*** Official "TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES" Review Thread (1 Viewer)

[Steve_Tk]

Same here. Really enjoyed it.

And can't wait to test the sub at home with this one, sheesh.

 

[Tim RH]

TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES :star: :star:

I must say that I was quite disappointed with this one, unfortunately. Ahhnold seemed to be on auto-pilot (or should I say "auto-cybernetic organism") for this one - he practically phoned it in. Even though he is a robot, and he's pretty much got this role down to a T by now, he still seemed somehow disinterested in the proceedings, if that's possible. Even though T3 was much better than it might have been, it still could have - and damn well should have - been a lot better than it was. It just doesn't hold up well at all in comparison to the first two, though in feeling it is closer to the first film than it was to the second, IMHO. It felt like a big-budget B-movie. There were hardly any speaking parts of any substance in the film, and I didn't really care about any of the characters. It was missing the tone and imagination of the previous Jim Cameron efforts. It was sorely in need of Brad Fiedel themes. It felt a bit like X2 - just buildup to the next inevitable sequel which will hopefully finally get down to the real "war" that we all want to see. I guess I can kind of see how they can justify the subtitle of this sequel ("Rise of the Machines"), but it wasn't really what I was expecting and hoping for at all. It feels like a big cop-out. It was too short and the story was kind of pointless and meaningless, just one big chase scene like they had in T2, but without any of the intruiging ideas and possibilites that that movie had, as well as a certain sense of purpose. But hey, at least the special effects were fairly well done (they just weren't anything revolutionary like T2). Actually, I don't want you to get the wrong idea. I did enjoy some things about the movie (Claire Danes and Kristanna Loken were pretty good) and I'm not totally dissing it if you take it for what it is by itself and don't compare it to anything else, but it is pretty hard to do that when there were such high expectations for this sequel. Well, that's my two cents anyway....

 

[Chuck West]

:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star:
I enjoyed it.

 

[Geoff S]

I saw T3 on opening day with a mixture of high and low expectations. Low because James Cameron did not write or direct this one, and cause of the first trailer. The next Domestic trailer that premeired before Matrix Reloaded gave me high expectations cause it had an emotional edge to it, but I feel the movie lacked that in the end.

A couple other things I feel it lacked were things like the lack of use of a better score which would have played action scenes to a better climax, and emotional scenes to touch you. Instead there was a lack of sountrack. The humor was good at times, and was a poor choice at other times.

This film did some typical Terminator trademarks a little differently. Instead of a big flashy title sequence and opening credits it was a simple title against a black background. Instead of Arnold's T-850 coming through time first, he was second, and the film did not begin with a future war sequence, but rather the current life of John Conner which did include a breif reflection on his nightmares of the dark future. All this is ok, but I would have liked a better title sequence though.

The action is top notch, and it better be for $180 million, which a big chunk of which went to Arnold ($30 million I heard). The chases, explosions, and most of all, the terminators banging each other around, and getting slammed into things were the best. The chase scene towards the begining might be the one that beats out Martix Reloaded's freeway scene.

The things about this film that totally annoy me though are ages and dates. T1 was in 1984, T2 took place in 1994 (remember Arnold in T2 explaining that in 3 more years Skynet would take over in 1997). That makes John Conner 10 in the second movie, but in T3 it is stated that they tried to kill him when he was 13, and in 8th grade. This is confusing, as are the implications of time travel and altering the future.

Overall this was a good film, mainly cause of the action and seeing what has become of John Conner and the rest of the world since T2, and what will become of it. I enjoyed this movie, and will go back to see it a second time soon. :star::star::star: out of :star::star::star::star::star:

Before I wrap this up, I need to mention the idea of T4:
T3 gives you a surprise ending... Skynet does take over, and the Nukes fall, judgement day happens, and all the efforts by Conner in T2 and this one to stop it seem in vain. But of course, the movie just seems to end, so you know a T4 is open, and Warner already has bought the rights to it. Only thing I can say is you make too many sequels, you can ruin the whole series. T2 could have ended it, but it was left open for more sequels. A T4 needs to show a whole new future than what we know, a new view on the war, them stopping the first terminator from going back in time and altering the past perhaps, anything like that so it isn't predictable, cause we know what happens in the future very well, and have breifly seen it in T1 and T2. Besides this the future is a few years late than what it was going to be, judgement day happened much later than it was going to, so that leaves it open to explanation. Besides T3 makes it feel unfinished, so T4 needs to be done simply to bring closure to the series, but I hope they don't try to breathe new life into a dying flame with T5, T4 needs to be it. Period.


And that's my 2 cents.

