Terminator: Review

I was going to think of something witty, but because I got my days confused (and then was computer lacking yesterday), I figured I just play it straight. So....This will be a free flowing discussion so spoilers may (and most likely will) be mentioned.




Much like most franchises (most recently Star Trek), Terminator had keep the original fans happy, update the story (to appeal to the younger audience) and make it entertaining. Since I am not a Terminator fan (only liked the third one), I cannot speak for the fan base. Was I entertained? Well, I didn't hate it....

As I have said many many many times by now, I like things to make sense. I felt that the second act (and even more so in the third) left me trying to figure out the logic behind the people's actions. But I think I am getting ahead of myself. Let's talk about the first act.

Terminator continues the story of John Connor (who was conceived in the first movie, and will become the sole reason for the computers to send a couple of killer robots (or Terminators) to the past) who in this movie is a high ranking officer in the human/computer war (it isn't called that in the movie, but that's what it is!). It starts off pretty good and gives us a quick background on the other movies and tries to further the story as opposed to re-boot it. While the past 3 movies were set in the present day and the terminators come from the future (along with an equally from-the-future protector) this one takes us ahead to the actual war (which makes it a prequel and a sequel at the same time).

We are quickly introduced (or in some cases re-introduced) to all the players. Events are set in motion and we get a few nods to the other 3 movies, a few surprises then then we are left awaiting the next two sequels (which if they do this right (and they probably won't) will leave us with Connor's father (Kyle Reese) going back in time which will take us right to the first movie.

At the end of the movie I was left wondering a few things: 1) how did the machines know who Kyle Reese was? and if they did, why not kill him the second they had the chance (seeing as how he was #1 on their kill list)? 2) If Marcus (a special prototype of Terminator) could interact and control Skynet (the main computer bad guy) why not just destroy them instead of shutting down ONE gun? and 3) How is John Connor supposed to lead anything if his great plan is to waltz into Skynet all by himself and then let all the humans escape? Even Neo (from the Matrix couldn't pull that one off).....