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Columbia Pictures
The Halcyon Company
The Terminator Collection
The end begins.
All grown up in post-apocalyptic 2018, John Connor must lead the resistance of humans against the increasingly dominating militaristic robots. But when Marcus Wright appears, his existence confuses the mission as Connor tries to determine whether Wright has come from the future or the past -- and whether he's friend or foe.
JPRetana
May 26, 2026 · via TMDB
The Terminator franchise should have quit while it was ahead. After the second film, it has progressively gotten dumber and ungainlier, to the extent that Terminator Salvation (2009) is not the worst entry in the series for the simple reason that further installments have followed it. In the year 2018, John Connor (Christian Bale) learns that Skynet is looking to kill a teenaged Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin) because in the near future, Reese will become John Connor’s father in the past. Meanwhile, Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a cyborg (in the strict sense of the word, as opposed to the Terminators, which are technically androids), infiltrates the Resistance in order to kill John Connor and/or Reese. John Connor knows that Reese is/was/will be his father because his mother told him. How did Skynet find out? Perhaps it read the script. John Connor is worried that he may get back-to-the-futured. It doesn’t occur to him that if he exists in the present (which was the future then but is now the past), it’s because Reese will eventually travel back in time and father him, which in turn obviously means that nothing is going to get in the way of Reese growing up to become Michael Biehn. Then again, the whole “Kill Kyle Reese, reset the future... no John Connor” thing doesn’t make a lick of sense. There is a John Connor before John Connor knowingly sends his father in a suicide mission to create John Connor even though John Connor already exists — clearly, there will always be a John Connor regardless. Incidentally, does John Connor ever think about someone else other than John Connor? He’s referred to as “the prophesized leader of the Resistance,” but who prophesized him? Methinks John Connor did. This guy’s entire life has been devoted to self-mythmaking. Consider the following dialogue from Terminator 2: Judgement Day: TERMINATOR: My mission is to protect you. JOHN CONNOR: Yeah? Who sent you? TERMINATOR: You did. Thirty years from now you reprogrammed me to be your protector here, in this time. Is John Connor truly that important, or is he just a jerk in an undeserved position of power who thinks way too highly of himself? Can you name a single high-ranking member of the Resistance aside from John Connor who has ever seconded the “let’s save John Connor at all costs” motion? What we’ve got here is arguably the least Christlike Christ figure ever seen onscreen . Even the Bible had enough sense to have an “angel of the Lord” appear to Joseph in a dream to warn him about Herod, instead of adult Jesus sending an angel to protect baby Jesus. Marcus has a literal change of heart and saves John Connor’s life. This means there would be no John Connor without Marcus, and since there would be no Marcus without Skynet, why doesn’t Skynet go back in time and destroy itself? Terminator Salvation may have sh*t for brains, but at least it’s a good-looking film is what I would say if it were a good-looking film, which it most certainly is not. T2 was an anomaly — one of the very first movies to use CGI as well as one of the very few to put it to good use. It’s been downhill from there, and it’s too bad too, because Terminator Salvation features a variety of Skynet toys that, had they been put together with the 2009 equivalent of The Terminator’s 1984 practical special effects, would have kicked all kinds of butt. The film’s nadir, appearance-wise, is Arnold Schwarzenegger’s faux cameo. If the original T-800 was lifelike, this spectral version is deathlike. Hasta la vista? More like, hasta nunca, baby.
Dr Nostromo
Mar 26, 2026 · via TMDB
74/100 A prisoner, to be executed, agrees to give his body to science. He wakes up in the middle of the war with the machines not knowing quite what was done to him. I really liked this stand-alone film taking place in the future war. It has its plot problems and the ending is kind of sappy but there's some good solid, realistic sci fi action, that's not nearly as over-the-top as "Terminator: Rise of the Machines", and a good, albeit simple and familiar story. Great pacing, lots of crashes and explosions, a cameo by Arnie, and an interesting addition to the story. Great escapist entertainment. -- DrNostromo.com
cineast78
Nov 12, 2024 · via TMDB
**Undoubtedly better than any Terminator movie that came afterwards.** This movie may not be perfect and not as good as the first two Terminator films,, but it is a fun watch (maybe as a guilty pleasure). The acting ist good. Christian Bale as John Connor is as best as it gets. Sam Worthington does, as always, a decent Job as the lead character. I liked the production desing. One could wish that it should have gone in that or this direction, but overall they did a good job. The cameo of Arnie as a CGI-character and a fresh T800 was enjoable and fun. People gave it a lot of flaming back in the days - but, hey - it's at least as good as the 3rd movie and it's definitely better than anything that came afterwards, at least regarding story and characters.
GenerationofSwine
Jan 12, 2023 · via TMDB
So... this was awful. It was just kind of pointless, but at least (unlike the new ones that seem to want to destroy the Terminator franchise) it fit into the series. So, you know, it COULD have been worse. At least Salvation seems like a continuation of the Terminator movies. That's about the best thing that could be said about it. Bale really stinks it up, but then again, it's an MCG film and he really doesn't know how to handle things. He splices it together, scene by scene, with no uniformity or any real transitions to lead the viewer through the story, and does so with a convoluted plot that does, kind of, make a little bit of sense... kind of. The John Connor scenes are terrible, the everything scenes are really terrible, and you only have one or two moments that actually feel like they are coming from a Terminator movie and not a second rate clone.
