Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

Not bad but not good 7 out of 10

T3 is a solid follow-up to Cameron’s classics. The main reason it gets so much hate is because James Cameron had no involvement, and it essentially undoes the hopeful outcome of T2. I understand the criticisms, but realistically, this was probably the only way another Terminator movie was going to be made—for better or worse. The new direction doesn’t shy away from its superior predecessor; in fact, it leans into it, at times bordering on light mockery. Still, T3 has a few tricks up its sleeve, the most noteworthy being its bold ending. What initially seems like a happy resolution flips into the very war T2 fought to prevent. In my opinion, this is where the series should have ended—with existence trapped in a tragic, unbreakable loop.

Terminator 3 still surprisingly keeps it's "Terminator" feel without James Cameron but also you can definitely tell this isn't a Cameron film. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the coolest film character of all time and i stick by that. The special effects are hit and miss at times, the side cast is pretty forgetful and as much as Nick Stahl gives a believable performance his appearance does not give off a "John Connor" feel and that's definitely not Stahls fault, it's a shame Edward Furlong was an addict because he was (not seen any of his modern work) a fabulous actor. The thing which I love about the Terminator Franchise (so far) unlike Rambo and Die Hard, the Terminator films manage to stay fresh and unique which makes it a fun watch. Kristanna Loken isn't bad but when you come off Arnold Schwarzenegger and Robert Patrick as antagonists it's extremely hard to match. I'm also all here for the Terminator big budgets on all the films because it's just fun to see the budget used well and the mass amounts of chaos and destruction. Terminator Salvation Blu-ray (Steelbook) purchased! Ps, it was very nice addition to get Arnold Schwarzenegger welcoming me to the DVD feature, caught me off guard in a pleasant surprise.

Esta bien buena la Tx jajajaja

What an awful film. After coming correct with the first 2, the third time was an embarrassment for this franchise. They call it a “franchise” after it ceases to be an actual story based in originality and creativity and becomes a product simply to be sold as a sku in order to capitalize on the first one, which was actually really, really good. This one lets you know what you’re in for right off the bat. It wastes no time in confirming that it’s just a mindless action movie where all the budget was spent on special effects and explosions and apparently none of it was spent on actual writers. Had this come out around 2022, you’d swear it was written by AI. Unfortunately they can’t even use that as an excuse. It’s just naturally, organically awful. I was trying to think of one aspect of the movie that isn’t horrible but there really ain’t one. The actor who played John Conner was the wrong guy to cast. That’s all I’ll say about that. But ultimately it wouldn’t have mattered since the rest of it was such a lost cause. And what a shame for a story that started out as a unique sci-fi original. The irony is that the first one inspired movies that were much, much better than this installment of the story.

An exciting and entertaining film, even if the story feels slightly lacking. It follows the same formula as its past two installments (especially the second film) but this time, it fails to innovate or bring anything fresh or original to the table. Structurally, the plot makes sense and presents a mostly cohesive series of events, albeit with a few contrivances. However, character development is weak, and the performances fail to leave an impression or create any real sense of connection with the audience. On the technical side, the action set pieces are well-crafted, with strong sound design and editing that enhance these sequences. The ending is predictable, as the film ultimately faces a choice: repeat what’s been done before (which feels uninspired) or take the necessary step for the time travel logic to hold up. Without spoiling too much, the choice it makes doesn’t add any meaningful commentary to its themes or character arcs. While the movie is watchable and fans of the franchise may still enjoy it, it ultimately feels like a recycled installment made more for financial gain than creative necessity.

Saw it again in 2025, and I enjoyed it way more than I remember. My kids loved it too. Maybe because the story and special effects are loads better than the garbage blockbuster movies we have been getting lately (excluding Dune). Maybe it’s because I’m older with kids now and I can appreciate the themes more. Sure it’s a little cheesy at times, but the good nostalgic kind of cheesy, and it’s just a fun movie from start to finish, with an awesomely heavy ending. T1 and T2 are about as perfect as you can get. I think T4 Salvation is probably the worst movie in the series, but still pretty watchable. I remember enjoying T5 Genisys, ; and T6 Dark Fate was not terrible (though I do have an issue with what they did with JC in T6).

A pointless sequel and the beginning of the end for the Terminator franchise.

Inconsistent physics and tone. 6.6/10

The last good Terminator movie. If you can take some of the corny humor in stride, it delivers the sci-fi action goods. It even hits on an emotional level.