"Terminator: Salvation" Review

2.5 out of 5 ----- C

“Terminator: Salvation,” the fourth entry in the “Terminator” franchise, is average in almost every way. Of course, many films coming out of Hollywood are average, but the average ness of “Terminator: Salvation” is particularly annoying because the film still has many good elements. It just did not meld together so well.

The film takes place after Judgment Day, an almost apocalyptic event where the Terminator company SkyNet launches nuclear attacks against the United States. As the film opens, the character of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington) is introduced. Marcus is a criminal who is put on death row. While in prison, he meets with Serena (Helena Bonham Carter), a representative of a company called Cybeydyne. While meeting with Serena, Marcus agrees to donate his organs to Cyberdyne once he is executed. The film then flashes forward to 2018, and Marcus wakes up in an empty valley in Los Angeles. He soon meets up with Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin), a young man who is fighting for the Resistance, the opposition to SkyNet. But the film centers on John Connor (Christian Bale), a man – who according to his mother – is supposed to lead the Resistance against the machines.

With such respected actors, one would expect thefilm to be at least solid. Unfortunately, a host of talented actors does not necessarily make a good film. And while Sam Worthington is given a decent role with a full emotional pay off, Anton Yelchin suffers from an underwritten part. He still makes the best of it though. Christian Bale, however, does nothing to challenge himself. He adds no depth to the character of John Connor. The audience learns nothing about him other than he is driven and angry – a lot. Therefore, his character garners very little sympathy from the audience.

Many of these problems can also be blamed on the screenplay. The script is full of good ideas, but it feels like some studio executives got their hands on it and added things that would make it more appealing to a broader audience. For example, there is a pseudo-cameo at the end of the film that feels gimmicky and obviously CGI-enhanced. And whenever the film hits an interesting idea, it is interrupted by an action scene that feels repetitive or at times – just boring. Action is fine – heck, “Star Trek” is a very good movie and over half of that movie is action – but when there is little to no emotional attachment to the characters, then the action does not work. And while a few actors did some interesting work with such undeveloped material, the audience never feels invested in the main plot.

While director McG does very little to convey the emotion of the characters, he should be credited for at least giving “Terminator: Salvation” an interesting look. The whole film seems to be drenched in beige and grey dryness. Unfortunately, the dryness of the art design also permeates into the film’s characters and action pieces. In other words, “Terminator: Salvation” is boring.