Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines


John Connor: "No, you shouldn't exist. We took out Cyberdyne over ten years ago. We stopped Judgment Day."
Terminator: "You only postponed it. Judgment Day is inevitable."



release year: 2003
genre: sci-fi/action
viewing setting: home Bluray 5/15/22 and 2/5/16 and home DVD, 6/26/09 and 5/14/06 and theater, 7/14/03

synopsis: Once again, an assassin from the future is sent back to kill key figures, and once again, a protector is also sent back to prevent this.

impressions: This was a great movie in its own right, a very good movie as far as sequels go, and a good movie as far as continuing the themes set forth in the first two. The main problem here (if you can call it that) is that this movie has some awfully big footsteps to follow in. There are only so many times that the same basic plot can be used, and this makes three. Anyway, the main elements were: new female terminator with liquid metal over an endoskeleton, and also some built-in weapons...same old T-800 Arnold model to protect the victims...good long chase with much destruction early on...early Skynet weaponry later on...unexpected ending.

things to watch for: Three contenders: 1) the big truck chase from the animal hospital, 2) the escape from the cemetery, 3) the running battle in SkyNet headquarters.

something this movie has that no other movie has: liquid-metal-over-metal-skeleton Terminatrix with variable-weaponry hand.

acting: Arnold did a good job as the older Terminator - he looked like he bulked up some for this role, and he had some great lines and moments. For 7 years I've been lamenting that Eraser was "Arnold's last good movie" - no more. Now he's got another one. Nick Stahl made a decent older John Connor, and brought something to the role that was lacking in the last movie. Claire Danes made a good second protagonist who at first denies what's happening, then realizes it and deals with events competently. Kristanna Loken was sinister as the evil Terminator.

final word: Good movie that you must see, even if your rating of its sequel worthiness may vary.

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