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Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

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160 out of 218 people found the following comment useful :-
Good, but not worthy of the Terminator franchise (including nerdy rant & SPOILERS), 9 May 2004

Author: Superunknovvn from Austria, Vienna

I know it's easy to put "Terminator 3" down. Everybody had great expectations and it was clear that this movie would have lots of enemies, especially if someone else than Cameron was going to direct. So, here it is now, T3, and the truth is, it is a good action movie, just not as good as Terminator 1 & 2.

What I liked best about this movie is that it doesn't include any martial arts. Since "The Matrix" came out, I often wondered if it would even be possible to make an action movie without Kung Fu anymore. Also, Mostow really tried to not only focus on the action but include some story and character development, too. The problem is, the story is nowhere near as good as it used to be. Writers mistook character development for endless whiney monologues by John Connor, supposed leader of mankind. Where Cameron always found the right balance between someone explaining what was going on and action scenes, T3 fell into the trap of slowing down too often.

I think writers really had a lot of chances to turn „Terminator 3" into an interesting story that picked up from the end of T2. I hoped that finally we'd get an explanation for why only one Terminator is sent back at a time, how the time portal works, how CyberDyne recreated the information on future technology after it had been destroyed in part 2, etc. Instead writers gave vague or no hints at all to previous riddles and went away too far from the original ideas of „Terminator". „No fate but what we make for ourselves" we were told in parts 1 & 2. Now it has changed to „Judgement Day is inevitable". Why is that, you may ask yourself and why would a Terminator know that? It's only one of many things that don't really make sense. A fact that's even more annoying when you think about how perfect the series has been so far. Sure, James Cameron had also made mistakes (John's and Sarah's age, for instance) but the main story did always make sense.

Mostow obviously was afraid of stepping into Cameron's shoes and be compared to him, so he decided to put several nods to the previous movies in sequel no. 2. Nice thought, but T3 is definitely too much of a „nod" to T1 & T2. It's part parody, part rip-off that has only few new elements. Again there are two Terminators, one brand new, one obsolete, we get a spectacular car chase, desert scenes, etc. Furthermore, we get a funny version of the bar scene at the beginning and a „funny" cameo by infamous psychiatrist Dr. Silberman. Yes, some of the jokes are actually quite funny, but really, why would the Terminator smash the gay glasses? Come on, this is supposed to be a serious movie! The worst thing about all this repeating old stuff is that this time there's no suspense whatsoever. It just feels like we've seen it before and we know exactly what's coming.

One scene that could have brought a cool twist to the movie was the one where Arnold gets reprogrammed by the T-X. It would have been so cool, if the T-800 had turned into the bad guy again now. It would have showed that a machine knows no loyalty. Instead we got the most stupid scene ever in a „Terminator" movie: John Connor asks the T-800 not to kill him and the Terminator obeys. Reese said in part 1 „It can't be bargained with" and now John did just that. Sad. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. And what's with John Connor? Isn't he the one who will go on to lead mankind? In T3, he isn't much of a leader to me. Is it the writers fault or Nick Stahl's, I don't know, but the character is such a sissy in this movie, it's painful.

About the T-X: why the hell isn't that thing bigger, stronger, faster? The T-X has no real improvements compared to the T-1000 and it seems to be really stupid. How else could it lose to the trashy T-800? And why did it change back to its known form just before it could have killed Kate Brewster in the disguise of her fiancé. Why would it walk around with the same face all the time, anyway? (Granted, that's a question that T2 had already raised and not answered) Although Kristinna Loken played her part quite well, I think it was a bad decision to have a woman play the T-X in the first place. How cool is it to watch Big Ol' Arnold beat up a girl? There are so many more minor mistakes in this movie it gives me headaches (why was the T-800 already programmed to not kill innocent people and look for the keys in the car when it was a different Terminator than the one in part 2? If Arnie is not programmed to answer John's questions why did he answer when John asked if he was gonna kill him? Why did the T-X investigate the place where Kate Brewster works at night? Why didn't the T-X try to reprogram the T-800 from the beginning? Why has the Terminator never used the little atom bomb chip, he's carrying within, against an enemy?), but I think I better stop here.

