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TERMINATOR SALVATIONMovie Reviews
Fourth installment of the Terminator series follows John Connor as he attempts to organize a resistance that is mankind's last hope for survival against the intelligent robot overlords. Cast:Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Moon Bloodgood, Bryce Dallas Howard, CommonDirector:McGRelease Date:May 21, 2009DVD Release:December 1, 2009From:Warner Bros.Rating:PG-13Length:1 hr. 55 min.
Terminator Salvation played to moderate reviews. • Bill Goodykoontz wrote in the Arizona Republic, "Director McG proves perfectly adept at blowing things up in interesting ways, but there's not so much acting here as there is yelling at different volumes." • And Michael Sragow wrote in the Baltimore Sun, "...the ultimate heavy-metal parody.... we get an apocalyptic movie theme park." More Reviews Below...
Leah Rozen, People: VERY GOOD(cg) "...the franchise is back and looking remarkably spry... The film has a gritty futuristic look, rousing action and a ruggedly appealing costar in Worthington..."(See all of Leah Rozen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 155 words, 05/21/09
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: MODERATE(cg) "...there's not much here in the way of way of humanity, even with the strong feminine presence of actresses Bryce Dallas Howard, Moon Bloodgood and Jane Alexander."(See all of Christy Lemire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 530 words, 05/20/09
Thelma Adams, Us Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...testosterone junkies will enjoy the surplus of gun battles, Arnold Schwarzenegger shows up (naked) in a cameo and plucky Anton Yelchin Lends spark..."(See all of Thelma Adams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 163 words, 05/21/09
Claudia Puig, USA Today: MODERATE(cg) "The machines are bigger, shinier and meaner than ever, and the world they inhabit is even more grim and bleak. But the dramatic elements flat-line..."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 379 words, 05/20/09
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (13 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...some things are saved, even redeemed, in the course of the movie, including, perhaps, the audience's interest in killer cyborgs from the future..."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,042 words, 05/21/09
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: EXCELLENT(cg) "...keeps the gripping, 'Road Warrior'-lite action scenes linear and kind of retro, avoiding today's nervous, chop-shop editing style."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 451 words, 05/19/09
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: MODERATE(cg) "After scrutinizing the film, I offer you my summary of the story: Guy dies, finds himself resurrected, meets others, fights. That lasts for almost two hours."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 712 words, 05/20/09
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times/Chicago Tribune: GOOD "If you're a 'Terminator' fan, it's mostly worth it. The machines are mindless, yes, but there are enough pyrotechnics and heavy artillery to feel like Armageddon squared."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 952 words, 05/20/09
Kyle Smith, New York Post: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...either a solid B-movie or a disappointing A-movie... worth seeing for the lusty blare of its pumped-up shootouts, and for the mucky, clanking post-apocalypse..."(See all of Kyle Smith's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 639 words, 05/20/09
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: VERY GOOD(cg) "Here's an idea: If your brain has an off switch, punch it before entering this movie. That way you'll be able to enjoy this loud and fast-moving action flick..."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 358 words, 05/20/09
Liam Lacey, Toronto Globe & Mail: MODERATE(cg) "...lacks the humour, heart-tugging moments and visual pleasure that made the first two movies of the series modern pop masterpieces."(See all of Liam Lacey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 841 words, 05/20/09
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: WEAK(cg) "...utterly unnecessary... doesn't much feel like a 'Terminator' movie until the last act, when the script finally engages the mythology head on. By then it's too late."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 469 words, 05/21/09
KEY CITIES (19 Reviews)
Mick LaSalle, Houston Chronicle/San Francisco Chronicle: POOR(cg) "...why complain about botched dramatic scenes in a movie that's all about the action? So let's end with a word about the action itself: It isn't really action. It's commotion."(See all of Mick LaSalle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 747 words, 05/21/09
Chris Garcia, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: FAIR(cg) "...wants to be a serious action picture but can't muster the drive, ambition or vision. It's a headache spectacle hellbent on action for action's sake..."(See all of Chris Garcia's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 685 words, 05/21/09
Tom Maurstad, Dallas Morning News: MODERATE(cg) "...uninspiring, and the human characters are about as predictable and superficial as their machine counterparts. Bale gives a rather monotonous performance..."(See all of Tom Maurstad's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 518 words, 05/21/09
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Director McG proves perfectly adept at blowing things up in interesting ways, but there's not so much acting here as there is yelling at different volumes."(See all of Bill Goodykoontz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 648 words, 05/20/09
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "But, oh, the dialogue.... 'There is a storm on the horizon,' John Connor says. He's not talking about the weather."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 680 words, 05/21/09
Ty Burr, Boston Globe: MODERATE(cg) "Will 'Salvation' make a lick of sense if you haven't seen parts 1 through 3 (leaving aside TV's 'Sarah Connor Chronicles')? Nope."(See all of Ty Burr's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 870 words, 05/21/09
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...an unbroken series of action sequences... It's a brutal portrait of a barbaric world where a human resistance movement and homicidal robots battle for survival."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 517 words, 05/21/09
