A new Terminator film should be cause for celebration among film fans and movie executives alike. A rising level in action and thrills pleases the former, while the combined worldwide gross over $1 billion excites the latter. Without the input of the film’s originators, what can movie goers expect?
Too Lightweight?
When producers named McG (Charlie’s Angels, We Are Marshall) as director of franchise kick start Terminator Salvation, the fan base revolted. Suspicions lingered regarding the pedigree of a director whose previous films included a bubble-gum overhaul of a camp TV show and a disappointing, maudlin melodrama.
Many fears were dispelled when news of casting broke, a perfect combination of street and artistic credibility.
- Christian Bale (The Dark Knight, Public Enemies) as John Connor, humanity’s last hope for salvation from the machines
- Bryce Dallas Howard (The Village, Spider-Man 3) plays Kate Connor, a character played in Terminator 3 by Claire Danes
- Helena Bonham Carter (The Corpse Bride, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) as the mysterious Serena
- Rapper and actor Common (Smokin' Aces, Wanted) as Barnes
- Anton Yelchin (Alpha Dog, Charlie Barlett) plays the young Kyle Reese, portrayed in earlier films by Michael Biehn
John D. Brancato and Michael Ferris write the screenplay. They are responsible for the crowd-pleasing and profitable Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.
Too Many Ghosts?
Concern over the qualifications of director McG and absence of Arnold Schwarzenegger are well founded. The greater concern is the absence of two creative forces that helped forge the Terminator into a cultural phenomenon.
James Cameron (The Abyss, Titanic) specializes in strong female characters, a rarity in the testosterone-driven world of action films. He did not contribute to the third film in the series and it did feature a strong heroine in Kate Connor. However, the argument could be made that he’d created the template that writers Brancato and Ferris, along with director Jonathan Mostow (Breakdown, U-571), faithfully followed.
Also missing is producer Gale Anne Hurd (Incredible Hulk, The Punisher). Her very presence in the equally testosterone-driven world of action filmmaking affects the films she produces. While she possesses a commercial sensibility, most of her films are populated by women who decide their own fate. Can we look forward to such characterization in a film produced in her absence?
Director McG and screenwriters Brancato and Ferris have displayed a knack for satisfying action and complex female characters. Despite the central role played by John Connor in Terminator Salvation, the audience would be wise to expect an entertaining thrill-ride comparable to the previous films.
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