Posted by
Emmett of the Unblinking Eye on Friday, May 22, 2009 6:46:45 PM
Or doesn't. Whatever.
I've enjoyed the "Terminator" series since the first one, no matter how silly they eventually became. The question always was -- what happened with Skynet? How did Judgment Day begin? How did folks survive it? What did they do to battle the machines?
In other words, what the heck happened between 1984 and 2016 (or so)?
So when I first say the trailer for Terminator Salvation (and a fine trailer it was), I was one of many who was anxiously awaiting the answers to those and other questions, as well as to see what Christian Bale would do with the John Connor role. The last thing I thought to look at was the director. And that was a mistake.
McG's main claim to fame is that he and I went to the same high school. Oh yes, he also made a lot of music videos that were (apparently) well-received, until graduating (if that's the right word) to direct Charlie's Angels and its sequel (enough said about those) and the pretty decent We Are Marshall. But this film is just tooooooo big for him to handle. He gets the action scenes -- it's a little like watching a destruction derby -- but the movie as a whole is drained of all charm, heart, and humor. Even his attempts to bring back some old time Terminator lines -- "I'll be back", for example -- fall flat.
It's not all negative, of course. On the plus side, there is Bale does a pretty good job, although it pales in comparison with Sam Worthington as the mysterious stranger (who arrives to save the day?) or even Anton Yelchin, so good in Star Trek, as the young Kyle Reece.
But fundamentally, this movie is review-proof. If you were going to go, what I say wouldn't dissuade you, and if you weren't -- well, you sure aren't now. Basically, this is the kind of movie you will like if you like this kind of movie.
Oh yes. Remember those questions I had at the start? They’re still there. But then again, maybe iin Terminator 5....