 

[Eric Stuckey]

I have mix emotions about T3. I agree that Arnold seemed bord and to me the wasent much of a story line. I still think they should have stop the war but I guess it had to happen so they could make T4 & T5 & T6......
:star: :star: :star: out of :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

Enjoyed the fact that it had the courage for a negative ending. Good action sequences. The two main human characters were well played.

8/10

 

[George Monroy]

George,
Stop posting plotlines for a future Terminator movie in this reviews "only" thread! I already moved your earlier post about Terminator 4 to the discussion thread. Thank you.




Crawdaddy

 

[Jon Torres]

Just saw T3 today and I liked it. As for the title sequence, I don't even remember how all 3 looked. I thought John Connor should have been a little tougher considering he would be the leader of the resistance? Also, I think Robert Patrick would tear up Kristanna Loken in a fight. She didn't seem very intimidating. One more thing, I don't think there could be any Terminator sequel that would be leaps and bounds like T2 over T1. What's better than liquid metal? Great action sequences. I definitely want to see/hear this on dvd. I give it 8 out of 10. The only better movie this year so far is Finding Nemo.

 

[MikeRS]

:star: :star: :star:


It was fine as generic summer fun. I found the action very well crafted.

I didn't buy it for one second as a continuation of James Cameron's mythos.

 

[Pete Gia]

This Auction Mooovie is Kickass!

 

[Nate Anderson]

Okay, I'll admit it, just like everyone else did. T3 is no T2, and not really up to par with T1 either. But it does have it's own style and at times, a wicked sense of humor (I actually thought the Elton John Sunglasses bit was quite funny.)

I liked both Nick Stahl and Claire Dane's characters in the film and I think there were good performances from the two and of course from Arnold as well.

The chase scene with the crane was incredible...just incredible. Not as incredible as the Matrix: Reloaded epic chase, but close.

Anyway, on to the ending. I don't think it contradicts the ending of T2. At the end of T2, they thought they had won. It turns out in T3 that they had only delayed it (of course they did...after all we're watching Terminator 3!) Anyways, this makes sense to me...they only destroyed CyberDyne, the creation of a free-thinking computer by somebody was inevitable. It was going to happen...something like that.

I also was happy to see the return of
Dr. Silverman

although I think we really needed a bigger reaction from him seeing the T-800 again!

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

I enjoyed it but people mentioned that it tied everything together from the first two films was wrong. It created new stuff that they tried to fit into the first two but failed.

Everything was fine at the end of T2 and they averted Judgement Day so in this one they handily say, well we just postponed it ( so they could make another sequel).
the action was ok and the story was nowhere as epic and nowhere near as good as the first two.
It felt like the actions scenes were there just to have another explosion and even the TX was not as menacing as T1000. Not the actresses fault. She would dissapear and then just pop up again just in time for an action scene.
so no matter what they had done, it wouldnt have really mattered anyway? Mankind was doomed. Well thats convenient for a sequel!

So Hollywood.

Cameron makes action flicks with good characters and doesnt cheat us on the story. I think this one did.

And to the post that said they loved with they did with Sarah. Thats what I hated most about the movie.

 

[Aaron Cohen]

Spoilers are in this post:










I went into this movie with unbelievably low expectations and was pleasantly surprised. In fact, I expected the movie to be utter crap but was comforted by the fact that I would be able to hear the familiar Terminator theme.

How strange that I ended up enjoying the movie but at the end pissed off that the familiar theme was not used. I thought music was not used very effectively at all, certainly not to the same effect as it was in the first two films. And why not? It makes little sense. Sure, they changed composers but why not use the familiar theme? The audience never hears it until the opening credits.

And why the HELL was my theater so empty??? I saw it at 6:30 on Saturday night at the biggest theatre in my area (an 18 screener). The place itself was jam-packed, tons were going to see Charlie's Angels and Finding Nemo.

The theatre for Terminator 3 has 12 people in it. TWELVE PEOPLE!!!! I just don't understand.... I was expecting to have an excellent and rowdy crowd and was met with....nothing. I still enjoyed it but geez.... I haven't checked its' earnings yet but I'm hoping it did better overall than it did in my local theatre!

Dr. Silverman's little cameo was a bit funny and nostalgic I suppose, but pretty needless. In the first two films it made sense for him to be there. In this one, it seemed forced but I suppose it fit with the comedic tone of the movie. What I'm wondering though is if they can give Dr. Silverman a little cameo, why not Budnick from Salute Your Shorts??? (John Connor's red-headed friend from T2). I've always wondered what happened to him.

