Hardly the franchises salvation (Terminator Salvation (DVD))

Member Name: bilbob20

Product:	Terminator Salvation (DVD)
Date:	31/08/09 (31 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Stunning action sequences

Disadvantages: The cast are underused, and Bale is just getting annoying now

So I finally got to see the fourth instalment in the Terminator franchise, having been warned off against it. The reviews weren't exactly glowing, and my friends didn't exactly entice me with their luke warm responses. Carrying on plot points first hinted at in the earlier films, this one begins with a low key scene of capital punishment early in the 21st century which will provide hints as to how a machine could protect the Connor's back in the 1980's.

John Connor is now a hardened fighter who assists in the leadership of the revolution against the machine's. Through nightly transmissions, he reaches far and wide to the few human beings who haven't been extinguished by the machine's. By now, the machine's have taken on the form of many species including human being's and even snakes. The main objective of the machine's is to destroy John Connor. Connor's agenda is simple. He must find Kyle Reece who is the reason for his existence, and he must continue to rage war against Skynet.

Never has a Terminator film been more about fight sequences and blazing gunfire than this one. Rumoured to be a kick start of the franchise (with films 5 and 6 due at a multiplex near you very soon), it replaces the heart that the first 3 films had with something much grimmer and mechanical. Even a silly subplot about the human heart seems like an afterthought to try and inject some much needed humanity into the film.

The film is plagued by a daft performance from the increasingly over-wrought Christian Bale. Clearly, he has figured that sounding like he smokes a hundred a day and shouting like a buffoon constitutes intensity. Not so, in fact, he is the least intense thing about the film. Even Arnie's oddly placed cameo is more intense than Bale's performance. That's not to say that he isn't able in the action sequences, if he would just lose his Batman voice, he'd make for a better actor.

Surprisingly, this film has attracted a fair few recognisable names. Helena Bonham Carter turns up for a weird cameo, whilst Bryce Dallas Howard proves once again just how she has mastered her Hollywood persona as pointless eye candy. At least in Superman 3, they gave her some nice make up and a decent hair-do.

Whilst it may not be up to the standard of the first 2 films, or even the reasonably-flawed 3rd, it is watchable if just for the rage of the machines. The motor-cycles are the highlight of the film, whilst we are treated to a touch of nostalgia with Arnie turning up for a few minutes (using some clever effects) and a familiar looking gas station. All the elements were in place, but the final result is a rather dreary bleak film that focuses on explosions and shoot outs at the cost of the human characters that it so blatantly claims to be protecting.

Summary: Watchable