Wuchak
Jul 19, 2021 · via TMDB
_**Wall-to-wall post-apocalyptic action needed more time to breathe**_ The first couple of Terminator films are easily two of the greatest sci-fi/action flicks in history. The problem with the third one, more than anything else, was that it was largely just more of the same; and you can only recycle the same plot so many times before it gets stale. This explains the filmmakers’ decision to set this fourth installment (2009) in the post-apocalyptic future where the machine-controlled Skynet is at war with the surviving humans, otherwise known as The Resistance. A few characters from the previous films are featured: An older John Conner (Christian Bale), his dad Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin), who's actually just a teenager here (such are the complexities of time travel) and the T-800 Schwarzenegger Terminator (CGI face, of course). Beyond these we get some new characters, the best being Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), followed by Blair Williams (Moon Bloodgood). Also on hand are: Conner's mate, Kate (Bryce Dallas Howard), a mute girl named Star and Helena Bonham Carter in a peripheral role. On the surface everything is of the highest filmmaking caliber. The problem is that there's not enough character development or intriguing respites. So what we end up with is a plot that strings together a bunch of cool post-apocalyptic action sequences with people who are constantly grim, shouting and killing, but we barely know them and therefore hardly care. It's like putting on an extreme metal cd that's full of hyper drumming, buzzsaw riffing & screeching/grunting vocals from beginning to end. There are no valleys to contrast the over-the-top highs and so it cops a samey-sounding, dull vibe. In other words, the very energy and excitement meant to impress & move the consumer backfires due to overkill. That's why they call it "overKILL." It's a curious thing but all too true. Be that as it may, there are enough positive elements in “Terminator Salvation” to make it worth checking out if you’ve seen the first two films. For instance, Marcus Wright is an intriguing protagonist who thinks there's no good in him until he is informed otherwise. At around the 45-minute mark there's a good campfire scene in the desert between two characters sharing a warm moment in a world gone mad. The film would have been more effective if it contained more scenes like this. But there's a decent revelation in the second hour concerning one of the main characters. Meanwhile Bryce Dallas Howard has a uniquely beautiful face (although she’s pregnant throughout the story). There are also some interesting ruminations about the nature of being a human and being a machine, or both. Bottom line, if you love action, you'll get it here. There are motorcycle-bots, fish-bots, giant-bots, flying-bots and Schwarzenegger-bots, all trying to terminate the protagonists. Since the events take place in a post-apocalyptic world it’s reminiscent of films like “Beneath the Planet of the Apes” (1970), “Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome” (1985) and, especially, “Reign of Fire” (2002), albeit with constant outrageous thrills. The first two films in the series successfully captivate the viewer from the get-go and the suspense builds to avalanche proportions. Even the third installment accomplished this to a lesser degree, although the plot was old-hat by that point (2003); still, it was a decent entry. "Terminator Salvation," on the other hand, only captivates marginally in preference for wall-to-wall action. That's too bad, but it has its moments; it's thankfully not as bad as "The Mummy Returns" (2001) in this regard. Not to mention it'll likely play better on repeat viewings in light of the convoluted plot. The theatrical release runs 115 minutes and the director's cut 118 minutes. The film was shot in New Mexico. Here's how I grade each of the Terminator outings (I have yet to see the sixth one): T1: A+ T2: A+ T3: B+ T4: B- T5: C+
Gimly
Apr 3, 2020 · via TMDB
I know that even amongst the rocky track record of the _Terminator_franchise, _Terminator Salvation_ is not especially well-liked. I've always been a little bit of an outlier when it came to this series though; like everyone else, I know the first two are the only great ones, but to me, it's actually not _T2_ that stands at the top of the pile, but _The Terminator_, the first film. And since that first film, we've copped 5 new runs at a _Terminator_ movie. Out of all 5 of them, _Salvation_ is the only one that tried something different from the first one. Even the lofty success of _T2_ was garnered using the same core concept as the original movie. _Salvation_ hits something new, and while that obviously doesn't work for a lot of its audience, for me, it's the best movie outside of the first two that the franchise has made to date. _Final rating:★★★ - I liked it. Would personally recommend you give it a go._
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Spectrum On Demand
Christian Bale
John Connor
Sam Worthington
Marcus Wright
Moon Bloodgood
Blair Williams
Helena Bonham Carter
Serena
Anton Yelchin
Kyle Reese
Common
Barnes
Zach McGowan
Soldier on Osprey
Bryce Dallas Howard
Kate Connor
Jane Alexander
Virginia
Michael Ironside
