Critiqal

Synopsis:

Several years after Skynet destroyed much of the human race in a nuclear holocaust, John Connor (Bale) leads the survivors in a desperate attempt to keep the robots from finishing the job.

Our Thoughts:

Can you say hype? It’s almost a year before Terminator Salvation (Terminator 4 to us normal folk) hits theaters - and already there’s a teaser trailer. Wow - talk about your advanced planning!

Of course, movie fans are already buzzing about some of the details of this upcoming film (said to be the first in a new trilogy of Terminator films), including: No Arnold Schwarzenegger (boo!), Christian Bale as John Connor (yes!) and McG directing (huh?).

Since Christian Bale has continued to impress us since back in his American Psycho days - and probably will continue to do so in this weekend’s The Dark Knight (2008) - having him in the John Connor role has got to be a positive.

As for no Schwarzenegger, well, can it really be a Terminator film without him? He’s been a mainstay in all 3 previous films, and his robot-like countenance served him extremely well as he delivered some of his most popular performances.

Apparently, this time around they are doing their best to stave off the lack of Ahnold by having the robots this time around look like cheap facsimilies. While this fits with the storyline (after all, Ahnold’s character is sent back from a later date than the time frame in which this film takes place), are viewers going to be hyped about seeing plasticized robots?

Of course, with the late Stan Winston behind some of the designs, chances are even these more basic terminators are going to be worth seeing.

McG as director - well, just like most fans, that’s where most of my concern lies. While he did a good job of turning the “Charlie’s Angels” TV show into 2 successful - if rather silly - films, is he going to be able to bring the same gritty sci-fi feel to the films that abounded in the first 2 films, or is Terminator Salvation going to feel like another Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines (2003) (ie…a somewhat gimmmicky cash-in on the first 2 films)?

With the quick glimpses the teaser trailer (showing now with The Dark Knight (2008)), we’re thinking so far, so good. The quick glimpses so far have caught our interest, and we’re already clamoring for more.

Hopefully, if McG can really immerse himself in the film, and is really determined to give some respect to the now-classic first 2 films, we’re hoping against hope Terminator Salvation is going bring us both the post-Judgement Day Terminator film we’ve been waiting for - and be the start of something we will want to see through to the very end.