Synopsis
Proving there's no rest for the wicked, after vanquishing the liquid metal T1000, Arnie's unstoppable android is sent back to the past to protect young revolutionary John Connor (Nick Stahl) from SkyNet's newest robo-assassin, the Terminatrix (Kristanna Loken). Homeland's Claire Danes also finds herself in the firing line as the latest lady in Connor's life. But ultimately, the future of mankind is once again in the Teutonic cyborg's hands. Seconds out for Boomageddon round three.
Over Review
There's a moment early in T3 when John Connor realises that he was destined to be with Kate Brewster (Danes).
The pair made out as teenagers the night before Arnie showed up in T2 and here they are again, thrown together by fate just before another couple of cyborg killing machines pop back from the future.
It seems that even if you do give history a nudge, nothing can really be done to avoid the terrible and cataclysmic disaster that is this movie - sorry, Judgment Day.
Today's John Connors is a drifter and Kate Miller is a vet. But her dad is the Air Force Special Projects guy who's built SkyNet.
But, even as the world falls victim to a rampant computer virus, he's having trouble flicking the switch that will turn on SkyNet and end the spread of the virus...
Let's put this in perspective - this movie will do fabulously well in the box office.
It has a few great sight gags, some fun lines, a couple of great car chases and lots and lots and lots of explosions.
Polling views of the team around the office, everyone loved the action and the car chases and the gags. Also, the CGI elements and the death-dealing Terminatrix (Loken) are cool.
But if you're a big fan of the first two because of the sheer size of the ideas, the scale of the production, the quality of the direction...you're going to be disappointed.
While the cast isn't bad, the members struggle with a none-too-clever script and, while Jonathan Mostow will one day make great movies, this isn't it.
Why am I so angry about this? I LOVED Judgment Day and have been waiting patiently since 1991 to see the kind of big war between man and machine that was promised by the first two films.
The marketing of this movie (posters, trailers, magazine spreads) all show plenty of shiny death-dealing, red-eyed killer robots crushing the skull of humanity to dust. What a shame it only actually takes up about 15 seconds of the film...
It actually looks like we'll need to wait until T4 to (maybe) see some real man-against-metal action. If you're a fan, see it - but don't say I didn't warn you...
Mike Taylor
Director
Jonathan Mostow
Cast
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Claire Danes
Nick Stahl
Kristanna Loken
