Since U Didn't Axe Me: "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" (2003) Review

Another 10 years have past since Sarah and John Connor's daring fight to prevent Judgment Day, and Skynet has yet to drop bombs on the world. John Connor has disconnected himself from his past (as best as he can), and lives as a vagabond in Los Angeles. As in the previous films, two Terminators are sent back in time, one to protect John, and one to terminate him. It seems we're in for a rerun...or are we?

"Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" was written by John Bracato, Michael Ferris, and Tedi Sarafian, amongst others, and is directed by Jonathon Mostow. Immediately, it is apparent that the "Terminator" train is no longer being driven by James Cameron, but there is still some life in this hodgepodge sequel that makes it enjoyable. There's a large pill to swallow for this one, but once it's all digested, "Rise of the Machines" rises to the occasion as a decent stand-alone "Terminator" film.

Starring, Arnold Schwarzenegger as the iconic Terminator, Nick Stahl as a grownup John Connor, Claire Danes as Katherine Brewster, and finally, Kristanna Loken as the unstoppable TX, "Terminator 3" features a solid cast of both veteran and under-the-radar actors. Earl Boen (Dr. Silberman from the former films) makes a surprise cameo!

The main draw here would be the return of Arnold Schwarznegger to the franchise, and he's actually quite funny in this film. At face value, Nick Stahl doesn't seem too great as John Connor, but he doesn't do a bad job either. Clare Danes as Katherine Brewster may seem a bit like a miscast ("Romeo + Juliet" 😟), but she pulls through as well. To round out the main cast, Kristanna Loken proves that she can be super creepy and vicious as the TX.

Much like the previous films, this is strictly an action movie. It's a bare-bones, no frills, car chase flick. Unfortunately, there's nothing underneath all of the explosions, stunts, and effects (which are outstanding), and all of the story elements James Cameron established in "Terminator 2" have been uprooted. I won't get into spoilers, but it's a glaring gap that the viewer just sort of needs to accept.

Stan Winston and his team does some amazing work on the Terminator effects, too. That's another big reason why the film looks as good as it does. The CGI though, that does look a bit dated now, probably could've used more work. Overall though, the effects in the film are very good, but much of that is because of Winston's effort.

"Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" is a valiant effort made by Jonathon Mostow and his crew, but it honestly pales in comparison to Cameron's original epics. It's still a fun watch, and I had some good laughs with the Arnie one-liners.

The Good-