However, I did like the ending a lot as it's the only real improvement to the whole story and an open door for a sequel. "Terminator 3" is still the best action movie of this summer and it feels really good to see Arnie back in action one more (last?) time.

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219 out of 397 people found the following comment useful :-
It broke my heart, 19 January 2004

Author: Caixa Postal (caixapostal) from Sao Paulo, Brazil

The Terminator is a character idolized by thousands of people around the world. The imagery - along with unconscious symbols - made this character an icon for generations.

Jim Cameron ingenuity (with the help of Bill Wisher) gave us two movies that complement each other, folding the story in ways ever more interesting each time you watch them.

Action packed, fun and original. We helped spread the word on Terminator mythology.

How come a movie studio using their rights to use a character build up such a opportunity-jackpot-halfbaked popcorn movie just to make cash out of loyalty of this huge fan base?

I felt betrayed and sad when I saw this (God permits) last installment on this sequel. What have they done to my robot?

What did they do with my movie?

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88 out of 141 people found the following comment useful :-
Following in the footsteps of James Cameron, 2 July 2003
Author: J.F. Lanctot (theshape26@hotmail.com) from Montreal, Canada

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines deals with another robot sent in the past to make the future better. It's a concept that should've been applied when they began working on this third installment. The film had a lot to surpass and following in James Cameron's footsteps is not an easy task to do. Fortunately, Jonathan Mostow does a good job recreating the mood of the previous two films. Unfortunately, the problem lies in the structure of the film. What could've been one of the most important films out of the three made so far (so far, considering 'he' might be back) is instead what seems to be the weakest one of all, too short and not developped enough.

As said before, while Mostow succeeded in giving this film a bit of a James Cameron vibe, the foundation on which the it was built is somewhat weak. Visually, it's close to Cameron's Terminators but on paper, it's a different story... literally. The writing gives the impression of a story thrown together for a quick cash-in at the box-office. Disappointing considering it was written by the same people who brought us the Hitchcock-esque 'The Game'. T3: Rise of the Machines suffers from bad structure and therfore is really more like a film cut in two parts. If the second half really gives us an insight of that the future holds for the characters, the first is filled with too much action and comedic relief. Terminator was always more than just an action film, it had a story that kept the other movies of the franchise balanced. In this case, the viewer is bombarded with car chases and confrontations right from the start which unfortunately means the omission to include any real interactions (other than fights) between the main characters. The dialogue is kept to a strict minimum throughout the first half (referring to meaningful dialogue that is) and the viewer is left with a sense of emptiness. It's as though they decided to throw everything they had right at the start and afterwards the audience is left with barely anything to chew on.

Another weakness is the comedic relief. When viewing a movie like T3: Rise of the Machines, no one expects to be laughing every few minutes. If the jokes are meant to be entertaining, they instead distract the viewer from what the purpose of a character like the Terminator has. If the character is not supposed to understand the feelings that a human might go through, he shouldn't have to be a running gag either. That's something James Cameron understood while filming T2: Judgment Day. While those kinds of scenes were left on the cutting room floor by Cameron, they remained in T3: Rise of the Machines. Maybe it's because James Cameron had enough material to work with therefore being able to take the liberty of doing just that. Running at a mere 109 Minutes, this latest installment fails to deliver barely enough juicy material to keep the people's interest awake.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is not all that bad though. While the first half is nothing more than a B-movie filled with cheap gags and too much action, the second half is where the movie really begins. At this point, it gets into a good pace where action shares the scene (no pun intended) with a slower, more dramatic feel. That's why the movie is so weak, it is unbalanced. T2: Judgment Day kept the ball rolling and took the time to tell a story. It's not normal that anyone should wait over 40-45 Minutes to find out what happened to the second most important character of all the Terminator films, Sarah Connor. Instead of filling the beginning with their entire arsenal of special effects, they should have dispersed them throughout the film, in between the scenes that occupies the second half, a second half where characters like John Connor (Nick Stahl) and Kate Brewster (Claire Danes) finally have a chance to evolve. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger is unable to give 3 dimensions to his character. If the character is supposed to be another version of the one seen in T2: Judgment Day, it instead ressembles more the one portrayed in the first Terminator film, a killer on a mission. Never once is there a chance for the viewer to believe in this Terminator character. In the end, he appears just as cold and uninteresting, very much like the steel it was built on.

