5/5
T3 in HD
by OrangeCrush (Farmington Hills, MI USA)
I am a big fan of the terminator series. I think the story is one of the best ever concieved as it has alot to do with whats really going on in the world. Will artificial intelligence ever reach a point were it becomes self aware? Its a very interesting question and I think that is one of the reasons why it has been so successful as a series. This is also one of the only trilogys that I feel still has alot of potential for future movies. I think we really need a terminator film that is actually set in the future where the terminators live and with the recent announcment of T4 most likly being made, hopefully we will get just that.
As for T3, it is without a doubt the worst film of the 3 but with that being said I still really enjoyed this film. Alot of the people that disliked it did so because they said it went back on everything that was established in T2. I am not one of these people and I really like the aspect of this film that turned around and said Judgement day is inevitable. Its without a doubt the single best twist to this entire story in my opinion because in reality it really is. Technology will continue to drive forward with computers getting better and better and no matter what you do to stop it, someone else will pop up and continue the research and development. Its basically where we are today with technology. There is no stopping the advancment that we see taking place on almost a daily basis. If one company were to stop develpment in a certain area, someone else would just pop up and take that companies or persons place.
Anyways that is really why I liked this film so much. It took the series in a completly new direction by stating that there was no way to stop it while the first two movies focused on what to do to actually stop it. With that being said this movie had its flaws and it just isnt on the same level that T1 & T2 are on. Its still a highly entertaining action film with some great performances and a great ending that perfectly sets up the Terminator film that I am dying to see, the one set in the wasteland of the future. Hats off to Arnold as well who really busted his butt to get into killer shape for this film so he wouldnt look any different than he did during the first 2 films. He pulled it off without a hitch. Just another testament to that guys ability to work his body and get into killer shape.
Anyways on to the HD-DVD...
There were a few people on the HD forums that were disappointed in this transfer as it didnt show the amount of detail that some of the better transfers have shown. While it is true that this transfer doesnt have the detail present in some of the other transfers like Aeon Flux, Batman Begins and Sahara, it is still a great looking film and a big improvment overthe SD version. One of the thing you have to take into account is the fact that certain films just translate over to HD with much better results than others do. T3 was shot using Super35 and to sum up the Super35 process, it doesnt use as much area on the negative that regular anamorphic does thus you have a slight loss of detail compared to those that use standard anamorphic. With Super35 you also have to make intermediate prints to get the transfer onto a film that can be used in theatres. Everytime you make an intermediate print you lose resolution and detail. So to sum it up as I really dont want to get into a big technical discussion on Super35 and the other film processes. Super35 just does not have the image quality that regular anamorphic does period. T3 is a super35 film thus when you transfer the t3 film onto HD it just isnt going to look as sharp as a lot of the other films that arent Super35. Some of the main characteristics of Super35 are increased grain and less detail, both which are present in the HD transfer of T3.
With that being said, T3 still looks great and is a vast improvment over the SD version. I am actually a fan of increased graain as long as it doesnt look noisy which in this case it doesnt. It adds a disticnt look to the film. As much as some people would love for every film to look like the Batman Begins of Aeon Flux transfer, its just a bad idea. To make evey film look the same would be like taking all of the artistic possibilites of film and throwing them down the toilet. Its good that films look different because it would be a very boring world of cinema if everything looked the same. Just image what Tim Burtons Sleepy Hollow would look like if he used the same film and process used for Batman Begins. It would have absolutly destroyed the film and would have taken all of the spooky atmoshpere away. He purposly used cross processing to make all of the colors washed out and to make it more grainy and more contrasty. That film also looks great on HD-DVD but like T3 doesnt have a transfer that shows as much detail as some of the other transfers.
The sooner everyone relaizes that not every film is supposed to have incredible detail, vivid colors, & natural contrast. Films differ by the processes used to make the film and those differences in process equate to a difference in characteristics in a HD transfer. You have to educate yourself on just what processes were used for each particular film and only then can you make an educated critique of a particular films HD transfer.