John Hartl, Seattle Times: WEAK(cg) "...a collection of disconnected chase sequences, machine-gun battles and state-of-the-art CGI explosions, including, most impressively, a towering atomic cloud..."(See all of John Hartl's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 465 words, 05/22/09
Robert W. Butler, Detroit Free Press: MODERATE(cg) "...a case of diminishing returns. 'Salvation' so keeps its characters at arm's length that after a while it really doesn't matter what happens to them."(See all of Robert W. Butler's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 539 words, 05/20/09
Marc Mohan, Portland Oregonian: GOOD(cg) "...moments of CGI-fueled frenzy make one appreciate how Cameron could create truly awe-inspiring mayhem with far less-advanced technology at his disposal."(See all of Marc Mohan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 675 words, 05/22/09
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: MODERATE(cg) "...so steeped in the cheese of the '80s that it never rises. And it's not the kind of cheese that the fans can feast on."(See all of Joe Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 396 words, 05/21/09
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...one of the most visually impressive films in the series. The action is non-stop and the look borders on dazzling."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 371 words, 05/21/09
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: FAIR(cg) "...the dourest and most humorless of the four 'Terminator' pictures - I don't think there's a single moment of comic relief in the whole two hours..."(See all of Rene Rodriguez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 579 words, 05/21/09
Carla Meyer, Sacramento Bee: FAIR(cg) "...because the 'Terminator' series historically has emphasized the power of humanity over heartless machinery, this film's lack of attention to humanity is glaring."(See all of Carla Meyer's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 494 words, 05/21/09
Michael Sragow, Baltimore Sun: MODERATE(cg) "...the ultimate heavy-metal parody. Better make that travesty, because there are next to no moments of comedy.... we get an apocalyptic movie theme park."(See all of Michael Sragow's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 621 words, 05/21/09
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...even with a rusty script, 'T4' still manages to blend action and feeling.... It's a mixed bag, but it's not fucking amateur."(See all of Peter Travers's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 212 words, 05/29/09
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: WEAK(cg) "...utterly unnecessary... doesn't much feel like a 'Terminator' movie until the last act, when the script finally engages the mythology head on. By then it's too late."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 469 words, 05/21/09
Tricia Olszewski, Washington City Paper: WEAK "Without a compelling drama, an ounce of humor, or even a character to sympathize with, 'Terminator Salvation' may as well be the next 'Transformers.' "(See all of Tricia Olszewski's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 600 words, 05/21/09
HIGHBROW PRESS (6 Reviews)
Bob Mondello, NPR All Things Considered: MODERATE "...breathless and nerve-jangling.... McG proves a capable enough director of people. More to the point, his way with special effects is indeed pretty special."(See all of Bob Mondello's reviews...)(Listen to the full review...) 140 seconds, 05/22/09
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...some things are saved, even redeemed, in the course of the movie, including, perhaps, the audience's interest in killer cyborgs from the future..."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,042 words, 05/21/09
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: MODERATE "...a deafening, sometimes boring, occasionally startling and ultimately impressive war movie with a concern for what it is that makes us human."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 605 words, 05/22/09
David Edelstein, NPR Fresh Air: WEAK "...isn't as much fun as it could be. With McG's migraine-inducing jerky-cam and a monochromatic brown palette livened only by splotches of rust, it's numbing."(See all of David Edelstein's reviews...)(Listen to the full review...) 343 seconds, 05/22/09
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: GOOD "If you're a 'Terminator' fan, it's mostly worth it. The machines are mindless, yes, but there are enough pyrotechnics and heavy artillery to feel like Armageddon squared."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 952 words, 05/20/09
MOVIE INDUSTRY (5 Reviews)
John Anderson, Daily Variety: OUTSTANDING "...the kind of singular vision that distinguished the Cameron original, the full-throttle kinetics of 'Speed' and an old-fashioned regard for human and humanoid heroics."(See all of John Anderson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 972 words, 05/18/09
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: GOOD "If you're a 'Terminator' fan, it's mostly worth it. The machines are mindless, yes, but there are enough pyrotechnics and heavy artillery to feel like Armageddon squared."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 952 words, 05/20/09
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...some things are saved, even redeemed, in the course of the movie, including, perhaps, the audience's interest in killer cyborgs from the future..."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,042 words, 05/21/09
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: MODERATE "...a deafening, sometimes boring, occasionally startling and ultimately impressive war movie with a concern for what it is that makes us human."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 605 words, 05/22/09
18.4 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Terminator Salvation's reviews are separated by an average 18.4 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Terminator Salvation (49 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Terminator Salvation's reviews cover 90.1% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 29,440 words involume (average is 20,172 words). Length:The film's reviews average 601 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 16.2 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Terminator Salvation's reviews on average broke 16.2 hours after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Terminator Salvation's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Terminator Salvation (49 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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