Would've T3: Rise of the Machines been a better movie with James Cameron on board... probably. James Cameron, besides being a good director, knew the characters like no one else. For sure, the film would have been shot based on a better structure and filmed more evenly. As mentionned earlier, the movie is about going into the past to make the future better. That's something they should've paid more attention to, taking more notice of the franchise past to make a better future or in this case, delivering a better present. In the end, Terminator falls into the stereotype of all the other action films it follows. Not the type of movie that really drives you to watch the first two if you're new to the franchise.

Rating: *** Nothing more than a B-movie with a big budget. Could've been better.

(The second half really is what saved this film. Hopefully if there is going to be another installment, they will learn from their mistake and balance the story more, James Cameron style).

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119 out of 204 people found the following comment useful :-
Who cares!, 21 July 2003

Author: mjbspace from Copenhagen, Denmark

Have just returned after a triple show of T1 + T2 + T3. An excellent way in which to spend a rainy day!

Before the films my three friends and I were looking very much forward to re-see T1 + T2 on a big screen. As for T3 we didn't expect too much.

While the copies of T1 + T2 were slightly dated, to say the least, both films were absolutely superb, also despite the fact that the effects in T1 were quite primitive compared to today. Nevertheless, T1 remained our favorite not the least because of its very stringent and no-nonsense non-moralistic narrative. T2 was also strong in this aspect, though there were slightly more plot holes and a little too much sentimentality, something which unfortunately plagues many American films. Nonetheless T2 is also great.

Then came T3 ... well, a film taste is very individual. Therefore you, dear reader, should not be deterred from going to see this film, despite the fact that my three friends and I all couldn't care less about it.

Why didn't we like it? Well, surprisingly we were all in agreement about the lack-of-Cameron-touch as one of the worst failings of the film. The new director does not have the ability to time scenes, events, statement and the narrative anywhere near the brilliant level of Cameron.

Therefore the new director tries to make up for this deficiency in making the car chases and the explosions bigger, the new enemy T-X more deadly, and destruction more extreme. But it all lacks energy, soul and credibility. The narrative is messy and coincidental, as if the director thinks "now it will be nice to have this scene from a previous Terminator film included and just beefed up" or "let's try this - it might be funny".

This unfortunately lets the actors down, leaving them with empty hulls and we couldn't care less if they die or live. This, incidentally, is comparable to the Matrix II and the new Star Wars films. The director believes that he has a good film if he/she can include some cool effects. Doesn't work, though!

Furthermore, the scenes lack anything that might even remotely draw the audience into the film. While you can feel the anguish of the humans and the one-mindedness of the robots in the earlier films, this piece of junk left my friends and I with the feeling of "who cares!"

The first and second Hellraiser movies were absolutely splendid. However, what followed should not ever be mentioned anywhere - especially number three sucked big time and should never bee seen by anybody. Terminator 3 is not so bad that it shouldn't be seen, though. However, it is highly advisable that you lower any expectations - and the lower them again. Then you might enjoy this film. Alternatively wait for the cheap version of the DVD.

Finally, if the studio really wants to make a T4, which is highly suggested in T3, then they better get Cameron back on the job. Otherwise they will have just another silly action flick, with no real innovation or originality on their hands, like a gazillion other action flicks from Hollywood - because this is what they have with T3. So unless they rediscover the respect they owe to the great old Terminator-films : Who cares!

