Directed by: Harald Zwart
Running Time: 140 Minutes
Rated: PG

For many critics, to hear the word remake is usually responded to with a groan of despair, clamors of Hollywood lacking originality and any backbone to push forward new content.  For better or worse, the practice continues (and will be pushed forward at least for the foreseeable future) in Hollywood as exemplified by The Karate Kid, a remake of the original 1984 feature film that became a cult classic.  Harald Zwart’s new interpretation of The Karate Kid, however, is an intriguing case study of a remake.  Although it does fall into some of the common traps, this new retelling is a good film that comes and marks out its own place in history, smartly using its China backdrop and the strength of the actors.

Zwart’s The Karate Kid follows Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) and his mother, Sherry (Taraji Henson) who both are forced to move to China from Detroit after Sherry gets relocated for her job.  Dre does not want to go, as he has to leave his friends and familiar trappings for a completely new foreign land.  His assessment of the situation worsens when he arrives with a language he does not want to learn to bullies that start to harass him everywhere he goes.  A lackadaisical mechanic, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), soon meets Dre as he attempts to learn kung fu.  Unknown to Dre, Mr. Han also is a kung fu master.  The film follows their meetings and adventures as Dre has to learn both kung fu and respect.

The traps that The Karate Kid follow are small aspects that, added together, do seem to weigh the film down a bit.  One is simply some odd plot devices to move the story along, particularly referring to the film’s sense of reality.  A story is allowed to string together any type of plot point in whatever fashion it wants.  However, this stream of consciousness need to be logical and realistic in terms of the story’s rules that it sets for itself throughout its duration.  Simply putting a plot device, ready to be utilized again near the end of the film, is not enough of a convincing reason without proper context.  The Karate Kid does do this, and it did affect the effect of the climax.

Context also affected several other scenes throughout the movie that sometimes tried to be epic and grand yet come off more as cheesy and unnecessary.  It felt as if Zwart was using scenes for the sake of adding them, and for a film that had some pacing issues as well, it would have done better to either trim these parts out or at least give more proper time to make the right transitions, especially since the film understands this when it has done so successfully in other scenes.  This loose pacing also affects some of the other characterizations and therefore, plot devices, that could have been much more complex.  Moments like a possible back-story between the rival kung fu leader and Mr. Han are alluded to but glossed over along with several other characters appearing to be relevant but never really being anything more than story points.

However, Zwart and company do succeed in capturing not only a lot of passion and heart but a surprising overview of China and the modern world itself.  The actors, for one, buoy this film with their strong performances.  Jaden Smith exudes his father’s charm and style throughout The Karate Kid.  Both charismatic and expressive, his youthful demeanor is all but forgotten by the last scene when even the most skeptical of audience members have to acknowledge that he did a great job in the role.  Jackie Chan as well brings a sullen and bitter performance that works to the film’s advantage; a surprising turn compared to most of his work where he uses his physical humor.  It never comes off as overdone and a balance is struck between the tutor and tutee that perhaps should not be compared to the original’s Mr. Miyagi and Daniel, but a relationship that stands by itself in how it is unique and memorable.  Speaking of the original Karate Kid, the various different homage that Zwart makes to the original are funny to fans but never overdone.  They are tactful and smart.  And although many complaints were made about various plot devices, the core progression of the film is pretty standard but done well enough to warrant mention as it never loses track of itself and always feels like a lot of passion and enthusiasm went into it, noticeable through how the film is shot and placed.

One final and important mention goes to the backdrop of the film, China.  There are two sides in how this was filmed that really makes The Karate Kid an intriguing and good film.  One is how China is incorporated into the overall narrative.  It is not just used as scenery.  It embeds itself as an important character into the story of Dre’s overall story arc and the theme of respect, both between Dre to China and vice versa.  The interesting flipside to this is the candidness that Zwart gives to the realities and the modernity of the modern world.  For instance, the historical backdrop of the economic hardships affecting Dre and his mother in Detroit and how it forces them to move to China is not only a clever introduction but effective in serving the modernity of the rest of the film.  Perhaps even more surprising is the surprise in seeing how prevalent communist imagery and effects could be seen about China.  Although never mentioned directly or acknowledged, the fact that these images pervade onto a mainstream movie create an interesting chemistry of, perhaps, a pseudo-documentary overlapping the inspiring fictional core plot.  It seems, intentionally or unintentionally, that Zwart left the images for the international community to think about and grapple with.  Therefore, The Karate Kid becomes more than simply a remake but a modern and politically relevant film for the masses.

