Good story directed well with beautiful action

Terminator Salvation

Certification: PG

Cast: Christian Bale, Sam

Worthington, Moon

Bloodgood, Anton Yelchin,

Bryce Dallas Howard, Helena

Bonham Carter, Jane

Alexander, Common,

Jadagrace

Director: McG

Genre: Sci-Fi, Action

FROM one action-hero movie to another, Christian Bale takes on the role of an adult John Connor in Terminator Salvation. Connor now in the year 2018 is leader of the Resistance and has married his sweetheart from Rise Of The Machines, Kate Brewster (a role passed on to Bryce Dallas Howard). His mission this time is to keep his father (a technical term at best), Kyle Reese, alive.

Kyle (Anton Yelchin) is still a teenager who has yet to travel back in time to give life to John. But Skynet already knows of his existence and is searching for him, putting him on top of the hit-list and John second.

The movie opens up in 2003, where a convicted murderer on death row, Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), is asked to donate his body to science by an eager doctor, Serena Kogan (Helena Bonham Carter).

Twenty-five years after the chaotic future was hinted in The Terminator, director McG finally gives us an intimate look at what the world has really become. When the beginning of the movie cues to the year 2018, a short action sequence ensues with the outcome ending badly for the humans. But what we get to see for the first time is the post-apocalyptic lives of the survivors and their relentless war against the artificial intelligence of endoskeletons.

Judgment Day has come and gone, leaving Earth in a bleak, desolate and barren state. And that feeling of solitary desperation really transcends through the screen into the hearts of its audience. When John first goes into a life-and-death battle with a Terminator, the scuffle looks so real that it takes its audience into its world. And this is where director McG really shines. Collaborating writers John D Brancato and Michael Ferris both return for seconds. Their greatest achievement is creating a mystery that is Marcus Wright, in which the audience cannot help but guess till the end which side he belongs to. But their greatest failure, apart from derailing once too often from the main storyline, is not having enough of John Connor's presence in the whole movie as he is getting closer and closer to becoming 'the one'. Because of that, Bale seems to be playing second fiddle to Worthington instead (a déja vu for Bale since Heath Ledger just upstaged him in The Dark Knight).

A few female characters also lacked soul with their limited lines. The little girl, Star (Jadagrace), doesn't speak at all. Howard could pass as a cyborg with her emotionless portrayal good thing she has that big bump on her tummy that proves otherwise. And Bloodgood just looks miscast.

Nevertheless, it is still a story well told and well directed. The action and special effects are beautifully created and executed. And there are even enough robots here to challenge the upcoming Transformers movie.

Reviewer's Rating: 7 / 10

The Brunei Times