Terminator Salvation (2009)
★★ — Terminator Salvation (2009)
Terminator Salvation arrived in 2009 as the fourth film in the franchise and the first not to feature Arnold Schwarzenegger in a meaningful role, a gamble that signalled the producers were serious about shifting the series into full-scale future-war territory. The Halcyon Company had acquired the Terminator rights through a legal dispute with the Schwarzenegger-era producers, and the $200 million budget represented a considerable bet on a property that had been dormant since the divisive Rise of the Machines in 2003. McG, best known before this for the Charlie's Angels films, was a curious choice for the material. Christian Bale, fresh off The Dark Knight, took the John Connor role, while Sam Worthington (about to break through with Avatar later that same year) provided his first major Hollywood appearance.
The PS3 game was better. This movie had potential, it really did. The idea of exploring the post-apocalyptic war between humans and machines is fascinating. The world-building, the setting, and the potential for a darker, more mature take on the Terminator mythos are all there. But man, this film is a slog. The plot is weak, the characters are flat, and Christian Bale's performance as John Connor is... well, let's just say he seems more interested in yelling than anything else. The film’s attempts to give emotional depth to the war against the machines fall flat, and the supposed big twists are either predictable or feel tacked on. The action is fine, but it's mostly mindless CGI, there’s none of the gritty, raw energy that made the earlier films so memorable. And let’s be honest: the PS3 game was better than the movie. The whole thing feels like a missed opportunity, a pointless entry that adds little to the overall story. If you’re a fan of the franchise, it’s a passable watch, but ultimately forgettable and way behind its predecessors.
Rating: ★★ | Year: 2009 | Watched: 2025-04-09
Where to watch (UK)
Rent: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Sky Store
Buy: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Sky Store
Physical: Amazon UK
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