The Karate Kid falters a bit in its execution; resorting to odd plot devices and an uneven pace, but it is memorable because of its charismatic, stalwart actors and its surprisingly candid outlook on the context of its plot and China itself.  The remake seems to doubt the strength of its own story at times, yet those missteps do not mask the positive and strong portions of the film that shine and hold the film up.  Perhaps Director Zwart was simply trying to put this remake on par with the original yet has, in reality, crafted a much more original entity that embraces a very modern and relevant context and makes itself into a pseudo, mass-market documentary and dramatic martial arts film.  ‘The Karate Kid’ is a good instance of what remakes should set themselves out to be: more than simply just a re-telling of a story with the same characters and plot mechanics but with a sense of purpose and relevance.

The Wie muses *** ½ out of *****

Ratings:
*****: Excellent
**** to ****½: Great
*** to ***½: Good
** to **½: Mediocre
* to *½: Bad
0 to ½: Terrible

Image: Alaskan Dude (Flickr)

Freighter Cruises

If you want to save money on a cruise and be treated like “one of the crew” instead of like a tourist, a freighter cruise may be just for you. Most of the major global freighter lines, CMA-CGM, Canada Maritime and Freighter World Cruise offer adventure seekers the chance to come aboard for a fare. Travel to just about any destination in the world on a containership, general cargo ship or mail & supply ship for a fraction of the cost of a traditional cruise line. Fares range from $90 to $130 per day for trips from 7 days to over 100 days. Freighter travel is not as unaccommodating as it may seem. You get your own cabin, eat meals in a dining hall with the crew, and even get a tour of the bridge. Freighter cruises are generally for people who would prefer a laid-back setting, with a more rugged edge to it rather than the standard, activity centered, commercial cruises.

Cold Destinations

Alaska or Canada may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of spring break, but for many college students, canoeing in the Arctic, ski trips and dog sledding can be a refreshing adventure –especially if you already live in a warm climate.  For those who love to bond with animals, dog sledding has gained popularity in recent years. Alaskan Racing Huskies love to run and they thrive on human interaction. Guides will share their love for dogs, local history and dog sledding expertise with resort guests in Canada and Minnesota.

Volunteer Trips

Volunteer trips have been a popular alternative spring break option this year for students who seek a “feel good” opportunity in addition to learning about life in different countries or even from different walks of life. You could tutor at-risk children who attend inner-city schools or practice your Spanish while helping to improve shanty towns built to accommodate poor Mexican families. Choosing to spend your spring break helping people and communities in need is altruistically rewarding, but it can also be fun and not to mention looks great on your resume. How much more would you enjoy sharing a few cold beers after a day of conservation work in Ecuador or saving turtles in Costa Rica than if you just sat around in a hotel all day?

Kooky Retreats

For those of you who need more therapy than party, try a specialized retreat to reset your mojo.  Immerse yourself in a retreat of just about any kind. The Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts has a Silent Yoga and Meditation Retreat where participants focus on Yin Yoga and meditation. If you are looking for rejuvenation, there are many new age wellness retreats all over the country. Some people may prefer a retreat that brings them closer to nature. In this case, you can find an eco camp or do a weeklong survival course camping out in the woods. From paranormal retreats such as ghost hunting, to art and creativity retreats, you can spend spring break getting away from all the noise of college life and find some bliss doing what you truly love.

April Lentini writes for Apartment Guide in Detroit.

Director: Max Mayer
Running Time: 99 Minutes
Rated: PG-13

The romantic genre has evolved into several forms in its varied history as it tried to attract audiences in various ways.  Some films went for the immensely quirky while others turned to more comedic situations as its big bullet point.  Adam follows another trend of promoting the awareness of a lesser known symptom, disease, or condition to the public through mass media, much like moves as I Am Sam.  The biggest problem these films have, though, is balancing out how to spread the word about the said topic versus still engaging the audience in the narrative.  Mayer’s Adam does not completely fall into this trap yet although it has some high moments, this film becomes intertwined by the common conventions of the romance genre and odd directorial decisions.

Adam is about a brilliant young man (Hugh Dancy) with Asperger’s Syndrome, an autism disorder, exhibiting social awkwardness and lack of empathy with other people around him.  Living alone in his apartment with the recent death of his father and only having the comfort of a good friend, Harlan (Frankie Faison), Adam seems to be at one of the lower moments of his life until he runs into a new neighbor, Beth (Rose Byrne), a chirpy and excited school teacher ready to live in a brand new area.  The two soon interact and fall in love but what await them are trials between family members, friends, and themselves.