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58 out of 84 people found the following comment useful :-
Waste of time, 14 March 2005

Author: El Gato-4

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Even if there were no Terminator or T2, T3 would be a horridly mediocre movie. The original Terminator was an exercise in imagination conquering budget limitations, while T2 showed what could be accomplished if imagination were wedded to an unlimited budget. T3 shows what a tremendous budget with little imagination gets you - a terminator whose unique ability is to make her fingers into sharp points. Whoopee! There are narrative lapses too numerous to mention, such as our non-tech hero operating an atom smasher. Or a heroine who doesn't know exactly what her father does for a living traipsing into the super secret underground & armored military installation where he works. T3 operates best as a self-administered IQ test: if you thought this movie was good, you should seriously consider remedial education.

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38 out of 53 people found the following comment useful :-
This is not a "Terminator" movie., 18 July 2003

Author: hiperaktiv

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

*Spoilers Ahead*

For T3, I wanted a serious movie with dark tones(afterall it is the supposed Rise of the Machines) that had a message of deep meaning like the previous 2 movies and that would develop each character, their inner thoughts, and expand the storyline while being faithful to the Terminator universe. I wanted to see the Skynet A.I. being developed, i wanted more hints at the establishment of Skynet and the machines. I wanted a movie with dazzling chase scenes. I wanted an established and well executed plot. I wanted a moving T3 score on par with the previous 2 Terminator movies. I wanted an Arnold that was "the Terminator". In all i just wanted a decent film faithful enough to be able to call itself a "Terminator" movie.

But what did we get instead? A bizarre comedy which made fun of the Terminator and destroyed everything Terminator previously stood for. A movie which had no serious tones and that preferred comedy and weak action scenes directed in a careless manner. So much for T3 being a "REAL" Terminator movie. The crane truck sequence was ok, but every chase scene in T2 s***s all over it. Was that the only chase sequence in T3? Well no if you include that p***weak hearse chase. So much for upholding the strong element of chase scenes the previous 2 Terminator movies were renowned for.

What about the T-X? Given a secondary mission as well as a primary one? How stupid - there should only be one mission - to kill John Connor. Any secondary objective just takes away any impact of the primary one. What about her one liners, array of cheesy weapons, and crappy abilities? Again - more stupid decisions. I didnt once feel that the T-X was a threat to John, nor did i feel that it had the screen presence likened to that of the T-1000.

What about Arnold? Now a T-850 he has a basic knowledge of psyhcology, the ability to change power cells, and a great sense of humour. He should be called the T-850 wise cracking breakdancing disco cyborg. Not once did i take Arnold seriously, and cringed everytime he said anything.

As for Claire Danes and Nick Stahl - i thought they were ok - but ultimately the story didnt allow to develop their characters or give them any scenes of deep meaning or of a serious tone.

What about the futurewar sequence? What a joke - we get about 1 minute of CGI endoskeletons - and an older John Connor parading victory in front of an American flag. Where the hell are Stan's menacing T-800's? Where the hell is the "future war"? All i see is a rushed scene.

And the supposed "Rise of the Machines?" We get about 3 minutes explaining that there is problems with Skynet, a virus, and a little hint of the creation of a machine army. Woah! Don't go overboard on story Director Jonathon Mostow! I would have been much better to see the plot more fleshed out and explained properly rather than told in a poorly rushed manner.

Was the movie fun? If your looking for a paper thin movie with lots of comedy and crap action scenes you'll probably like T3. But ultimately T3 came off as a stupid popcorn comedy flick devoid of any serious tones or intelligence, filled with undeveloped characters, poorly directed and lacking action scenes, a non-existent score by hack composer Marco Beltrami, and an unfilling and rushed storyline. T3 felt as if the movie had at least 20 to 30 minutes cut from it, so it wont surprise me if we see a "hack directors cut" T3 DVD. Painfully obvious is the absence of James Cameron, Brad Fiedel, and true Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger.

