Terminator Salvation Review – Explosive Mix of Old and New
| Movie: Terminator Salvation * Trailer * | In Theaters: May 21, 2009 |
| Runtime: 130 minutes | Directed by: McG |
| MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and language. |  Gecko Rating: |
I love sequels that bring in lots of references from the preceding movies. “Terminator Salvation” does that, especially from the very first movie, “The Terminator.”
You remember the story: Linda Hamilton’s Sarah Connor meets Kyle Reese, who was sent back from the future to keep her safe from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s big, bad Terminator. In the process, Sarah and Kyle grow close, and she gets pregnant with John Connor, who later becomes the leader of the resistance movement against the machines and Skynet. John is also the one who sent Kyle back to protect Sarah – so that he could be born.
I don’t know that I’ve fully grasped the concept of the first three Terminator movies until now. And it’s because “Terminator Salvation” is told from the future point of view, whereas “The Terminator” was told from the current point of view (or at least, current when it was released in 1984).
In “Terminator” we see things from Sarah’s point of view. In “Terminator Salvation,” we see things from adult John’s point of view in 2018. By this time, Skynet has destroyed most of humanity in a nuclear holocaust, and John Connor (Christian Bale) is leading a group of survivors known as “The Resistance” to keep the machines from killing them, too, and completely taking over. John is married now, to Kate (Bryce Dallas Howard).
There’s yet another twist to the story, though, in the form of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a guy whose last memory was of being on death row years earlier. When he wakes up, it’s to a post-apocalyptic world where giant robots are killing people and the Earth is a wasteland. Think “Road Warrior,” only with robots.
Marcus meets up with Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin) and a young mute girl named Star (Jadagrace). Reese jokingly tells Marcus that they’re the “L.A. Division” of the Resistance. On their way to find John Connor, Marcus connects with another Resistance fighter, Blair (Moon Bloodgood).
About the references, I won’t give too much away, but let’s just say that “Terminator Salvation” pays homage not only to Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger, but also to the catch-phrase “I’ll be back,” among other things. Being a “Terminator” fan since the first movie, I was definitely geeked by all this.
As for the Terminators themselves, there are some really nasty new models we haven’t seen before. And like the T-800 and other models that came earlier, these new versions “will not stop” until their goal is accomplished (i.e. whomever they’re chasing is either dead or captured). To that end, we get plenty of chase scenes, explosions, and hand-to-hand combat.
If you’re a Terminator fan, or a science fiction/robot movie fan, you should definitely check out “Terminator Salvation.” It’s intense, action-packed, and a nice segue into a reboot for the franchise. I predict more movies will follow.
The only reason I gave it four out of five geckos is because some of the lines were a little cheesy, and the ending was a little cliche.
Note to Parents: As you might imagine, this movie is chock full of action and violence, including explosions, gunfire, chase scenes, shootings, and stabbings. Wounded and mutilated humans are shown, though there’s not a ton of blood. Language includes “hell” and “damn,” as well as one “f**k” and a few “sh*ts.” The overall good-vs-evil message is positive, and I’d say it’s fine for kids 14 and older who aren’t bothered by all of that.
Video Interviews with Moon Bloodgood and Christian Bale, 53 Images, Interview with Michael Papajohn, 4-Minute Trailer, 3rd Official Trailer
Photo Credits: TM and (c) 2008 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Tags: anton yelchin, arnold schwarzenegger, christian bale, Film, jadagrace, jane alexander, john connor, linda hamilton, mcg, michael papajohn, moon bloodgood, Movies, robot movies, sam worthington, sarah connor, sci-fi movies, skynet, terminator movies, terminator salvation, terminator salvation review
Terminator Salvation Videos: Moon Bloodgood, Christian Bale, and Animatronics
“Terminator Salvation” hits theaters Thursday, May 21, 2009 (today!). And it’s definitely one of the most anticipated movies of 2009. HitFix.com has a bunch of cool videos of interviews and behind-the-scenes stuff. I’ve included a few below. I always expect Christian Bale to haul off and hit someone. That’s bad typecasting on my part, but you’ve gotta admit, he does seem pretty intense. Are you super-psyched for this movie?
Christian Bale:
Moon Bloodgood and Common:
Sam Worthington:
John Rosengrant – Animatronics:
McG, Director of “Terminator Salvation”:
Tags: terminator movies, terminator salvation, watch terminator salvation
53 Images from Terminator Salvation
“Terminator Salvation” hits theaters Thursday, May 21, 2009, and Warner Bros. has released a bunch of cool images from the movie, which continues the saga of John Connor’s (Christian Bale) war against the robots. Go here for a 4-minute extended trailer and synopsis. Looking forward to this one!
Photo Credits: TM and (c) 2008 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Tags: christian bale, Film, mcg, moon bloodgood, Movies, robot movies, sam worthington, sci-fi movies, terminator movies, terminator salvation, terminator salvation photos
New 4-minute trailer for Terminator Salvation
“Terminator Salvation” opens May 21, 2009, and Warner Bros. is ramping up the promotional stuff big-time. They’ve just released this 4-minute trailer, and it looks pretty awesome. Maybe having Christian Bale force a rewrite of the script wasn’t such a bad thing after all.