General Ashdown
Ivan G'Vera
General Losenko
Dorian Nkono
David
Chris Browning
Morrison
Beth Bailey
Lisa
Victor J. Ho
Mark
Buster Reeves
Tunney
Jadagrace
Star
Kevin Wiggins
General Olsen
Greg Serano
Hideki
Bruce McIntosh
Priest
Babak Tafti
Malik
Treva Etienne
Len
Michael Papajohn
Carnahan
Dylan Kenin
Turnbull
Chris Ashworth
Richter
Diego Joaquin Lopez
Soilder
Greg Plitt
Hybrid Male
Omar Paz Trujillo
Guard #2
Terry Crews
Captain Jericho
Isaac Kappy
Barbarosa
Boots Southerland
Warden
David Midthunder
Soldier #1
Maria Bethke
Mexican Wife
Anjul Nigam
Rahul
Emerson Brooks
First Soldier
Lorenzo Callender
Comms Officer
David Douglas
Technician
Joe Basile
Radar Operator
Esodie Geiger
Transmitter Technician
Roland Kickinger
T-800
Brian Steele
T-600 Suit Performer
Linda Hamilton
Sarah Connor (voice) (uncredited)
Luke Kearney
Resistance Soldier (uncredited)
Aaron Mastriani
Harvester Captive (uncredited)
Mark Rayner
Helicopter Gunner (uncredited)
Paul J. Porter
Infirmary Fighter (uncredited)
John Gibbs
Harvester Captive (uncredited)
Linda Hamilton
Sarah Connor (voice over) (uncredited)
Carol Kiefer
Art Department Coordinator
Adolfo Martínez Pérez
Additional Director of Photography
Shane Hurlbut
Director of Photography
Ann Foley
Assistant Costume Designer
Michael Wilkinson
Costume Design
Melissa Yonkey
Hair Department Head
Ed French
Makeup Artist
Stan Winston
In Memory Of
Angelique Midthunder
Stunts
Dana Hee
Stunts
Denise Gallo
Stunts
Ed Duran
Stunts
George Cottle
Stunts
McG
Director
Jeff Okabayashi
Second Assistant Director
Barbara Harris
ADR Voice Casting
Freya Krasnow
Casting Assistant
Andrew G. Vajna
Executive Producer
Dan Lin
Executive Producer
Joel B. Michaels
Executive Producer
Mario Kassar
Executive Producer
Jeffrey Silver
Producer
John Roesch
Foley Artist
Danny Elfman
Original Music Composer
Mark Ulano
Production Sound Mixer
Doug Hemphill
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Ron Bartlett
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Stan Winston
Creature Effects Technical Director
Ben Snow
Visual Effects Supervisor
James Cameron
Characters
Steven E. Gordon
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John Brancato
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Toast
Unit Eleven
Sky cookies
Kamen Rider: Run All Over the World
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Alien
BoBoiBoy: Elemental Heroes
Memento
A Clockwork Orange
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Vertigo
WALL·E
Metropolis
2001: A Space Odyssey
Galvanic Heart
Blade Runner
Akira
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
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2010
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Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
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Jay and Silent Bob Reboot
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Afterwards
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The Grudge 3
Dirty
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I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
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Southland Tales
Halloween III: Season of the Witch
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
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Aliens vs Predator: Requiem
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
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Critters 4
Alien Outpost
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Tarzan and the Green Goddess
Twisted Pair
Candyman: Day of the Dead
Sharknado 2: The Second One
Children of the Corn: Runaway
Nobody Sleeps in the Woods Tonight 2
Black Mask 2: City of Masks
Flesh Gordon Meets the Cosmic Cheerleaders
Overkill
Solar Crisis
American Psycho II: All American Girl
Succubus: Hell-Bent
Cyborg Cop
Robotica Destructiva
Human Animals
Terminus
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Dead Weekend
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Machete Kills Again... in Space
MIA&I
Avengers: Secret Wars
Ruedas De Metal
Media Mushrooms
The Female Side Effect
Samaritan 2
Bug
Larger Than Life
Optimize
The Helping Hand
Commando Ninja 2: Invasion America
We Need Mirrors
RED
Under Paris 2
Mañana Sí
Ramayana: Part Two
Black Panther 3
Untitled Zack Snyder LAPD Film
Sonic the Hedgehog 4
Remains: Road to Reno
Love Machine
i didn't do anything
The Mitchells vs. the Mitchells
Override
inefficient joy_
Artificial
Between Icebergs and Gaucho Pants
The Girl From Nothing
The Last Temptation of Becky
Run Hide Fight: Infidels
Untitled
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Blade Runner
The Terminator
Mad Max: Fury Road
Upgrade
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die
The Matrix Reloaded
Chappie
The Matrix Revolutions
Subservience
Wifelike
Turbo Kid
These Final Hours
Terminator: Dark Fate
Monsters of Man
Outside the Wire
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Land of the Dead
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Rage of Stars
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Next
ARQ
Impostor
Total Recall
Class of 1999
Hardware
The Machine
Universal Soldier: The Return
Morgan
May 14, 2009
Hollywood, California
May 20, 2009
Dec 1, 2009
DVD, Blu-ray
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