T3 is the Alien 3 of the Terminator saga, but at least Alien 3 went with more of a serious tone instead of making the Dog Alien a wisecracking breakdancing disco Alien. Comparitively with Alien 3, T3 will probably garner the same reaction from hardcore Terminator fans - treating it with a ghostlike non-existence. Because that is what this movie truly deserves.

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138 out of 254 people found the following comment useful :-
Shocking, 21 September 2004

Author: IDIOTBOX_WEB from Somewhere England

I'm sorry, but I have to be harsh to this movie. It goes so far as to do to the Terminator series what Jurassic Park 3 did, and what I have no doubt Alien vs Predator will do. This is, another in the long line of guilty suspects in the franchise murderers. Firstly one unarguable point is the music, I know music isn't the be all and end all of movies, but in the case of Terminator or something of such a memorable theme tune it matters a great deal. Now everyone remembers the thumb sticking out of the steal, the teary eyed John Connor and the music. I sat through the whole of T-3 with the hope of such a scene..I was let down. Now just to prove that music was not the only horrific thing in this movie.....Why did they feel the need to insert random gags at every point possible. Compare the punchline in T2 of "Give me you clothes, boots and motorcycle" to the scene in a gay bar in T3..very classy. I'm sure Arnie looking over a male stripper will live long in the memory. The list goes on to include the absolute gayness of the plot in some places. Now lets review..I seem to recall that John Connor in T2 had to gradually introduce common slang to the Terminator he was with. In T3 the robot is hip and cooler than ever with no training needed. He'll crack jokes, he'll get shot and spit a bullet out..Christ he's a funny fella is this killing machine. The only defending point is that..if T3 was just one movie, not part of such a celebrated franchise..it wouldn't be so disgraceful. But in reality it's a smear following T2 which is arguably the best action based sci fi film ever made. There are far too many giggles, far too many rib ticklers at far too inappropriate times to give this any credibility. I have to say that a large part of this demise is the lowering of rating. Terminator 1 was a 18, Terminator 2 a 15 now following the overloading shop shelves of kiddy T-1000's Terminator 3 is a pathetic 12A. The horror of the Terminator achieved in the 80's classic is not achieved and rather replaced by Cgi becoming typical of such "big budget" movies. When will they learn? Maybe the director is a squid.

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43 out of 70 people found the following comment useful :-
Not perfect but it is what a summer blockbuster should be – a big loud enjoyable film, 1 September 2003
Author: bob the moo from Birmingham, UK

In 2003 John Connor is living a life without record, with no fixed address, no bank account and no permanent job. He does this to avoid the terminators of the future being able to find him and kill him. In absence of him, Skynet sends back a T-X to kill secondary targets – Connor's future lieutenants, among them Kate Brewster, daughter of military scientist Robert Brewster. Luckily, in the future, Kate has sent back a captured Terminator to protect them. As the group escape Connor learns more of judgement day and sets out to try and stop it again.

T3 is different from T2 in that it isn't really in the same league (IMO) as T2 was when it came out. In my view T2 was the must see movie of it's time whereas now it has faded a little and is secondary to the matrix and other cutting edge blockbusters. In fact so second was it that I wasn't that bothered about seeing it or not. However I'm glad it did as T3 is nicely paced, doesn't expect too much of itself and does just what a blockbuster is meant to be – be entertaining.

The plot is mostly secondary to the action but, basically, the T-X has been sent back to take out a group of people before it then (accidentally) finds it's primary target of John Connor. Some of the plot is a little tenuous but it doesn't matter as it moves along at such a pace that you don't have time to really think too long about any one scene. However the climax is a hark back to the original Terminator with a down deep and depressing ending where fate manages to happen regardless of Connor's best intentions.

The action is great although it does look basic beside the effects of Matrix etc. I did feel that they worked better by not trying to be overly flashy or fancy. The morphing effects are actually more enjoyable because here they make up part of the action whereas in T2 they were key moments of cutting edge technology. The film's action takes the form of a simple chase and is very effective, the multiple car chase is my favourite scene – partly because it shows how very out classed the Terminator is by the new model!

