I can tell you now Salvation is no ‘Terminator 2 Judgment Day’ (1991) – it pales in comparison. Comparisons aside, Salvation is a very average action film. Director McG knows how to direct and create some good action sequences. There are some good moments when the camera is in a helicopter, or a jeep, and you feel like you're on a virtual roller-coaster ride. The film has a variety of Terminator machines from killer bikes to harvesters, underwater terminators and even the classic T800s.
The action is the only element that holds the film together. Each action sequence moves the film along nicely, but there is a lack of the human factor. I didn't care much for John Connor (Christian Bale) or Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin). I guess the suspense was absent due to the fact we already know Kyle Reese is in ‘The Terminator’ (1984) and John Connor has to become the leader of the resistance so we assume he can't die. John Connor was just angry the whole time; they don't show any other emotion or try to create some reason for us to care about him. The humans may as well be Terminators themselves. It's all a bit somber at times but after all it is set after Judgment Day in a post apocalyptic world with no Starbucks or McDonald's – you'd be mad too I guess.
The film focuses on Sam Worthington's character, Marcus Wright, a convict sentenced to death by lethal injection, who donates this body to science. Marcus awakens in 2018 arising from a defunct Skynet base. Marcus travels to Los Angeles where he bumps in to Kyle Reese, which is completely absurd. Marcus walked through a desert and then just happens to bump in to Kyle on the street in LA. Post apocalyptic or not, LA is huge – the chances of them crossing paths are nil. However, this is a movie about Terminators and time travel, so all reason is out the window. Marcus and Kyle hear John Conner on the radio (chance of ever happening 0) and decide to go to John Connor and join the resistance to take down Skynet. McG has only ever made two action films – Charlie's Angels and Charlies Angels: Full Throttle. Both films are full of sparkly bubble gum action with pointless drivel, in between the fight scenes. Terminator Salvation has action which is far superior; it's dark and gritty and done on a massive scale, but you get the same result as Charlie's Angels, where the film becomes all about a big action piece and forgets about everything else. I wanted a whole film with story, plot, good characters, emotion, suspense and epic action. I did like the look of the film which is dark and gritty. The sets and environments looked good, especially the Skynet factory, and I loved seeing the Terminators again. Stan Winston is a legend for creating such a menacing fearful machine. Overall I felt Terminator Salvation was made with the word “trilogy” in mind – it was like they didn't put everything they had in to the movie, which in my opinion lets the film down a lot and makes it feel unfinished. I think I'll go watch T2 Judgment Day on Blu-ray again, God I love that movie.