Where Director Mayer most succeeds in his vision is bringing Asperger’s Syndrome to the forefront of the mainstream media, supported by some other strong aspects as well.  Adam never completely falls into the trap of becoming too preachy or too involved with its hook.  Although it becomes a focal point in many of the scenes and to the movie itself, Mayer smartly maneuvers the film around possible situations that those with the syndrome might go through and then moves to evoke a tangible emotion that is relatable to the audience.  This is all juxtaposed with some informative scenes about the brilliance and human qualities that people with Asperger’s possesses and so balance out the more educated scenes versus the romantic plot.  This pairing works as well, due in part to Dancy’s performance as Adam.  Although sometimes a bit too dramatic and sporadic, he gives the character a nice sense of humanity and an interesting persona behind him.  It is probably not going to win him a nomination with the Academy but is a high point for the film.

Wrapping this package together is some slick cinematography in which New York City is beautifully captured in its winter solace.  The scenery feels like it comes alive and becomes part of the movie and an important note as several of the plot points revolve around this and the relationship between Adam and Beth.  Finally, several narrative points have to be noted for giving the film an original twist, especially the ending which brings the film oddly together and does not cheat the audience with a conventional conclusion.

This, however, is all brought heavily down by a lack of creativity and originality in the rest of the narrative and dialogue.  Mayer and his team stick so close to romance genre conventions that most of the film is easily predictable to be taken as seriously as the film was intended to be.  Some melodrama is understandably necessary in this film, yet instead, dialogue that was supposed made have tears coming out of the audience members instead make people confused over odd plot holes or awkward moments.  Alongside this, typical stereotypes can be found all over the film that reinforces how narrow minded the film is.  Not helping at all is the bombastic soundtrack, which much like the direction, sticks to heavy flourishes and preempting situations.  Although it is a design decision, the large sound of the brass and the strings simply create an even more corny and unrealistic scenery for the film, completely opposite to the realism the film attempts to evoke.

Another problematic area is the rest of supporting cast who cannot provide much weight or interest behind their roles as Dancy does, although the fault seems to lie more in the direction than purely on the actors’ shoulders.  Yet blame needs to still be placed where it is as these actors seem to fit what stereotype they are given and although may be at least two-dimensional, are still predictable and not-so-interesting characters.  The pacing is one last area that hinders Adam.  The already flimsy and conventional plot becomes even harder to swallow when the film rushes through most of the scenes, especially between Beth and Adam and as it reaches the conclusion.  Characters motivations to key narrative points make little sense in the dash and when Adam reaches its ending, as heartwarming as some may feel, any depth that Mayer tried to leave the film at will not linger.

Adam is a somewhat touching romantic film that is backed by a noble cause of bringing Asperger’s Syndrome to the forefront, which works on an aesthetic level, coupled with some good cinematography and excellent performance from Hugh Dancy.  However, when one digs a bit deeper, ‘Adam’ becomes nothing more than another typical romantic film filled with overly melodramatic moments, an overpowering and bombastic soundtrack, and misguided direction.  It almost seems as if the film needed another hard look during its pre-production process and in the end, will most likely suffer as being forgotten among the many, better romance films…a shame since its premise held much more promise than it let on.

The Wie muses **½ out of *****

Adam Youtube Trailer

Ratings:
*****: Excellent
**** to ****½: Great
*** to ***½: Good
** to **½: Mediocre
* to *½: Bad
0 to ½: Terrible

Director: Michael Bay
Running Time: 150 Minutes
Rated: PG-13

In 2007, Michael Bay took on the challenge of making the Transformers cartoon series into a live action reality and was a runaway success, guaranteeing that a sequel would be coming to a theater near everyone.  2009 has arrived and brings forth Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, a sequel that trumps its predecessor in bringing bigger robots, a slightly longer running time, and more action.  If that’s all one needs to verify before going to see the film, this summer film will probably satisfy the appetite for more of Bay’s crazy action antics.  However, the true question is if the film will whet the majority of audience’s craving for entertainment, and to an extent, this sequel does live up to what it promised.  Just be forewarned that for all the emphasis on special effects and explosions, the film has a lot of problems that many moviegoers may have trouble overlooking.

