Twenty years ago,Terminator 3: Rise of the Machineswas released, marking the firstTerminatorfeature to not be directed by James Cameron nor star Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor. It’s hard to imagine aTerminatormovie without Cameron, because the original 1984 film is the one that launched the filmmaker’s historic directorial career.
WhileThe Terminatorsequels overall haven’t lived up to the intensity and inventiveness of the franchise’s iconic first two films,Terminator 3is a decently well-made sequel because it continues John Connor’s story and the mission to take down Skynet and prevent warfare. Arnold Schwarzenegger is also still in prime form as a heroic Terminator with strength and humor, Claire Danes' heroine has elements reminiscent of Sarah Connor, and Kristanna Loken is a more advanced version of the T-1000.
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Terminator 3 Has The Best Qualities From T2
The thirdTerminatorfilm actually has a mostly positive critical reception compared to a couple of sequels that came after, but it did draw negativitywhen compared toTerminator 2: Judgment Daybased on the similarities between both features.Terminator 3does rehash themes and elements from the second film, such as a good machine protecting John Connor from an evil cyborg that’s trying to kill him so that he doesn’t become the leader of the human race. There’s also the way both Terminators arrive from the future to the present, naked and having to retrieve clothes, weapons, and vehicles before carrying out their respective missions.
Reminiscent of Cameron’s first two movies,Terminator 3is an action-packed chase film in which John and the good Terminator have to outrun the primary villain, along with the clueless law enforcement agents surrounding them. However, despite the familiarities, director Jonathan Mostow is a filmmaker who knows how to direct features about characters in crisis. (For example, he directed Kurt Russell in the intensely well-made action-thrillerBreakdowninvolving a husband who desperately searches for his wife after she’s kidnapped by greedy truck drivers.) There are alsosome well-choreographed car chases, including a major scene in which the ruthless T-X (Loken) drives a big crane truck while pursuing John (Nick Stahl) and his future wife Katherine Brewster (Danes) in a small Toyota Tundra, while Schwarzenegger’s T-850 rides a motorcycle and then a fire truck to catch up to T-X.
Despite no appearance from Linda Hamilton’s Sarah Connor, Kate Brewster resembles her because of her vulnerability and toughness. Sarah was a woman who knew nothing about Terminators or her future son, but transformed into a strong warrior and protector. Kate goes through a similar experience because she also ends up losing loved ones, but once she understands John’s situation and the war with machines, Kate toughens up and battles alongside him. Kate’s previous relationship with John, her father’s connection to Skynet, and her experience as a pilot all make her a resourceful ally.
Emphasis On John Connor and The Future
Edward Furlong (who portrayed a teenage John Connor inT2) is missed here, especially since he had memorable chemistry with Schwarzenegger’s cyborg. The two developeda funny and heartfelt father-son bondin that movie, with catchy one-liners (“Hasta la vista, baby”) and meaningful discussions (why do people cry, why it’s wrong to kill people, etc.). Stahl does an adequate job portraying an older John Connor who understands what his future holds and wants no part of it, but also knows that he must keep on fighting not only for himself but for the sake of humanity. Stahl’s Connor also develops a complex but understandable partnership with Schwarzenegger’s Terminator, gaining more insight into Skynet and what the evil machines are planning for Judgment Day.
One of the best qualities ofTerminator 3is showing how much more advanced machines have become and the capability they have in causing nuclear war and the destruction of civilization. There are pivotal moments involving Kate’s father, General Robert Brewster, who has a team that now controls Cyberdyne Systems/Skynet (the corrupt A.I. systemthat sends Terminators from the future to kill John and ensure victory for the machines) after Miles Dyson ran it inT2. Similar to how Dyson was clueless about Skynet’s corruptibility, General Brewster had no idea Cyberdyne Systems would become a computer virus capable of hacking every server around the world, making it harder to defeat Skynet and prevent war.
Old Versus New Machines
ThisTerminator moviesuccessfully combines old-school action with advanced machinery, which resembles the battle between Schwarzenegger’s T-850 and Loken’s T-X. One of the criticisms of the sequels (including this film) is that they replicate too much of what made the original T-800 Terminator and the T-1000 such iconic and menacing villains. However, Loken gives the T-X not only a feminine touch, but also a cold, merciless presence. The T-X is very powerful in its ability to transform into other people it touches and kills (like the T-1000) but it can also place viruses and/or control other machines (which it does to the T-850).
The T-850 is not as high-tech as the T-X, but like its predecessor (another Model 101), it is very intelligent and knowledgeable about everyone and everything, from detailed profiles to info on Skynet. And as always, it is stylish in fashion with dark sunglasses and leather clothes. Although outmatched, the T-850 manages to put up a good fight against the T-X with automatic weapons, explosives, and combat. The T-850 also has a pivotal moment where it nearly kills John after the T-X corrupted its system, but manages to reset itself after John reminds it of the mission it needs to complete.
Terminator 3, like every sequel or prequel after it, will inevitably be judged in terms of Cameron’s films. However, this feature (as John says in his narration) questions whether the future has been written, and explores the possibilities that can occur regarding the war between humans and machines.Whether Cameron returns to theTerminatorfranchiseor if others intend to tackle it, future films should focus on how this war plays out.