I hoping T4 will happen sooner rather than later. As has been mentioned on other forums, I see the potential for three more sequels. T4 could involve battles in in the future and culminate with Kyle Reese and bad Arnold being sent back in time. There could be all out wars, betrayal, new characters to love and hate, etc. T5 could have more of the same but carry over a story of some kind from T5 involving the same characters. We would care about the characters and be surprised at what happens to them and actually give a damn if they die (unlike the Star Wars prequels where we know what happens to 96% of the characters and the other 4% such as Jar Jar we just don't care). T5 could end with the T1000 and good Arnold being sent to the past. T6 could wrap it all up with Connor being assassinated but leaving the framework for his wife for the final defeat of the machines. That would be interspersed with the sending back of the T-X and new good Arnold.

As long as this movie makes money, I see no reason in not milking this franchise for as much as its' worth as long as the movies stay entertaining. The word of mouth on this one seems to be good for the most part and people seem eager to see T4.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Finally a summer movie that delivers some good old action and mostly importantly is FUN!

Really liked the way the movie tied itself around the first 2 and then takes it in a new direction rather than just repeating the first 2 movies.

The action scenes were well done and had a real physical presence.

Really enjoyed it - 3.75 out of 5.

Had to knock it down for the plane escape - plain lazy solution.

 

[Keith_R]

Being a huge fan of the Terminator series I like many others was concerned that they were filiming T3 without Cameron, the franchise is after all his brain child. I was extremely concerned they would take my favorite series of films and mess it all up.

Having now seen the film I can safely say that this was not the case. I thought T3 stayed close to the series and moved at a good exciting pace.Unlike many other movies I have seen I didn't sit there checking the time all throughout the movie.

My major concern with this movie was the way it would explain the creation of Skynet after the events of the 2nd film. I was expecting cheesy and ridiculous answers to this but instead was pleasantly suprised with how the film handled these circumstances and the obvious departure of Sarah Conner. I'm particularly pleased with the ending of this movie and love how in the end all the events mentioned within the first and second movies tied in with the events of the 3rd movie to dreate the final ending, not that I'm happy that Skynet takes over
. If anything T3 will serve as a great bridge between the originals and a 4th movie, if there ever is such a thing.

Overall a pretty good movie with the similar story-telling of the originals.

 

[Brian Dobbs]

i think my only problem with the movie is believing that John Connor is this "great military leader". We see a premonition by John (nick stahl) of the humans winning a battle and cheering near the beginning of the film that just doesn't seem believable at all. Nick Stahl looks like this little kid who is wearing a halloween costume too big for him, but has this gray hair which makes him look too old.

Rewind to the T2 premonition of the future John Connor. NOW THAT GUY was freakin' hardcore. He looked tough and believable, especially with that wicked scar on his cheek.

To T3's credit however, John Connor even questioned his ability to perform a leaders duties.

On a side note, what about John's lieutenants?
. Yeah right, like they are believable. The kid in the fast food joint is supposed to be a military leader?

 

[Tim Glover]

Saw this last night and LOVED it!

Best action movie of the year so far. Best special effects and best use of special effects this year.

:star: :star: :star: :star: 1/2 out of :star: :star: :star: :star: :star:

Like others have said, can't wait to see it again and have this in my dvd collection.

 

[MickeS]

I agree with those who liked the movie...

It was a cool, straightforward, old-school actionmovie: little dialogue, few dead moments, lots of car chases, fights, explosions (and the scene where Arnold puts on his first set of shades was really funny ).

Very entertaining action sequences and great special effects. The movie IMO also has a very high "rewatchability" faCtor. Even though it's not the best movie I've seen recently, it's the one I'd most like to see again (and again, and again...).

My only complaint is that it felt like there was too much rehashed material, and that the story to a large degree had been told before. It had been more interesting to see something completely new, rather than another movie about the time before Skynet became self-aware.

The positive: they had put a new spin on the story, so it wasn't too predictable, and the ending was great, IMO. I'm already looking forward to part 4 (I really hope it'll get made)!

I'd give it 3 out of 5... almost a 4, which it would have gotten had it been a bit more original.

/Micke

 

[TommyT]

Ummm, did any of us really believe that the young John Connor from T2 would grow up to be the leader of the Resistance? All he did in T2 was whine & be a smartass. Well, he does, so it's probably not such a stretch.

 

[Dwight Amato]

Just saw this movie, and I can't believe I'm the only one thinking that it was one of the worst movies I've ever seen. I would rather see Gone Fishing 2 then this crap.

The writing was horrible. The suspense was horrible. The action was horrible. The CGI was acceptable. I do not consider myself to be some high brow entertainment guy. I don't need a movie to be super smart to feel it was worth my money. But this movie was just absolutely horrible.

I new terminator that is less powerful then the last one (back to metal skeleton that can't get loose from fallen doors?).

I have to say, it reminds me of Alien 3. Let's kill off some people that were in the last movie and pretend it was done to 'advance' the movie.

I would give it one star, but that is one too many...