Terminator Salvation

PG-13

Released May 21, 2009

1h 56m

Sci-Fi

Action

List

33%

280 Reviews

Tomatometer

53%

250,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Although Judgment Day has in fact occurred, the future for which John Connor (Christian Bale) was prepared has been partly altered by the appearance of a stranger named Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington). Connor must determine if Wright has been rescued from the past, or sent from the future. As the machines prepare for a final battle, Connor and Wright delve deep into Skynet's heart, uncovering a secret that could lead to the annihilation of mankind.

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Critics Consensus

With storytelling as robotic as the film's iconic villains, Terminator Salvation offers plenty of great effects but lacks the heart of the original films.

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Mike

loved whole experience

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/08/21

Full Review

Aaron C

I genuinely don't understand the negative reviews this film gets, just watched this after years of putting it off because of the negativity. All I can say is Wow, what a film apart from the first 2, this is easily the best in the franchise. Casting is good , with Sam Worthington stealing the show.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/26/24

Full Review

Emilliano Jr S

It was an action packed but story wise, it was so bleak.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

04/25/24

Full Review

Zinny

Underrated take on the Terminator Franchise, i was left wanting a sequel to the original two terminators and this scratched that itch. I was left a little confused with the ending as it seemed final, but it would be neat to continue this movie with the plot line developed in Terminator: Salvation.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/04/24

Full Review

Jack G

I feel like there is a better Terminator sequel somewhere within this movie. It has a lot of interesting ideas that sound great on paper, but the execution leaves more to be desired. The character of Marcus, A movie set during the future war, John Connor and Kyle Reese finally meeting, and seeing John as the leader of the Resistance all are great examples of this. The script also feels like it went through multiple drafts, or at the least the film had an final edit that removed certain scenes that were reference later on, since there are some plot points and lines of dialogue that don't make a lot sense within the final cut of the film. Add in a lack of cohesive continuity with the previous films and jumps in logic, and overall the film just fumbles where it could've succeeded. I also feel that some of the performances in the film are pretty good while others feel rather bland. Kyle Reese and John Connor being some of the better performances within the film. The effects in the film still hold up pretty well. Especially the Terminators and, surprisingly, the CGI Arnold T-800. It would've been better if they actually got him for the movie, but the effect does its job well. Overall, the film is just very uneven. Sadly, I think this is one of the better Terminator sequels even with all of its flaws, which really says something about the quality of the franchise after T-2. But hey, at least it isn't a bad clone of T-2 again.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/24

Full Review

James B

I still really liked this movie despite all the bad ratings

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/29/24

Full Review

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McG

Director

Christian Bale

John Connor

Sam Worthington

Marcus Wright

Moon Bloodgood

Blair Williams

Helena Bonham Carter

Dr. Serena Kogen

Anton Yelchin

Kyle Reese

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25%

41%

Impostor

28%

53%

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

It was good, but not great.

Rated: B

Sep 12, 2017

Full Review

Joshua Rothkopf

Time Out

Missing is Cameron's signature action modification, best exploited in Aliens: the strapping female heroine. McG's testosterone-juiced world feels a little doomed without her.

Rated: 2/5

Nov 17, 2011

Full Review

Laremy Legel

Film.com

It brings me very little joy to report that this version of the popular Terminator franchise is silly, obtuse, and pointless.

Rated: D+

May 6, 2011

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

This rather cold exercise contains a synthesized quality and feels like it was executed by an artificial intelligence.

Rated: 1.5/4

Sep 19, 2023

Full Review

Emiliano Basile

EscribiendoCine

Terminator Salvation lacks human connection as the backdrop of the story, and if it has any, they're far removed from the films starring Arnold. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 6/10

Jul 11, 2023

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

I liked “Terminator Salvation” and while it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, I think it has a place in the series.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 25, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

Although Judgment Day has in fact occurred, the future for which John Connor (Christian Bale) was prepared has been partly altered by the appearance of a stranger named Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington). Connor must determine if Wright has been rescued from the past, or sent from the future. As the machines prepare for a final battle, Connor and Wright delve deep into Skynet's heart, uncovering a secret that could lead to the annihilation of mankind.

Director: McG
Producer: Peter D. Graves, Mario Kassar, Andrew G. Vajna, Joel B. Michaels, Dan Lin, Jeanne Allgood
Screenwriter: John D. Brancato, Michael Ferris
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Moritz Borman
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Sci-Fi Violence|Intense Sci-Fi Action|Language)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 21, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 22, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $125.3M
Runtime: 1h 56m

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