To sum this up, T3 is certainly not a disc you want to pop in when your trying to show someone just how much detail can be seen in a HD movie. It was filmed in Super35 thus it was never trying to be a film that had a crazy amount of detail in the print. With that being said, T3 is a great transfer that is accurate to its master print. Its a big improvment over the SD version and its a great film which hopefully leads the series to a 4th film which is set in the future. I know I wont ever be done with the idea of a new Terminator flick until that particular story has been told. Here is to hoping they get around to making that happen.
OC..
5/5
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines being replaced by Warner
by Paul Woolley (Niagara Falls)
I give the film five stars, because I like the movie. About the 1080i issue: if you own an incorrect T3 Blu-Ray disc, you can call Warner's customer service number at 1-800-553-6937 for an exchange.
5/5
A review from someone who's actually SEEN it . . .
by Scott F Andrews (Boston, MA)
I went to an advance screening last night. My expectations were pretty low, given the lack of James Cameron at the helm and the span of years that have passed since T2. My biggest concern going in was that it would just be a Terminator vs. Terminator rehash with no real contribution to the story arc of Cameron's universe. My fears were unfounded, however. Jonathan Mostow has done an admirable job of capturing the audacious action and dark humor of the first two movies, while still managing to provide enough new twists to keep this third incarnation fresh. Yes, there's a lot of T-101 vs. T-X insanity, but these sequences are so well-executed and so over the top you can't help but laugh with glee. Kristanna Loken is every bit as scary as Robert Patrick was in the second installment, to the point where during one scene the girl next to me actually screamed in terror. The script, while a bit light on character development, offers plenty of great moments, both frightening and humorous. There are also many smart and unexpected references to the earlier films to tie everything together. Best of all, without giving anything away, important things happen. Things you'll want to see and know about if you are a fan of the first two films. My only gripe is that certain elements of the plot (which I can't reveal) aren't adequately explained. Perhaps those explanations wound up on the cutting room floor and we'll get them on the DVD. However, by the time that classic Terminator theme faded in and the credits rolled, I was very happy with the experience and my doubts about this third chapter in the series were put to rest. This film is about more than cashing in on a successful franchise. They've tried to do justice to the series' legacy and, in my opinion, they've succeeded.
4/5
"Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines" Rises To New Levels
by Scott Kolecki (Brooklyn, Ohio USA)
Though many critics have commented that this new Terminator is basically a retelling of the second film, I would like to begin by saying that I was pleasantly surprised by this third installment of this very successful franchise. Though the film lacked the direction of James Cameron, who was largely responsible for the birth of the Terminator series, it was nonetheless a worthy successor to his earlier works.
The movie is sharp, with a very definitive, high-tech look and feel about it. Unlike its predecessors, T3 does not have a lot of character development in it, save for a somewhat disarrayed and poorly developed relationship between John Connor (played by Nich Stahl) and Kate Brewster (played by Claire Daines). The duo, thrown together in a moment of peril, at once loathe one another, only later to discover that they have feelings towards each other. According to the Terminator (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger), Brewster will eventually become Connor's wife, (presumably this will be seen in Terminator 4). The development of these characters are probably the one notable weakness in this film.
What makes this movie work are the intense action sequences, as well as the comedic timing of many of Schwarzenegger's lines and situations. In the opening sequence, the Terminator appears just outside a strip club hosting an all-male exotic dancer review. Schwarzenegger's character walks in naked, upon which women begin throwing themselve at him. Upon approaching a male stripper, whose physique is a match to his own, he commands that the stripper gives him his clothes, to which the stripper raises an outstretched palm and stammers "talk to the hand." It is probably one of the funniest moments of the film, and works well to give a moment of liteness to the overall darkness and theme of the story.
This movie is definitely a big-budget science fiction/action film with many high budget effects. The new Terminator (played dominently by Kristianna Loken)looks slick and sensual, clad in tight, red leather, combining the sexual appeal of a woman with the lethal force of a killing machine with a single purpose, to hunt down the future leader of a resistance that will rise against the machines and ultimately defeat them. Loken is completely convincing as the T-X, a prototype Terminator with the ability to change shape and create complex weapons.
