dj_white_rice's Full Review: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Terminator 3 follows the ever popular movies Terminator 1 and Terminator 2 about a network of machines (Skynet) that eventually take over the world and turn on their creator (Humanity).
This review assumes that you have already watched Movie #1 and #2, if you haven't you'll need to watch them first before you see Terminator #3 or it won't make as much sense.
Overall, I enjoyed this movie. However, there were a number of compromises that left a bitter taste in my mouth with Terminator #3, but nothing that a die hard fan can't put behind them for the sake of continuing the story.
Problem #1.
In movie #1 we are introduced to Sarah O'Connor, her son Sean, and Terminator version #1. An excellent movie, well thought out, excellent story line, quality filming.
In movie #2 we are re-introduced to Sarah O'Connor, her son Sean, Terminator #1, and introduced to a new terminator that is liquid metal. Once again an excellent movie, high film quality, excellent story plot continuing on where movie #1 left off.
Now we move on to Terminator #3, "Rise of the Machines". In number #3 the movie starts off with a weak storyline from the very beginning. Sarah O'Connor is already dead, Terminator robot #1 is once again re-introduced, and now a third version of Terminator robot is introduced. This time a female terminator that simply doesn't have the testosterone to fill the shoes of the former terminators.
This new terminator is obviously intended to draw in women and young ladies to the movie. She wears a burgundy leather suit during the whole movie, has blond hair, has no sex appeal and is unbelievable as a terminator. Her facial expressions as a "terminator" are not at all believable. This actress looks like someone with a bad poker face. The female terminator has new and advanced weapons that are not believable but probably appropriate for a female version of a terminator.
Problem #2.
The director and producer of this third movie sold out to commercialism. One reason movie #1 and #2 worked is because there was no obvious commercialism in the movies that would give any indication to the time frame the events were occurring in. Movie #1 and #2 left it up to our imagination to wonder if it was something that was currently occurring, would occur in the future, or if such an event could happen someday.
Movie #3 kills that lingering question by having a number of totally irrelevant frames for the sole sake of having a current commercial product introduced and shoved in your face.
The movie starts out trying to capture you with this massive and unbelievable car chase scene that lasted way to long, seems completely pointless and in reality simply could not happen. Such as remote controlled emergency vehicles driving on their own chasing and ramming into a vehicle driven by Sean O'Connor that are supposedly under the control of Terminator #3 while she is out of view and not even on the same street.
Problem #3.
The film quality is also not up to par with the former movies. It is obvious that the director and producer were more concerned with pushing out another movie that would draw people into watch it than they were with the quality of the series. The whole storyline could have fit into a half hour movie if you removed all the crap.
Problem #4.
One of the first things the female terminator does is set out to murder several future friends of Sean O'Connor. These scenes are violent, make no initial sense, tie poorly into the overall sequel and are poorly written into the movie. They are obviously trying to invoke the initial darkness of the original movie but are instead projecting cold murder.
This brings us to the issue of the futility and darkness of the original movies. Rise of the Machines completely lacks the darkness and impending doom that the first two movies offered. In my opinion the futility and darkness of the original movies are one of the key things that helped make them a successful.
Problem #5.
The "futuristic reality" of the Terminator series is lost as it tries to tie the movie into the present through the introduction of the "Internet" which basically becomes "SKYnet". A beast that becomes it's own entity and intelligence and cannot be stopped because it exist in "Cyberspace".
Unlike the first two movies that had a sense of closure, movie #3 simply leaves the door open for a sequel. There is absolutely no closure in this movie.
Should the Directors, producers, and writers continue with another sequel of such poor integrity to the original two movies, it would be better if they simply release it straight to video.
Final Thoughts
It's nice to see Arnold back in the role of the original terminator however his age is beginning to show, and Rise of the Machines seems to make his appearance in the future sequel unlikely as it will move us from the past and present role of his character being a protector of the young Sean O'Connor, into the future role of rebel leader with his newly introduced future wife. We might seem him in a minor role if the writer decides to show the moments implied in the first three movies where the original terminator was sent back in time by the future O'Connor.
It's nice to see a sequel even though it's compromised in every way possible.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is back as a time-traveling T-101 Terminator in this smash hit directed by Jonathan Mostow. With dazzling effecs, bravura thrill...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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