Terminator 4 - Salvation

4 June 2013

Terminator 4 - Salvation 2009

• Director: McG
• Based on book: No
• Cast: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Moon Bloodgood, Helena Bonham-Carter, Anton Yelchin, Jadagrace, Bryce Dallas Howard, Common, Jane Alexander
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Christian Bale – Branagh’s Henry V, Batman, Equilibrium, Public Enemies, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Velvet Goldmine, Little Women, Swing Kids
• Sam Worthngton  – Avatar
• Helena Bonham-Carter – Harry Potter, Sweeney Todd, The King’s Speech, Alice in Wonderland, Frankenstein, Keep the Aspidistra Flying, Howards End, Les Misérables
• Bryce Dallas Howard – The Help, Manderlay, As You Like It
• Jane Alexander – The Sunshine State, Cider House Rules, Playing for Time, Kramer vs Kramer
• Why bought: End (?) of the saga
• Seen: April 5, 2013  

Helena Bonham-Carter is a toned down villain.  She plays a small part and does it well, of course. Dallas Bryce Howard isn’t given much of a role and is hardly recognizable. Christian Bale? He does his job but Batman is more fun.  These are the three I know and love (or at least like a lot).  What are they doing in this movie?

Yes, it was a bit exciting and yes, it’s fun to see how it all started.  But even in the destruction after Judgment Day they can’t resist long boring car/truck/motorcycle chases with lots of shooting and explosions and big fires.

The banal love story between the damsel in distress (even though she’s a tough, kick-ass pilot) and the softy macho-man-with-a-human-heart is s-o-o-o-o gender stereotypical! Bo-o-o-ring!

The story is muddled and hard to figure out.  Without having seen the first three, I don’t know how much sense it would have made.  And why did the machines take human prisoners instead of killing them?

The best part was when Arnold Schwarzenegger suddenly popped up and wandered through the destruction in his own Terminator way.   Who would have ever believed I’d be happy to see Arnold Schwarzenegger?!

It’s not a bad film as far as sci-fi disaster future destroyed world films go but it doesn’t hold up to 1 and 2.  Arnold and Linda, I miss you.

  

2* of 5