The direction is good and Cameron isn't missed at all. Mostow does a great job with the action scenes and keeps everything just perfect. Because the film realises that the franchise is build on catch phrases and images that have entered into popular culture so much that they are overused, it wisely chooses to mock itself and has a real nice sense of humour to it. For example the original Terminator had the terminator entering a motor cycle bar and exiting dressed in biker leathers, here he enters a bar and finds a ladies night in full swing and has to get his clothes from a gay stripper. The deadpan way in which he rejects the sunglasses is really good. In a way this could have undermined the effect of the film but it is managed well and doesn't.

The cast is roundly good. The exit of Sarah Connor is handled well and her replacement (Danes) is good despite a few duff lines which don't convince. Stahl's performance could be seen as mocking Furlong's drug problems (I can't see any other reason for his junkie-like tics etc.) but he is still good and carries the film well. Schwarzenegger wisely agrees to mock his own character – the film takes the idea that time has passed the Terminator franchise by, by having the terminator itself being totally superseded. Loken is good as the T-X and is sexy enough but isn't given as much to do as anyone else. Whereas Patrick was pretty much the main focus of T2 (because of the effects) Loken has less of an impact.

Overall I had my doubts about this film but it did manage to do just what I needed it to do. The action is overblown and enjoyable without being the cutting edge in special effects at any time. The plot-driving scenes are good and the main story (behind the action) is involving and interesting, right up till the downbeat ending. I must say that, although it is hardly the most imaginative or inspiring film made this year, it certainly does what you need a blockbuster to do – no deep, pretentious plots, no joy-less acting, but rather a big noisy movie that doesn't take itself too serious (despite the serious plot) and is actually very enjoyable to watch. Nor a great film but I really wish that more blockbusters were like this.

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39 out of 63 people found the following comment useful :-
Arnie's last stand, 26 November 2004

Author: Duncan Gowers from London, United Kingdom

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Following James Cameron's original in this series, few could have projected Arnold Schwarzenegger's rise to Hollywood legend. The first film was a low-budget, B-grade (in theme and style only; the story was superb) sci-fi actioner. Arnie may have gone on to star in ill-advised yet somewhat bearable comedies, and the budget for "T2: Judgment Day" may have been among the biggest at the time, but at heart, Arnie was always a B-grade action movie actor. Films like "Raw Deal", "Total Recall", "Commando" and "Predator" reinforce his B-grade credentials. And as the final film in his career, "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" is the fitting B-grade send-off for the most popular action star of the last twenty years.

Fans will be familiar enough with the story; a cyborg is sent back through time from a post-apocalyptic future where man fights machines for his very existence. The cyborg's mission is to destroy, or terminate, the leader of the human resistance, a certain John Connor. Of course, the human resistance sends back its own defence for the protection of Connor, first as a human solider to protect John's mother Sarah (Linda Hamilton) in "The Terminator" (1984), then as a reprogrammed Terminator that bears an exact resemblance to the original cyborg, famously played by Schwarzenegger. Now, some 12 years after "T2", Arnie is sent back again, this time to protect a twenty-something John Connor (played by Nick Stahl) and a woman, Catherine Brewster (Claire Danes). After the failure of Arnie's T-800 in the original film, Robert Patrick's T-1000 in "T2", the machines decide on sending back a female cyborg, the T-X, played by newcomer Kristanna Loken.

"Terminator 3" starts as each other film in the series, with the two cyborgs entering earth nude and seeking out appropriate clothing. Thereafter it's a hunt to find Connor and Brewster first, and many cars, buildings and people are destroyed in the process. A stunning action set-piece, and without question the action highlight of the film, involves a crane on a truck driven by the T-X disecting a row of shops, all the time with the T-800 hanging on for dear life. This is the part of the film where the action transcends its B-movie confines. Generally however, the film sticks to being B-grade. What makes it B-grade? It's the lack of grandiosity, the almost claustrophobic nature of the sets, the lack of a huge cast and the cheap(ish) special effects. This is not a James Cameron movie, and although director Jonathan Mostow tries hard, he lacks that grand canvas approach that has made Cameron's films so successful.

