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The robots are cool, but the film lacks heart

Whatever the case, John Connor is not the star of the movie; he's a supporting character. Much of the film revolves around new character Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington). The movie begins with what appears to be his lethal injection in a pre-apocalypse prison. The next thing he knows, he wakes up in the nuclear wasteland of the American West. He has no idea how he's there or why. His encounter with a teenage Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin)—and the discovery of what happened to him—become key to the future of both the resistance and Connor.

The commercials have revealed that Wright is surprised to discover he's not entirely human. It's obvious this is a plot point ripe for hefty ideas of humanity. It would seem that Connor would have to reconcile his beliefs about humans and machines. But really, he just yells "WHAT ARE YOU?" a few times, mentions that his mom never told him about this kind of thing, and then seems to come to a vague understanding that the difference is the human heart. That's it. The same applies to why the movie has the word salvation in it: It seems to be connected to Marcus' opportunity of a second chance at both life and to do good—but it's a theme that doesn't go very deep.

This glossing over of ideas is par for the course as the movie rockets toward its ending with several coincidences and leaps in story logic. (When we do get some answers, it is through a horribly contrived scene of exposition that made me cringe—and it still didn't make sense.) We don't know why everything happens. It just does—and then stuff explodes.

Talk About It

1. How do you interpret the film's talk about the heart? How does the heart make humans different from machines? What, to you, does the idea of "the heart" symbolize?
   
   
2. What does it mean to "stay alive" in your mind? How about in your heart? When Reese says this, what do you think he's referring to?
   
   
3. What is the movie trying to communicate regarding Wright's second chance? Why does he seem so resistant to the idea of a second chance?
   
   
4. Connor makes a good point regarding the resistance's attack plan. What makes the plan similar to how machines fight? What would make a human's war methods different? Why do you think others listened to John's instruction over orders?
   
   

The Family Corner

Terminator Salvation is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and language. The movie is, for the most part, kinder and gentler than its predecessors in terms of blood, gore, violence, and language. There are still several uses of profanity, including taking the Lord's name in vain.

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The Terminator franchise—including the new Terminator Salvation—is full of religious imagery, much of it ultimately embracing hope for mankind.