Movie Talks Archives

Posted by: syxxpac at July 3, 2003, 8:50 pm

Topic: Reviews: Terminator 3 Forum: JoBlo

T3: RISE OF THE MACHINES INTRO: Wow. Several words can be used to describe the epic motion picture I have just witnessed. "Amazing", "thought-provoking", and "thrilling" immediately come to mind. After a 12-year wait for the Austrian Oak to don the leather and arm the shotgun one more time, T-fans' prayers have been answered. Thankfully, initial fears of the second sequel being nothing more than a cash-cow to the successful multimillion dollar series, in my opinion, can be peacefully laid to rest. Jonathan Mostow has crafted an action/thriller wired to the teeth with adrenaline-packed stunts and an engaging storyline that is a worthy entry in the mythology started in 1984 by acclaimed director James Cameron. STORY: This is by far my favorite storyline in the Terminator franchise. Ever since the first two movies, I've always wanted to know how Skynet came into power and find out more background on the infamous A.I. who waged war on humanity on Judgment Day. We get that with T3, as well as a more thorough understanding of how John Connor survived to lead the resistance of the future. The last two movies aren't ignored, and I appreciated how we get better insight into Skynet's assassinations, and exactly why it sent the T-1000 to its specific time period. My only two main qualms were: 1) that aside from a few neat plot twists (some of which I never saw coming), the sense of familiarity was definitely there. But that can be easily forgiven, since more T2 isn't a bad thing to me...obviously. And 2) I'm starving for more future war scenes! There was even less of that in here than in T2, and I was disappointed. I suppose it can be forgiven because the movie is entitled "RISE Of The Machines" and not "WAR Of The Machines", but I can't help but think of what could've been. Another minor thing that irked me was how Arnold somehow knows the "keys in the sun visor" rule. If he was a different T-101, I'd think he would've ripped open the steering column again. Anyway, these few nitpicks aside, the film has one of the most potently emotional endings I've ever witnessed onscreen. Sad, depressing and heart-wrenching. I loved it! ACTING: Ahnuld is back, baby! The big guy once again delivers an entertaining show as everyone's favorite robot...er, cybernetic organism Using his trademark deadpan humor and wacky cyborg antics to get the best of that pesky T-X, Arnold once again guarantees a good time with his traditional action shtick. He proves he still has it and I was cheering him on the whole way through. It's also interesting to note that we've got several brand new catchphrases to mockingly utter for years to come, too. "I'm an obsolete design, "I am not shitting you", and "She's a far more effective killing machine" were amongst my favorites. Stepping into the shoes of John Connor originally worn by Edward Furlong, Nick Stahl gives an engaging and powerful performance as the troubled future leader. Unsure of his destiny, Stahl plays Connor as a wary and slightly paranoid young man. While Stahl does lack the laid back, "bad boy" demeanor that Furlong brought to the role in 1991, it's only common sense. After the trials and tribulations Connor went through in T2, it would be hard for me to swallow that he'd be as naive and fun-loving as he once was in his teenage years. Claire Danes, as Kate Brewster, attempts to take over the role of the femme fatale, a staple in the Terminator series, which is known for its strong female leads. While she lacks the intensity that Linda Hamilton brought to the role of Sarah Connor in T2, she is a welcome addition to the movie and allows for an intriguing character arc. She seems to go from Sarah Connor circa T1 to Sarah Connor circa T2 in a span of two hours. I was fearing that she would be reduced to the annoying "screamer", the female character whose only purpose is to shriek at things non-stop, but I was pleasantly surprised. I liked her and look forward to more from her should a sequel be greenlighted. Newcomer Kristanna Loken plays the obligatory cybernetic villain, and what an outstanding job she does. While I felt she wasn't as pound for pound scary as Robert Patrick in his T-1000 role from T2 (who really could?), she was still intimidating in her own way, not to mention had a much better arrival scene (hint hint, wink wink ). I'm not going to hold that against her however; the tension still skyrocketed considerably when she appeared. The violence radiated off her in waves, and she actually felt like a real threat, rather than a cartoonish villain. Props to Loken for that. An impressive performance from a fresh newcomer. I see big things in her future. Of course, that's probably what some people said about Robert Patrick after T2 (just kiddin' Bob. We love ya man ) As for the rest: David Andrews (Robert Brewster) gave a sympathetic performance from the material he was given. I would like to have seen more of him, considering how important his character was and all. And the one thing I thought was going to be a disappointment was the absence of Earl Boen as the smarmy Dr. Silberman, but lo and behold! He's here, slightly older, but still the same jaded old bastard we all remember, still slightly spooked by his past experiences. You made my day, Mostow, and I thank you for that. Silberman rules! DIRECTING: Mostow manages to set a frenetic pace, but never sacrificing story and character development that are much-needed ingredients in the Terminator stew. This is one hell of an action movie, and the crane chase in particular is officially going to put him on the map as a director to be reckoned with. Much like Loken, I see big things in his future. Not only did he live up to Cameron's directing standards set by the first two, he may very well have dethroned the self-proclaimed King himself when it comes to the Terminator franchise. On second thought, that's a bold statement, and I may come to regret it later, so let's just say I was duly impressed. Bring on T4, Mostow! You have my support. SPECIAL FX: What can be said about the SFX that hasn't already been stated elsewhere. They're by no means as ground-breaking as in '91, but they're still phenomenal eye candy. The T-X is, hands-down, one of the most interesting characters I've ever seen created by Stan Winston, as are his real robots (T1s) created specifically for this movie. Winston once again proves he's the leader of his field. CONCLUSION: When all is said and done and the nuclear fall-out has faded, I must say that I was not let down at all by the exciting new entry in the much-loved Terminator series. Maybe when the hype dies down and the adrenaline has completely leaked out of my system will I consider re-evaluating my favorites, but as of now, T3: Rise Of The Machines is so far my favorite movie of 2003, and, dare I say it, ever.

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