Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining sequel focuses more on action less on character
Review: Underneath the hood of this machine is a fine action film. Jonathan Mostow does a fine stepping into James Cameron's large shoes. Unfortunately, the one area where T3 suffers in comparison is one of Cameron's strengths as a writer/director--character development. T3 has more in common with The Terminator in that it's a lean, mean action machine. Since the the three major characters and their back story are well known to most fans of the film (I'm counting Skynet as the third character as its presence looms large in all three films), Mostow has the freedom to craft a film rich in action set pieces.T3 has a number of quirky and clever plot twists that enhance the film making it something more than just a remake of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. That's a good thing as, if not for the clever twists in the screenplay and the way director Jonathan Mostow (U571) turns our expectations of the film on its head, it would be a by-the-numbers franchise extension designed only to garner money. Terminator 3 is really about the cruelty of time. It's about recapturing the past and changing it to thrive in our post-ironic world. With the success of James Cameron's two previous Terminator films and with Arnold's career on a downswing, Arnold wisely chose to revisit the past and help reinvent himself once again by playing the most popular role he's been identified with outside of elect of California. While Arnold is once again cast as the "hero" of the film, it's a hero without conscience and a dark past. The script allows for the hero to redeem himself and discover the little voice inside our head that tells us right from wrong. As Terminator 3 opens we catch up with the savior of humanity John O'Conner. O'Conner (Nick Stahl) has become an itinerant construction worker with no permanent address. The future he was prepared for by his mother (Linda Hamilton who is sadly missed) hasn't come to pass. That's good news in a sense as the whole purpose of the battle in T2 was to prevent the destruction of mankind. Ironically by changing the future she and John and robbed him of his purpose. So he ends up wandering from job to job with his motorcycle his most important possession and no place to call home. When the Terminator (Arnold) arrives, he's coming to a world that, on the surface, doesn't really need him. Judgment Day has been avoided with the destruction of Skynet. Unknown to O'Conner, though, is the fact that the military has continued the work begun at Skynet. They've developed much more technology based on the original computer chip that was destroyed in the second film. To make sure that the future does come to pass as it was supposed to, Skynet sends back yet another Terminator model. The DVD looks good overall although I found it to lack the sharpness and clarity of the best DVDs currently on the market. The film is available in both widescreen and a full screen version (but not in the same set). The sound utilizes the 5.1 mix better than any of the other films in the series. I did find the mix occasionally harsh and brittle sounding in the sections where the sound was unusually busy. On the whole, though, the transfer for T3 is lacking the visual sharpness I've come to expect. The interaction menu also shows little of the imagination of the other two entries in the series. The extras are, for the most part, located on disc two. Disc one does have the two audio commentaries and trailers for the film and the video game. The extras on disc two are a bit disappointing. The best feature is the Sgt. Candy deleted scene. It's clear why it was deleted it's way too funny and probably wouldn't have fit the mood of the film. It also would have stopped the film cold. The second best feature is the visual effects section but, I have to agree, that the interactive menus is time consuming and a bit of a pain. Storyboards are also included and there's DVD-ROM content associated with the film as well. While T3 is a solid entry and conclusion to The Terminator series, the DVD extras are a bit disappointing given the deluxe treatment given to The Terminator and T2. The picture quality while solid isn't the best transfer I've seen. The sound,however, is quite good and uses the 5.2 format very well. On the whole the T3 DVD is missing the ghost in the machine that haunted The Terminator and T2 so well. It's entertaining and a great action picture but lacks Cameron's detailed character development and thoughtful situations. It's not disappointing (after all, it's not a Cameron film)it just takes a bit of an adjustment if your a fan of Cameron's first two films.
Rating: 
Summary: good story
Review: It is a good story, but not as good as the "terminator2". I like this series very much, I bought the DVD of I and II, and now, III. but 2 is the best.
Rating: 
Summary: i loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: yep i had a ball watched it 3 times already since picking up my dvd on tuesday! what a blast of entertainment! ok, perhaps nothing new here but more exciting, more action, more great special effects than i ever expected! should be a great holiday stocking stuffer for action fans of all ages, or anyone that really enjoys sitting back and by it's climax, be chewing on their fingernails. really cool flick-i really recommend it. get it and enjoy-over and over!
Rating: 
Summary: The Terminator is Finally Terminated.
