I'm a huge Terminator fan, I re-watched both 1 & 2 before seeing this. Big mistake.
I'm gutted to say that this film has none of what makes Terminator 2 one of the best films of all time. The writing is below par, plot uninteresting and emotional connection between the Terminator and John Connor, none of that either. James Cameron, what is this? Mind, I don't think he's been on form for a good few years now.
What makes Terminator 2 an amazing film aside from the brilliant plot, amazing effects, great screen writing and superb acting is the emotional connection between the Terminator and John Connor. This is the life blood of that film and makes the viewer really believe that despite the hopeless future humanity is facing, if this Terminator can protect John then maybe mankind has a chance. The Terminator is a father figure to John and this is what connects the audience with the film so much. The heart wrenching ending cannot be forgotten. The fact that we forget the the Terminator isn't human because of how well the film builds the bond. This is what makes Terminator 2 so great, not the epic action sequences.
So I'm sad to say this film has absolutely none of that. CGI, CGI and more CGI. Do away with the depth of character building, emotional connections and just add over the top action. It's a poor follow up and lacks everything of what made 1 & 2 great. The acting is decent, Davis, Hamilton and Schwarzenegger do a good job but they've got very little to work with here. This is what disappointed me the most. Why does it lack substance? This is James Cameron's epic creation and this is what he serves up along with Tim Miller? A total cash in if I've ever seen one. I'm not going to divulge into the plot anymore, there's no need as it can't even be mentioned in the same breath as the first two films.
If this film was viewed as a generic action film at the cinema it'd still be mediocre. The fact that this is supposed to follow on from the brilliant Terminator 2 just makes it even more disappointing. This is James Cameron's judgment day.
Do yourselves a favour and wait until it hits home release or if you are planning on seeing it, don't bother watching the first two beforehand, you'll be even more disappointed.