Directed by McG, “Terminator Salvation” is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and language. I bet this is one of those films that could easily have been rated R, but the filmmakers probably cut back so parents wouldn’t be so edgy about their young teens seeing it.
Here’s the official synopsis of “Terminator Salvation” from Warner Bros.:
The year is 2018.
Judgment Day has come and gone, leveling modern civilization. An army of Terminators roams the post-apocalyptic landscape, killing or collecting humans where they hide in the desolate cities and deserts. But small groups of survivors have organized into a Resistance, hiding in underground bunkers and striking when they can against an enemy force that vastly outnumbers them.
Controlling the Terminators is the artificial intelligence network Skynet, which became self-aware 14 years earlier and, in the blink of an eye, turned on its creators, unleashing nuclear annihilation on an unsuspecting world.
Only one man saw Judgment Day coming. One man, whose destiny has always been intertwined with the fate of human existence: John Connor (Christian Bale).
Now the world is on the brink of the future that Connor has been warned about all his life. But something totally new has shaken his belief that humanity stands a chance of winning this war: the appearance of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a stranger from the past whose last memory is of being on death row before awakening in this strange, new world.
Connor must decide whether Marcus can be trusted. But as Skynet adapts new strategies to end the Resistance forever, Connor and Marcus must find common ground to take a stand against the onslaught–to infiltrate Skynet and meet the enemy head-on.
Tags: christian bale, Film, mcg, moon bloodgood, Movies, robot movies, sam worthington, sci-fi movies, terminator movies, terminator salvation, terminator salvation photos
Christian Bale forced rewrite of Terminator Salvation
Well, geez, talk about being too big for your britches. Apparently, when director McG (a.k.a. Joseph McGinty Nichol) went to England to convince Christian Bale to play Marcus Wright in “Terminator Salvation,” the actor said he wanted to play John Connor instead.
While Connor was the main character in the first three “Terminator” movies, he was only supposed to have a small part in the fourth “Terminator” film, due in theaters May 21, 2009 (watch the trailer here). Instead, Connor became a central character. McG says the script became a “moving target,” and he worked extensively with Bale to work the character into the movie.
“A lot of the work was integrating (Connor) into scenes … and having that feel integral and sensible, as opposed to grafted on just because there was a star in the part,” says screenwriter John Brancato.
Originally, the main character was going to be Marcus Wright (played by Aussie actor Sam Worthington), an executed death row inmate who donates his body to science and is resurrected after machines take over the world by unleashing a nuclear holocaust on mankind. Now both Connor and Wright are equally important in the movie.
Bale had input in the casting of Worthington, as well. “There’s a benefit of currently a lot of people in the States not being familiar with him, and so you can really enjoy that performance that much more,” notes Bale. “He’s got so many movies that are going to be coming out, because many other people have realized that he’s bloody good.”
Photo Credit: Richard Foreman, TM and (c) 2008 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Tags: christian bale, christian bale gossip, Film, john connor, joseph mcginty nichol, marcus wright, mcg, Movies, sam worthington, sci-fi movies, terminator movies, terminator salvation
Want an X-Files 3 movie? Join the campaign!
If you were so-so on “X-Files: I Want to Believe” and are hoping for a third movie to restore your faith in aliens and weird goings-on, join the campaign to make it happen.
Just click to XFilesNews.com and scroll down for the campaigns. There’s a number of things you can do, including send a postcard (which will then be mounted onto a 10? x 13″ banner; hardly seems big enough, though!), participate in a Skype marathon, and purchase a single disc DVD of “I Want to Believe” during July 18-5, 2009.
And that’s just the beginning! Check it out, and maybe collectively, we can make “X-Files 3″ a reality.
Photo Credit: TM and © Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Tags: chris carter, dana scully, david duchovny, Film, gillian anderson, Movies, mulder fox, sci-fi movies, x-files 3, x-files 3 campaign, x-files i want to believe, x-files sequel
New motion poster for Gamer
Motion posters are all the rage now, and Lionsgate has just released one for “Gamer” (formerly known as “Citizen Game”), the upcoming sci-fi action flick starring Gerard Butler (“300″), Michael C. Hall (“Dexter”), and Milo Ventimiglia (“Heroes”).
Sounds awesome, not only because of the cast, but also because it’s directed by “Crank” and “Crank: High Voltage” helmers Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor.
The movie is set in a futuristic world that’s more like a video game than the world we know now – i.e. humans can control other humans like an online game. Yikes. Better pull the kids off “World of Warcraft” before things get out of control!
Rated R for frenetic sequences of strong brutal violence throughout, sexual content, nudity and language, “Gamer” hits theaters Sept. 4, 2009.