Review: Okay...bad choice for directors, this guy Jonathan Mostow (Beverly Hills Bodysnatchers, U-571) is not he kind of director for this kind of films. The film looked very broad and wide...but it had very little in it. First off, my favorite is Terminator 2 - wonderful story and direction by James Cameron (Titanic, The Abyss). The Terminator is also very very good as well. And for its time, budget and limited technically resources for its time in the 80's - it's a very well put together film, story and performances. Terminator 3 - lacks an interesting story and is not character based. Just one action and destruction sequence after another and another and another. The premise carries the story to its ultimate ending of the Macines getting their way in the future. An infinite loop of Terminators. Big Deal.h Arnold Schwarzenegger (Gov of California, True Lies, Twins, Pumping Iron) tried to make good of his image but I am sure was drawn to the project for the money. The script he must have seen was week and the fact that James Cameron was not involved should have said to the producers...why? The twist in this one is a metal morphing dripping changing female villain played by Kristanna Loken (Academy Boys, Panic) who is not that clever or interesting. Claire Daines (The Hours, Romeo & Juliet) makes an honest effort to do something with her role...but everything is so uninteresting - she tries. Even the recasting of John Conner by Nick Stahl (Bully, Thin Red Line) should have been a clue. The film lacks story, James Cameron, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong and isn't the same....sorry, but it really is not that interesting and they now have killed the franchise all togtehr. But the new Govenor will be busy with other things now. Good luck Govenor Schwarzenegger! (11-12-03)
Rating:
Summary: Decent sequel, awesome DVD.
Review: I think it's safe to say that the first two Terminator movies will go down as classic sci-fi/action films. Not many directors can blend the kind of story and suspense that James Cameron did with those two movies. Taking over this time around is Johnathan Mostow, director of the WWII actioneer U-571. Mostow proves here that he is more than up to the challenge to do the follow up to one of the most well-respected movie franchises out there. He has a grasp of the story and controls the pace very well and even though there are some pretty lame moments, they are all well-compensated for with some pretty dandy action sequences and excellent visual effects. Mostow continues to show his knack for directing action movie and I look forward to seeing more from him. While incredibly silly at times (this entry in the series is decidely lighter than the first two and even boarders on being a comedy), we are treated to a clever way to continue on a series that seemingly died out long ago. The robots are still trying to kill John Connor, but this time, they send a woman back for whatever reason. Kristanna Loken does a fair job of bringing this character to life as she is the counter to Mr. Governor. Arnold once again proves he has a limited acting range with this outing, but since the T-101 is a limited character, it all fits. I still have trouble believing that the female terminator is stronger and smarter. Well, not necessarily smarter, but you get the idea. With some obvious flaws (a sub-par performance by Nick Stahl as John Connor comes to mind), Terminator is still a highly enjoyable film with great action scenes and of course, more Terminator than you can shake a stick at. It all fits mysteriously enough to make a film that stands alone well, but really can't hold a candle to its predecesors. And get this: Terminator 4 is supposed to go Arnold-less. You can be the judge of that part. The video quality on this DVD is nothing short of excellent. Colors are striking, black-level is perfect, CGI blends well and doesn't look overly apparent. No artifacting issues and edge enhancement is next to nill. Fine detail is excellent and provides for an overall three-dimensional appearance. The overall look to this film is less harsh than of the first two Terminators and it shows here. Colors are not nearly as blue-looking as they were in the first films and the overall palette is wider and provides for an excellent treat for the eyes. As good as the transfer is, the audio here knocks it completely out of the park. This is easily the best-sounding DVD of the year so far and will likely go down as one of the best-sounding discs in history. The mix is really open with a wide dynamic range with excellent mid-range and ear-shattering highs that never get to the point of overbearing. The bass here will knock you out of the room. I felt my pant-leg shake more than once. The chase scene with the firetruck is great demo material as chaos surrounds you, debris flies past your head, and explosions kick you in the gut. This mix is just too good for words. The commentary tracks here are pretty good (featuring Mostow, Arnold, Stahl, Loken, and co-star Claire Danes), but most of the material on the second disc just seems like it's trying to promote itself rather than giving an insight into the actual film-making process. While not bad, it just could have been much better. Love it, like it, or hate it, Terminator 3 will get you going. It looks and sounds awesome, but the extras could stand to have been a little better. A highly recommended buy just as another demo disc alone.
Rating:
Summary: Arnold returns as the good terminator. He must save John.
Review: People have waited 12 long years for this sequel. Of course, you really should see The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) to truly get the full story and know what has happened before to understand the present movie. The most incredible real-story is Mr. Arnold Schwarzenegger and how timely this movie was. After the release of this film, five weeks later Arnold Schwarzenegger announced on The Tonight Show that he was running to be a candidate for Governor of California. It was the ultimate surprise. The news media, the reporters and Republicans too were all excited. On October 7, 2003, Arnold Schwarzenegger won the Recall Election giving him a three-year term as the next Governor of California. All starring role movies with Arnold would have to be put on hold, including the Terminator 4, True Lies 2 and the Conan story Arnold was going to develop. This 2-disc DVD set offers alot of interesting featurettes. Two of them are of Arnold during some comedy for you. There is a goof reel too. You can choose a selected scene and pick the special effects you want to add. Then see the clip of the scene play out the way you created it. It's always nice to see Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator. He's done such wonderful and exciting film work, I also liked him in The Running Man (1987), Total Recall (1990) and End of Days (1999). I also like to see him in comedies. Stay Hungry (1976) where he had good scenes with Sally Fields.
