Comments on: Terminator Salvation

By: Lynn M

Lynn M — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:48:44 +0000

I liked it for what it was – an action movie set in a dystopian future with hot guys in peril. As a character study, it did fail pretty much. I felt far more for Marcus than I did for Connor, and if they were going to go in that direction, I wish they would have fully committed. Too, I agree with the idea that focusing on the Connor/Kyle Reese relationship would have been much better, with Marcus set up as the unexpected protector.

One thing that I can’t manage to include in my suspension of disbelief is the idea of machines being able to take over the world. I kept wondering, how do machines manage to procure enough raw materials to make more machines? The whole premise of the Terminator world is that when Judgment Day happens, the entire world has been automated so that once the machines become aware, they can exist and continue entirely without any human involvement. I can’t imagine that.

By: Stacy ~

Stacy ~ — Mon, 25 May 2009 20:10:20 +0000

I was so disappointed in this movie. I didn’t hate it, but man, I felt let down. I will take the 3rd installment over this one anyday. Really, why did we need to know so much about Marcus? Sure his character had a significant role in bringing John and Kyle together, and he was kinda hot but considering his role and where it went, it didn’t make sense that so much of the movie concentrated on him.

By: Carolyn Jean

Carolyn Jean — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:02:19 +0000

Okay, not reading the spoiler posts because of course I will go and see this, but … NOOOOO!
I keep hearing it’s just not all it could be.

By: meljean

meljean — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:28:57 +0000

@Dottie: There is a Terminator … kind of. I don’t want to be super spoilerish (though, if you are wondering, you can look at the spoiler part of the above post) even though it’s pretty obvious from the beginning who the Terminator-ish person is.

It’s not that it was all bad. It’s just that the first Terminator movies set such a high bar, and this didn’t live up to it. It was a decent post-apocalyptic movie, but just didn’t feel like a Terminator film, despite the familiar-looking machines.

By: meljean

meljean — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:19:17 +0000

I agree that it was a bad sign — but in a way, the whole Bale thing that was “this script is shit, go back and show me another” gave me hope…because he does seem to be all about the character.

What’s really sad is that this movie HAS what it needs to be a great film. The plot isn’t such a problem, it’s that the emotional and character focus is in the wrong spot, and there’s no real depth to it.

SPOILERISH STUFF FOLLOWS!!!!!

Because, the guy who wakes up in a post-apocalyptic world and has to struggle with the realization that he’s a cyborg and his character never wavers from being human (seriously, there is no struggle with his cyborg/terminator side) VS the people who’ve been living this really awful existence, are on the edge of extinction, and who’ve put their faith in someone who is essentially a prophet? There’s no contest. But they focused on the guy who wakes up a cyborg rather than the people who’ve been living and fighting … and so the movie suffered for it. Suffered a LOT for it.

By: Jill Myles

Jill Myles — Fri, 22 May 2009 15:38:11 +0000

I read somewhere that both Christian Bale and the director passed on this movie originally after reading the script. Then they brought in another writer, let him go apeshit, and decided to work on the movie after that. And Christian Bale originally wanted the role of Marcus but went for John Connor afterwards.

Anytime they constantly switch the script and fire writers to let someone else rewrite the whole thing? Never a good sign. Never.

By: Dottie

Dottie — Fri, 22 May 2009 11:43:27 +0000

Hi Meljean

I had high hopes for this movie. I still want to see it, because you know, it is a Terminator movie (who plays the part of the Terminator? Is there a Terminator?). I wondered what the writers strike was doing to some of the movies. We have had a whole of crap movies because of it. I hope HP6 is okay. I’ve read the strike disrupted production and delayed many movies, but I’d hoped that they were getting past that now.