"Terminator Salvation" (2009) - Movie Review

What is the notion that directors and writers undermine the intelligence of the audience? Especially with a franchise so strongly been established as not alone an entertainer but a trend in the graphic landmark applied reasonably and effectively with the demand of the story rather than as a gimmick. Christian Bale and Sam Worthington are so serious in the delusion that their director McG is taking a film they have imagined. In their cold performance they seem to be fooled by the script they signed and what they really are. There is a noticeable detachment in the actors and the film that it breaks down in the miniscule part in which they speak. Otherwise it is a wet dream for explosive enthusiasts and may be Adam and Jamie from Mythbusters would like to replicate it. Of course theirs would be more fun, logical and educative to watch than “Terminator Salvation” which does not even sparsely pass the entertainment criteria it weighs itself on.

As with the songs impregnating thoughts and memories to it, films are greater impression of visual manifestation of the passed on ages. When Arnold Schwarzenegger scarred the bejesus out of me in “Terminator”, it was a horror film with a thriller rarely matched in those days. But when James Cameroon hit the doors to kick it out of the space, it was “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”. One of the most vicious, deadly and likable villain in Robert Patrick came forth. He did not talk much but a slender and calm eye blocking the deadly nature of that being was impeccable. And with Arnold who can proudly say as his perfect role rocked the franchise. Of course by the third film, every one sang “Its all been done” and finished munching their popcorns. So when an actor like Christian Bale signs on, it is serious. They are taking this franchise a bit more seriously than it took itself in past years. While the concept of logic does not rings up to inform the ludicrous premise, the attempt to make it tally was important.

Here comes Bale preparing very well to look as the worn down and desperate John Connor, the saviour of the future and the past. He is not the ultimate leader yet while he follows orders from the guy we all hate enough to be doomed in the end. As he sees the underground facility of Skynet in 2013, the clever machine has researched into building better killers and for some reason will be choosing the face of Schwarzenegger. Anyways, as our compassionate hero requests for that “more” time to rescue prisoners, things are blown and the naked Sam Worthington as Marcus Wright comes out waking up after he has been put to dead twelve years back for a crime he still feels guilty. He does not know his purpose of being in this state and with nothing in mind begins to walk in the destroyed and mutilated Los Angeles. In between of course the constant and deadly attacks of the machines.

There is no doubt that the technical department of the film has worked way beyond than expected. There is a terrific scene where the camera follows Connor getting on helicopter from outside and then goes inside to crash along with him. That is incredible but chaotic to really make any sense out of the event. Similar kind of feat was done in the much under appreciated and under rated “Knowing” of the plane crash. That was terrorizing in its chaos making you freeze like its central character seeing the ultimate brutality in front. In this we do not need sense but some real purpose of such a shot. It is a tough shot and nothing valuable gets added to the film.
The plot is preposterous as its predecessors. But that is imminent when the void of the past and present are torn apart like a simple door to alter whatever the script wants it to be. Connor is on the hunt to rescue Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin) who was actually the time traveller knocking up Sarah Connor in the first part. So if Skynet kills him, what would happen to the current existing John Connor. In fact how did the current John Connor exist? Or for that fact in the first part how did he exist to send back Reese? As much it is silly in the mind to ask these, the film’s job is to calculatedly forgive those and immerse in character depths and even in entertainment a serious effort of doing clever and occupied.

Marcus and the lady pilot Blair Williams (Moon Bloodgood) have a night to spare and out of nowhere comes “bad” people to molest Blair. Marcus beats the crap to be the saviour and thus will formulate his key to be released from Bale’s Connor when he is chained in the dungeon. The film uses the famous tag lines nicely and reminding the franchise’s glorious tenure in pleasing its audience. In between blowing up huge amounts of crashed/burned and charred cars, “Terminator Salvation” does not suffer in finding its soul but does not even take efforts to find it.