Rating:
Summary: DON'T DO DAT!
Review: If you've seen this laugh-out-loud-bad movie, you know that line. Arnold's forehead has been hit with a bullet; a moment later, he spits out the bullet. Then the close-up! Arnold's face fills the screen and in a perfect dead-pan: "Don't do dat!" in all of the Austrian glory Mr. Schwartzeger can muster. It is hilarious, of course, like so many other lines in this silly movie contorted by the accent that Arnold either refuses to give up or cannot give up. (I'm not sure which is worse.) I had a good time just laughing at this stupid stuff, but there is so little else worthwhile in this flick that it simply isn't enough to make you want to sit through a couple of valuable hours. Think of this as Terminator 2 meets Lethat Weapon meets the Producers. That about sums it up. The story is a time travelling tale that is so similar to the last installment, that it is possible that they picked up the earlier script (perhaps a bad second draft) and decided to mutilate with bad jokes (yes, there is some intentional "humor" here), bad acting, and bad directing. The special effects are just so-so. There is a chase scene that is so over-the-top that it has its minimal pleasures, but certainly nothing to write home about. I suppose that I could end this review right there. But I can't, because this film destroyed a promising franchise. The first two Terminators were well crafted and enjoyable, with interesting ideas, fine directing, and good performances. This one is a poorly written, campy mess that can't seem to decide whether to be serious or not. You owe it to yourselves to avoid it. No need to send any signal that they ought to milk more money out of this corpse.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome movie ... thin DVD extras
Review: Movie Review: I really, truly, thought the magic was gone when I heard that Jim Cameron wasn't going to work on this project. I've never been so happy to be wrong. Mostow did an incredible job meeting the high expectations that fans have for this series. I'm not going to talk about the plot for fear of revealing too much, but I will say that this is the movie where John Connor finally meets his destiny. This is where the questions and issues of a time paradox (ex: If Judgment Day never happened how did John's father come back in time? Would he never have existed?) are finally answered (intelligently I might add). And of course, Arnold (or Governor Arnold now I guess) absolutely IS the Terminator. I don't think I have EVER seen a role more perfectly cast. If there I had any complaints at all, it was mostly just for what I felt I was missing then anything. I never thought I'd say this about an action movie, but I really wish there was a bit more dialogue and characterization for John Connor. As I said before, this is THE MOMENT when he becomes the man he was destined to be. I would have LOVED just a couple of extra minutes to watch him make the transition into the role. I'm holding out hope that extra footage will be added to the DVD. I really got the impression that T3 was made with a strict eye on the clock. The first two Terminator movies are around two hours (more for T2), T3 clocked in for almost exactly an hour and a half, if I remember right. I honestly think that a lot was left on the cutting room floor; I'd love to see some of it integrated back into the movie. Again, 4 out of five stars. It's a very solid third entry into this wonderful sci-fi saga. DVD Review: Where in the world are all of the extra features? I was very disappointed to learn that there wound up being only one cut scene. It's a totally ridiculous explanation of how Arnold became the model for the Terminator and a much needed explanation for how the government came into possession of Cyberdyne's research. It's really a horribly done scene that I'm glad was removed. It really would have detracted from the movie. Add in a few trailers and an HBO documentary, and that's about the extent of the goodies. Although nothing has been mentioned of yet, I really have a strong feeling that there's going to be some kind of box set coming soon. If you were thinking about buying this DVD, I'd be inclined to rent it. I have the strong scent of a trilogy re-release ...
Rating:
Summary: It was ok
Review: Ok, listen up. The best part about this movie was you get to see Kristina Loken...the movie was alright.
Rating:
Summary: This series should be terminated.
Review: I just finished watching "Terminator 3" and I think they should have just ended the series with "Terminator 2." As I see it, there were two main things wrong with the movie. The first was the fact that most of it seemed like one continuous car chase. Not that the first two movies didn't have their share of them, but in this case it didn't add anything to the story (or lack thereof). The second problem had to do with ending. I won't give it away, but it was thoroughly depressing and I suspect was most of what kept people away in droves when this movie was in the theater. There were a few funny parts here and there, mostly spoofing scenes from the other two movies. Unfortunately, they weren't enough to save this film. I recall hearing that the producers of the movie had to fork over around $10 million for Arnold Schwarzenegger. They definitely got ripped off.
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