The opening and closing sequences are probably the most haunting. Judgement day has arrived, and the movie closes with the first wave of the attack that will end society as it is presently known. The imagery is haunting, and leaves the viewer with a reminder of the potential threat we all face in the onset of new and better technologies. Not that this was the intent of the filmmaker, but to their credit, it works well in this film.
For anyone who is a fan of this series, T3: Rise of the Machines is a great film. For those that haven't seen the earlier two, there is enough exposition in this film to allow even an uninitiated Terminator fan to follow the course of events that unfold in this story. I hesitate to give this movie 5 stars, only because there are some minor weaknesses which, in some ways, makes this a slightly inferior movie to the earlier Terminator films. However, it is a great film and a worthy successor to Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
The DVD edition of this film contains many extras, from storyboards to the development of some of the films incredible special effects. It also features many interactive extras which are quite enjoyable.
Scott Kolecki
4/5
T3 Rise of the Machines = Not as good as it could've been!
by K. Wyatt (St. Louis, MO United States)
My initial impression upon hearing that there would be a third Terminator movie was that it would be excellent, thinking that the majority, if not all of those involved the making of the first two films would be involved in making this third one. Upon hearing that James Cameron and many others from the first two films would not be involved, some of those expectations were dashed.
When I saw this third film in the theaters there "was" an obvious letdown when considering that in "some" ways, the mythos that was established in the first two films seemed to have been forgotten. Upon watching this film a second time, now on DVD, I've changed my opinion somewhat. Taken as a whole, this film does extend upon the mythos of the futuristic battle between man and machine and gives an even greater impression of the "history" of events in the Terminator genre. Where the film takes some hits is it's few too many attempts at brevity, which are interesting the first time but they're so clichéd as to actually distract from the overall enjoyment of the film.
Despite some of those misgivings about those "too many" trips to the humor well, I would still suggest to those that either saw the film in the theaters or have overlooked this film completely that they give this film an open minded viewing because in many ways it does develop the overall story of the Terminator!
What can one say about Arnold Schwarzenegger and his past and present performances as the Terminator; he brings the character back fairly well in this third film. It is very interesting to see the T-101 model Terminator with a psychological profile but, as stated above, that is interesting but it also plays too heavily in the trips to the humor well.
While Nick Stahl may be a good actor and may have done well in the other films he's been in, I thought his characterization for John Connor was more or less weak, they should've brought Edward Furlong in to reprise the character. Claire Danes does a good job in her first action role. The extraordinarily gorgeous newcomer, Kristanna Loken does an exceptional job as the Terminatrix, future performances by her should be looked forward to with great anticipation.
Jonathan Mostow does an acceptable job as the director of this film, given the script that he had to work with but one cannot help but wonder how different and that much better this film might've been had James Cameron taken the job. The overall score for the film does an acceptable job in carrying the film along!
The Premise:
As we soon learn, Skynet, just prior to it's defeat sent back not two but three Terminators, The T-101 of the first film; the T-1000 of the second film and now the T-X Terminatrix of this third film. The T-X Terminatrix is sent to terminate John Connor's lieutenants but to her great luck she not only finds one of the lieutenants in Kate Brewster but she also finds evidence that John Connor himself is nearby and becomes locked on him. In comes Arnold Schwarzenegger as the latest T-101 sent to protect John Connor and his lieutenants and he is now not only a Terminator but also he's also a Terminator with a psychological profile, ready to dispense his "wisdom" at any time.
What follows from there is a very good Terminator movie that is entertaining but doesn't measure up to its predecessors. I would still recommend it to fans of the series as it does do an acceptable job of advancing the Terminator story as a whole! {ssintrepid}
Special Features:
-Feature film with 2 commentary tracks with the stars and the director
-Movie and Video Game Trailers
-Introduction by Arnold Schwarzenegger
-Go on-set with the HBO Fist Look Making of Documentary
-SGT Candy Scene - This is absolutely hilarious and should've made it into the film!
-"Terminal Flaws" Gag Reel
-T3 Visual Effects Lab:
*Build Your Own Eye-Popping Action Sequences
*Skynet Database of Weapons
*Personnel Dossiers
-Terminator Timeline
-Storyboards
-Dressed to Kill
-Toys in Action
-The Making of the Video Game
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