While the story may be familiar, it takes a turn when we discover that Brewster's father is the man responsible for the managing of Skynet, the computer programme that subsequently launches attacks against man. This subplot is the best narrative transition from the first two films, which essentially were exactly the same. In fact, the subplot itself delivers a surprising and highly effective twist at the conclusion of the film. You can't help but think that this would have been the best way to end "T2", rather than the schmoltzy goodbyes between the Terminator and John Connor (then played by Edward Furlong).

Furlong's absence from this film, while not perfect for continuity reasons, is not a major factor. Stahl plays Connor with immediacy and power and while he cannot always project the mood of a man with the world's future on his shoulders, he does work well with Schwarzenegger and Danes. She herself is really only working on autopilot, and although she shows occasional signs of depth, the role, or moreso the sci-fi nature of the plot seems to escape her. Loken is suitably wooden as the emotionless T-X, and lacks the weasel-like menace of Robert Patrick's T-1000. Her battles with Arnie are impressive however.

And then there's Arnie himself. He's always been great at non-emotive, physical acting, and he once again performs well here. The Austrian accent seems thicker than ever, and although he moves a little slower, he still projects power and strength. His whole career was built on films that emphasised his physical presence, filling the screen with his muscles and big aura. But every action hero's career comes to an end. In a fitting epitaph to his career, the Terminator speaks of being an obsolete model, without any purpose. Just as well Arnie ended his career here, with a role and film that symbolised Arnold Schwarzenegger the actor perfectly.

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22 out of 32 people found the following comment useful :-
To think: I'm criticizing Arnold for showing TOO MUCH emotion, 6 July 2003

Author: Nuuu

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Poor writing and poor directing plagued this film. The characters simply weren't who they were supposed to be.

John Connor (Nick Stahl) who was trained in weapons and warfare from childhood by his mother dealt unflinchingly with the threat of the T-1000 as a 13 year old boy now appears to be a scared and confused drifter who freezes under pressure and exudes none of the confidence or ingenuity he did a decade ago.

The T-X (Kristanna Loken) is cartoony. In place of ruthless efficiency for which the terminators are known she kills sadistically. Rather then relentlessly pursuing her enemy she seems to saunter and pose in what I can only assume is an attempt to build suspense. And in the end, she simply isn't that frightening of a villain.

Arnold was the biggest disappointment if only because he played the role with far too much of a human feel. He has emotional conversations with John Connor, appears angry and surprised at times, and has a number of one-liners during action sequences that require far more wit than a machine with no emotion should be capable of.

The sound was absurd. When the terminator or the T-X was hit with something heavy we were greeted by a cartoony "boink" rather than something realistic. The soundtrack also lacked all of the attitude and intensity that truly set the atmosphere for the first two movies.

*spoilers*

And the continuity errors and unanswered questions ruined any hope of a story the movie may have had

Terminator 2 tells us that terminators (at least stock terminators) can't learn. Arnie clearly does, after learning and reciting the "talk to the hand" phrase.

Terminator 1 tells us that The Terminators were only sent back to kill John as a last ditch effort once the resistance had destroyed the skynet core. Now, Skynet doesn't have a core at all.

Why would the US government leave a secret, high grade fallout shelter COMPLETELY unguarded?

How did John, Kate, and a 6 foot tall terminator in black leather make it to the command center of a busy high tech military research facility without authorization and while carrying loaded weapons? And why isn't anyone surprised to see them there until shooting starts?

While the T-X can control machines, how can she remotely move the gear shift of a car from park to drive, an action that requires physical interaction?

If, as T2 suggests, the concept of skynet was only made possible by the discovery of the pieces of the destroyed terminator from T1, how was it possible in T3 after John Connor destroyed all remnants of the terminators sent back through time?

Unfortunately I could go on and on from here. From the final product it appears as though the writers spent less time on the script for this movie than I did on this review

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