faster, stronger and smarter than his T-1000 model. So if the fate of mankind is at stake, why do humans of the future send back an archaic model? Well, do you really want Robin Williams (news)' Bicentennial Man showing up?

"T3's" basic setup is that the premise of the first two movies failed to materialize, that Judgment Day, the day Skynet's network of machines becomes self-aware and launches an all-out war against humanity, never happens. Which leaves the supposed leader of the humans against the machines, John Connor (Nick Stahl (news), fine as a somewhat dazed everyman), at loose ends. He lives in a seemingly purposeless, twilight existence without any connection to computers -- no credit cards, cell phone or job -- where he might be traced.

From the future comes the femme fatale (news - web sites) cyborg with a hit list that not only includes Connor but other comrades-in-arms in the future rebellion against the machines, especially veterinarian Kate Brewster (Claire Danes (news)). Striding through the movie like a bratty teen determined to get her way, Loken's T-X makes a delightfully erotic killing machine that occasionally is forced to strip down to her metallic death's-head.

It turns out Judgment Day looms in a matter of hours. So the Terminator returns. The race against time and the chase between the relentless T-X and Connor, Kate and their Cyborg bodyguard devolve into set pieces of stunt choreography and complex visual imagery. One has a 100-ton crane and a fire engine rampage through downtown Los Angeles, smashing cars, knocking over telephone polls and tearing through a glass building. It's astonishing and at the same time too much. Equally as astonishing are the mismatched shots, where camera angles switch from postdawn dimness to bright daylight and back again.

Other stunts include a chase with a recreational vehicle and a climatic showdown between the two cyborgs, an almost surreal battle of carnage and devastation. Comic relief comes in the crisp one-liners from Schwarzenegger in the "I'll be back" mode.

Special makeup, robotics, animatronic techniques and CG effects have advanced visual imagery so significantly as to make the first "Terminator" movie, made in 1984, child's play. But therein lies the paradox: The first film, and to a lesser extent the second, play into a viewer's childlike sense of awe and wonder. The new one appeals to one's appreciation of movie stunts and technology, a more adult outlook and therefore a less fun and playful mode. "Terminator 3" does all the right things, but the subtitle -- "Rise of the Machines" -- proves all too prophetic.

Warner Bros. Pictures. Mario F. Kassar and Andrew G. Vajna present an Intermedia/IMF (news - web sites) production in association with C2 Pictures and Mostow/Lieberman Prods.

Cast: Terminator: Arnold Schwarzenegger; John Connor: Nick Stahl; Kate Brewster: Claire Danes; T-X: Kristanna Loken; Robert Brewster: David Andrews.

Director: Jonathan Mostow; Screenwriters: John Brancato, Michael Ferris; Based on a story by: John Brancato, Michael Ferris, Tedi Sarafian; Producer: Mario F. Kassar, Andrew G. Vajna, Joel B. Michael, Hal Lieberman, Colin Wilson; Executive producers: Moritz Borman, Guy East, Nigel Sinclair, Gale Anne Hurd; Director of photography: Don Burgess; Production designer: Jeff Mann; Music: Marco Beltrami; Costume designer: April Ferry; Editors: Neil Travis, Nicolas De Toth; Makeup/animatronic effects supervisor: Stan Winston.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

[GulliverSwift]

I hope this movie doesn't suffer from "Star Wars" syndrome: obsession with grapics above all else in the sequels. I obviously don't mind a good blow-up scene, but the first T1 didn't have as good graphics but a good plot.

I saw T1 on I think TNT a few months ago and the scene where ahhhnold has all his skin ripped off looks very pathetic compared to today's standards. It looked like a pathetic animation superimposed into the film.

......but I enjoyed the movie and its dark qualities. Unfortunately, with too many neat effects, stuff like that can be lost.

Anyway.....I love the Terminatrix, she's easier on the eyes than T-1000-- although having a female T may be less intimidating to viewers.

Actress Kristanna Loken (news), one of the stars of the futuristic action thriller 'Terminator 3 Rise of the Machines' who portrays T-X in the film poses as she arrives at the film's premiere in Los Angeles June 30, 2003. The film which stars Arnold Schwarzenegger (news) at the Terminator opens July 2, 2003 in the United States. REUTERS/Fred Prouser

Maybe she is intimidating--making some of us weak-kneed.

Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger (news), center, is escorted by Col. Lee H. Farmer, left, Chief of Staff at Camp Pendleton, and Maj. Curtis Hill Thursday, June 26, 2003, at Camp Pendleton, Calif., where he held an early screening of his new film, ''Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.'' (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

Terminator's enlisting, ready to kick some Iraqi butt. (Of course, some RPGs would be the end to him real fast.)

Isn't that what he used against T-1000 in the final scene of Terminator 2? When the nice police officer falls into a bat of hot metal?

"Vote fuh me!

I haven't seen many commercials for the movie. They might realize that everybdy already knows about it and has been anticipating it. T2 was such a classic. For a long time, it was the number one selling DV-D.

