Review – Terminator 3: The Rise of the Machines

Hooray once again for computer-generated special effects. The robots in this one look a lot less like puppets than they did the first two times around. The action’s also more than a little slicker. And the post-Sept. 11 ending’s sure a far cry from Cameron’s episodes. But somehow it’s as if the cinema gods demand that overall quality be a constant and that gains in one area must be counter-balanced by reductions in others. As a result, the characters are considerably less engaging, a matter that isn’t helped by the drop in acting quality. The script’s also a bit on the weak side. At least the movie itself wasn’t as bad as the ads; TV spots made this look like an action comedy, and as a result I very nearly didn’t bother to go see it. I guess I’m at least a little glad a lazy summer Friday gave me enough incentive to overcome my fears. Mildly amusing