Terminator Salvation

What steriods did to me

Dir: McG

And so we finally reach the post apocolypse war with Skynet and surprise surprise, its something of a let down. Not enough to ruin the film, but enough to leave me slightly disapointed. There were a few scenes of ruin and devastation, with a few HK's and early model terminators plodding about spraying everything with miniguns like ammunition doesn't ever run out (does any one in Hollywood have any idea how much ammunition those things use?) but this was quickly replaced by deserts, abandoned factory interiors and lots of rusty chains.

I like rust, and I love old factory interiors, but I like desolated city scapes much better, and what I loath, is lots of people in pseudo military garb clustered around a radio listening to 'the voice of the resistance'. Terminator Salvation failed because it was too close to The Matrix sequels. Too 'staged' to be convincing.

Some people have complained about the acting, and others the story, especially the ending. I didn't mind the ending as it fit in with the pre established character of Marcus, and I thought Marcus was well played by Sam Worthington, I especially liked the moment when Moon Bloodgood's character shot him and despair overwhelmed him. His reaction was underplayed, but very effective. I think that was my favourite moment of the film, and the only part where the horrors of the story made any impact on me (either I've seen too many films or whom ever wrote the story didn't do a good job).

As I watched Sam Worthington on the screen, I considered if in ten years or so he'd make a good Philip Marlowe, with a moustache and some appropriate period clothing, I think he just might. First though, we have to see him star in James Cameron's upcoming film 'Avatar' (and boy am I looking forward to that one!) and as Perseus in the 'Clash of the Titans' remake.

As for the story behind 'Terminator Salvation', I thought it was okay, but some what unambitious. There were a lot of special effects, but these couldn't hide how thread-bare the narrative was. There was also a lot missing, but I assume this is because time travel, super terminators and what not are as yet further down the time line. John Connor survived termination yet again though, so I guess we'll have a fifth film in a few years time, and maybe then we'll see more post-apocolypse furniture and less Matrix style cliché.


I doubt it though.