[Warhead W-88]

I'm usually not a fan of female villains. Even if the film CLAIMS the female villain is super duper powerful, it remains a fact that she is, in fact, female, and it's hard to root for a 250 Austrian bodybuilder to beat the sh*t out of her.

I just think this usually doesn't work. GoldenEye, the James Bond film, had a female executioner, and it just never really worked for me.

We'll see, though. I also thought it was a rule that the bigger guy always appears to be the more powerful guy and the smaller guy, therefore, the underdog and the one you root for, but T2 did a really good job of making the normal-proportioned T-1000 a real threat. You really did think he was much more powerful than poor little Arnold.

[AlaskaErik]

Yawn. When will it be on the local indie station at 3 am?

[nhoward14]

I think the point is that the Judgement Day as defined in the first two movies did not happen but a new Judgement Day is about to happen on the altered timeline so the Terminatriz comes back and... and...

oh no I've gone crosseyed.

I guess I'll just have to go enjoy a good Ahnuld kick butt film and not worry about the facts. :)

[aruanan]

It was the soldier from the future, Reed, that came back to save Sarah Connor from the Terminator that eventually fathered his boss, John Connor. If he didn't go back in time to save Sarrah, then there should be no John Connor.

It's a temporal standing wave.

[GulliverSwift]

Yeah, I think Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-nold s a crappy actor, but give the man a gun or a bazooka and I'll enjoy the movie.

I think Sylvestor "Puddy cat" Stalone is a bad actor--even with a gun in his hand.

[GulliverSwift]

I saw a commercial for the new Charlie's Angels movie--gag--and these little women were throwing their cute little fists at these men and they were falling like flies. I can't stand movies like that. Especially that big-chinned female in the trio.

Of course, the woman in T3 seems to have more intensity and doesn't have the irritating personality of many, many, hollyweird women. Most of them marry wimp husbands.

[nhoward14]

My review after seeing the movie tonight...

SHE SCARED THE LIVING TAR OUT OF ME!!!!!

DAMN GOOD VILLIAN!!!!!!!

Interesting plot too. The storyline is not as convoluted as I worried it would be either. It actually made sense.

[Centurion2000]

Interesting ... so Hollywood is promoting the 'sticky' version of timelines. You can go back and change history, but eventually the major events remain similar if not the same.

[Ichneumon]

So if the fate of mankind is at stake, why do humans of the future send back an archaic model?

Presumably, because they had only managed to find ways to gain control and reprogram the older "Arnold" model, but not been able to successfully "hack into" the more advanced models.

So the Arnold model was all the human rebels had to work with.

[Drew68]

I have just one question:

How is it that Charlize Theron can completely ditch her Afrikaaner accent after only being in this country for a few years and Ahnuld --who has lived in the U.S. since the 1970s still talks like a drunken Austrian?

Seriously? I can barely understand a word he says!

Gonna see this one on the Big Screen though!!!

[GOPyouth]

Saw the movie today. It's a cool flick. The chase scene with the cops cars, fire-truck, crane, and bike was outstanding.

Be prepared to laugh. Arnold is pretty funny.

[DB]

I enjoyed it.

I thought it was great.

It's a fine sequel that preps us for T4.

[rintense]

I saw it too and really enjoyed it. The action scenes were incredible, even though the ending was kind of a downer. Let's just say that the guy who wrote this article is wrong- rise of the machines is completely appropriate.

[I_dmc]

hmm, Famke Janssen, as Xenia Onatopp didn't work for you? I thought she was a marvelous villian. Her near-orgasmic reaction to sub-machine-gunning the crowd at the Siberian site was, ah umm, stimulating. ;-)

[Beck_isright]

I agree. And the future governor was great.

[SauronOfMordor]

Be prepared to laugh. Arnold is pretty funny.

Arnold always wanted to be in comedy. T3 was excellent

[rabidralph]

I'm usually not a fan of female villains. Even if the film CLAIMS the female villain is super duper powerful, it remains a fact that she is, in fact, female, and it's hard to root for a 250 Austrian bodybuilder to beat the sh*t out of her.

There's a lot of beat downs in the film. One fight scene in particular left me awed and giggling. I enjoyed T3. The reviewer is right that there's a lot of mayhem and something is lost with all of that. But the effects were great; a lot of the liquid metal stunts were good enough that I didn't think too much about Robert Patrick's character from T2. It's a nice story and a little sad with the ever-present 9/11 on our minds now. Lots of comic relief from Arnold. The T-X is relentless and has her own funny quirks that keep the movie interesting. I'd see it again.

[Warhead W-88]

I enjoyed that scene and her orgasmic reaction. But I found her method of killing utterly ridiculous, more fit for an Austin Powers parody than an actual James Bond film. And I didn't think much of her as a villain, generally.

If you watch the older Bonds, you notice that the occasional Bad Girl Villain; but she usually dies halfway or so through the film. They don't bother bringing her all the way to the climax, because she's not a good enough villain to have the climactic fight with.