Image: Lionsgate Films, 2009
Tags: brian taylor, citizen game, crank, crank: high voltage, Film, gamer, gamer motion poster, gamer movie, gerard butler, mark neveldine, michael c. hall, milo ventimiglia, Movies, sci-fi movies
Star Trek – Review (Reboot takes off at warp speed)
| Movie: Star Trek * Trailer * | In Theaters: May 8, 2009 |
| Runtime: 126 minutes | Directed by: J.J. Abrams |
| MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence, and brief sexual content |  Gecko Rating: |
It’s not often you get a reboot that takes you right back into the story and characters without being cheesy. But “Star Trek” manages to do just that. Under J.J. Abrams’ skillful directing, the movie is funny, sweet, and engaging, with good special effects that keep you hooked through to the end. I wasn’t sure he’d be able to pull it off, but he did.
The story takes us back to the time of James T. Kirk’s dramatic birth. His father, George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth) suddenly finds himself promoted to the captain of a Starfleet vessel. During an attack, he saves his wife (House’s Jennifer Morrison) and new baby, as well as the rest of the crew. It sets the tone for the movie and James’s life. Those are some pretty big shoes to fill.
The tone immediately picks up with James aging a few years and nearly driving his mother’s boyfriend’s (or perhaps husband’s?) hot sports car off a cliff. The scene is gripping and intense, and gives some insight into the young boy and his brash, impulsive behavior we’d come to know and love/hate later on the U.S.S. Enterprise.
Jump ahead a few more years, and James (Chris Pine) is getting into a bar fight and being recruited by Capt. Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) to enroll in Starfleet Academy. James isn’t interested, but Pike is persuasive in his own way. As the movie hurtles along through space and time, we see how he meets Spock (Zachary Quinto), Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Karl Urban), Nyota Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Scotty (Simon Pegg), Sulu (John Cho), and Chekov (Anton Yelchin).
Spock’s parents, Sarek (Ben Cross) and Amanda (Winona Ryder) also play a pivotal role in the story, as does the villain Nero (Eric Bana) and his henchman Ayel (Clifton Collins, Jr. – read my interview with him here).
I appreciate that the actors who took over the familiar roles somehow manage to put their own spin on them, while at the same time paying homage to the originals. Karl Urban probably comes closest to DeForest Kelley; if you close your eyes and just listen to his voice and inflections, it really does seem like he could BE Kelley. There’s a few moments where Chris Pine certainly channels William Shatner, too. It’s remarkable really.
And because of some space-time continuum shenanigans, we also get to see the original Spock, played, of course, by Leonard Nimoy. I can see why he had to be talked into doing the role by J.J. Abrams – you don’t want to mess with a good thing, after all – but his presence really brought some legitimacy to the movie, helping to launch the reboot in just the right way. I don’t even mind the time-jumping, because you can’t have a good “Star Trek” movie without it.
The movie is also very funny, bringing in nearly all of the pop culture “Star Trek” references, like “Live long and prosper,” “Dammit, Jim, I’m a doctor, not a [insert job here],” and “I’m givin’ her all she’s got, Captain!”
Whether you’re a fan of the original series or a newbie just getting your Trek feet wet, “Star Trek” is definitely worth the price of a movie ticket and some popcorn. Sit back and enjoy the ride at warp speed. I look forward to the next “Star Trek” movie with anticipation (yes, I’m sure there will be more).
NOTE TO PARENTS: There’s quite a bit of violence, including fist-fights, explosions, and encounters with Romulan war vessels. There’s also one scene where a character is chased by an alien being, but you get the feeling he’s not in any real danger. Overall, most of the action is sci-fi violence, and the PG-13 rating is spot on.
Images: Copyright, Paramount Pictures
Terminator Salvation – 3rd Official Trailer
“If you are listening to this, you are the resistance.” – John Connor
Mark it on your calendar: May 21, 2009 is the release date for “Terminator Salvation.” Aside from “Star Trek,” which opens next week, this is the movie I’ve really been looking forward to since last year. It stars Christian Bale as the legendary John Connor, leader of the resistance when Terminators take over the earth. Also stars Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Moon Bloodgood and Bryce Dallas Howard.
Photo Credit: TM and (c) 2008 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc
Tags: anton yelchin, bryce dallas howard, christian bale, Film, john connor, moon bloodgood, Movies, sam worthington, sci-fi movies, terminator, terminator salvation, terminator salvation trailer
Star Trek – 4 New Clips
Fresh off the “Star Trek” press site are four new clips below. Directed by J.J. Abrams, the reboot arrives in theaters May 8, 2009, and stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, and Eric Bana. For more “Star Trek” coverage
What Gives You the Right:
Space Jump:
Kirk Meets Uhura:
Enlist in Star Fleet:
Tags: chris pine, enlist in star fleet, Film, james t kirk, jj abrams, kirk meets uhura, Movies, sci-fi movies, space jump, star trek, star trek 2009, star trek clips, star trek movies, sulu, uhura, what gives you the right, zachary quinto, zoe saldana
