Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

7/10

Starring

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Directed by Jonathan Mostow

When I think about Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, all that comes to mind is destruction, fights, explosions, and more action to fill over 100 minutes. You can’t just find yourself hating this movie—they packed every space with intense action scenes and only used dialogue when necessary.

As the last movie Arnold Schwarzenegger did before taking the governor’s office, it was one to remember. He reprises his role as the Terminator model T-101 and absolutely owned the movie. Similar to Terminator 2 in 1991, the other Terminator he’s up against is a higher model. In Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the T-101 faced the T-1000 (played by Robert Patrick), who had a mimetic poly-alloy (liquid metal) structure and the ability to shapeshift into other humans.

Here, in Terminator 3, he’s up against the TX (played by Kristanna Loken), who has all the features of the T-1000 and more. She’s the Terminator terminator, capable of taking control of other machines.

This movie boasts excellent cinematography, and although it’s not directed by James Cameron (who directed the first two films and created the characters), the new director, Jonathan Mostow, did a nice job.

The plot picks up 10 years after the events of Judgment Day. Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton from both movies) is dead, and John is living his life off the grid.

Suddenly, we see a familiar sight: the machines from the future have sent a Terminator—this time in the form of a woman—to kill John.

But soon after, the human resistance sends a Terminator (the T-101) to save the humans in the past. Note I said humans, not just John, because the machines decided to take out all of John’s key allies in the future since they couldn’t pinpoint his location in the past.

Things get complicated when the TX stumbles upon John, so the race continues to save his life while the TX tries to end it.

I got to see this movie with friends when it was released, and it was a consensus that we loved the movie, but hated the idea of Sarah Conor no longer being part of the franchise.

T3 isn’t great, but it’s good. Terminator 2 owns the show when it comes to the franchise, but after you’ve seen the first two Terminator films, there’s no reason to stop until you’ve seen this one. After you’ve watched this solid movie, then you can stop. Terminator Salvation? Absolutely nonsense.