Terminator: Salvation (2 out of 4)

Like the cyborg killing machine that is living flesh over metal exoskeleton, Terminator: Salvation is a Terminator film on the surface, but a very garden variety action film underneath.

Despite all the high intensity action, top dollar special effects and CGI, and even dry, studly action hero dialog, Terminator: Salvation doesn't live up to it's billing. The film is missing something, maybe more than one thing. If we look back at the three previous Terminator films, they each had a few commonalities; these being: Arnold Schwarzenegger (admittedly, his likeness is depicted in one scene), a single bad guy sent back from the future to kill John/Sarah Conner, and a single protector also sent from the future to protect John/Sarah Conner. That has been the formula and it has worked, for the most part, up until this point. Terminator: Salvation has deviated completely from this premise in an attempt to start something new. Well, McG, nice try. That certainly doesn't mean it couldn't have worked, it only means this movie didn't work.

Salvation starts off in the past with a death row inmate named Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington) who is awaiting imminent execution. Helena Bonham Carter plays a clinically ill woman who is desperate for the inmate to donate his body, we assume, for medical research. After some persuading, Wright signs over his body to science and the execution is carried out. Fast forward to some not-too-distant future, Wright wakes up to find himself alone in a post apocalyptic wasteland. What follows is a rather dull, even if action oriented, story centered mostly around the Wright character. I'm not exactly sure this character was even necessary, let alone worthy of his own plot line (aside from eye candy for female audience members), but the filmmakers none-the-less hitched their wagon to this one trick pony.

We are, eventually, introduced to the future John Conner (Christian Bale), his father Kyle Rees (Anton Yelchin), and a myriad of other, less important characters including a particularly unnecessary resistance leader played by Michael Ironside. Bale, who is apparently still trying to shake off the Batman growl, offers a rather shallow performance. Frankly, the only interesting character was the young Kyle Rees, played by Yelchin. Very little is explored here, which is a real shame. Rees and Conner are caught up in their own time paradox and, after all, isn't that a staple of the Terminator franchise?

Fans of the Terminator series will be disappointed, even if slightly entertained. This isn't a bad action film, quite the opposite, but it certainly isn't a good Terminator film, either. Don't expect a classic, but if you're looking for a summer action movie, this is a good option that's worth a visit to the matinee.