A few years have passed since the first Transformers and the heroic Autobots have teamed up with the military to create a special covert unit to take down the remaining evil Decepticons left on Earth.  Unbeknown to any of the protagonists, however, is that an evil being called the Fallen still has plans to utilize Earth in a scheme that will destroy the planet and help the Decepticons live on.  Meanwhile, Sam (Shia LaBeouf) is finally off to college, leaving behind not only his mother and father (Julie White and Kevin Dunn respectively) but also his girlfriend, Mikaela (Megan Fox).  However, after touching a special alien shard, Sam’s college days soon become a race to save humanity with the Autobots with the help of Optimus Prime and Bumblebee as well as some fresh new faces.

A point needs to be made before going into the full review.  Michael Bay’s direction brings along a set of directorial quirks that follow nearly all of his films.  Humongous explosions, constant perverted dialogue, a male-dominated line-up, a fascination with the military, and constant patriotic references are just a few of these qualities that regular viewers should come to expect and although it is not to say that these attributes will completely be left out of evaluation, this is meant to warn audiences that may have been turned off by Bay’s previous films that they will probably have a similar experience here.

Continuing from that point, however, Bay’s style still overshadows much of the other aspects of the film.  Much like the first film, the narrative is still a pretty big mess.  Plot holes start to pop up constantly while plot points are glossed over quickly unless they yield some type of humorous or slow motion moment.  Characters are also thrown in and out of the film with little to no care, depending again on how much entertainment value or eye candy they can provide.  In fact, much like many other series with huge casts, the casual audience member will probably get confused over who is who, at least in terms of the robot population because there is such a sheer amount of them in this film and are never truly introduced well (or destroyed so quickly that no one cares to begin with).  And staying on the issue of characters, an eyebrow raising mention needs to go to Mudflap and Skids.  Although a good number of audience members will probably disregard the issue as Bay’s lack of care for the politically correct, the characters will rub off some as fairly offensive from their look to their actions.

The pacing also hits a huge slowdown midway through as Bay forces himself to re-explain key exposition points and recover most of the team to meet at one spot.  Even the climax becomes less of an impact due to Bay’s inclusion of several deux ex machinas that become great visual moments but inexplicable plot holes that could have been utilized much earlier in the film.  Instead of being a breath of air in a movie that tries to keep the audience on its toes, it becomes literally a buzz kill and could have avoided this if it actually thought about its core narrative and plot twists better along with cutting down on a fairly long running time.

The cuts in the editing room also should have been looked over with more care, as there are a good chunk of scenes that literally become confusing in terms of the spatial distance between characters.  This becomes heavily apparent during scenes when there are multiple action set pieces occurring and soon becomes perplexing where characters like Sam are or why the Autobots are so far from a location.  Bay also still has seemingly not learned to control his joy of overusing the spinning cinematography shot and clamping down on the film soundtrack that still is too sporadic and obvious to be palatable.

Finally, there is the acting and dialogue.  Although the lines are still fairly corny and cheesy, most of the actors understand this direction and bring a bit of an over-the-top acting style with them to make it work.  However, some of the weaker actors like Fox make the stilted dialogue not only apparent but brings the audience out of the film to wonder why these scenes were not re-shot.

Both Bay and Transformers fans, though, should not despair, as the core film is still the blockbuster that many are expecting.  The first obvious bit of praise is that the action scenes and choreography are much more fluid and enjoyable.  Bay utilizes a more, zoomed-out camera, most of the time, to get a better sense of what is happening on the battlefield rather than the Bourne-esque, jumbled cinematography that plagued the first film.  This makes the epic scenes that much more exciting and eventful.  The forest scene midway through the film is a great example of this improved action aesthetic as the audience gets to see a great ground-level perspective from Sam while the robots are literally destroying huge parts of the forest.  Bay’s style, here, flourishes as audiences are taken into the action, even though most of the characters are CG models.  It also supports the non-stop, breathless action that most fans loved from the first.

While on the topic of special effects, Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) has put out another showstopper, literally competing with themselves with the other summer, technological wonder, Star Trek.  Only rarely do audiences feel taken out of the film because there is a notice that a special effect is off or poorly done.  From the sheer amount of CG onscreen to the gargantuan robots, such as Devastator, they all still feel very tangible.  Admittedly, the robots look better in darker-lit scenes, yet again, ILM should be proud of the final product that already looked great in the first film but even better and bigger here.

Most surprising, however, is how fun most of the actors come off with some fairly funny scenes.  LaBeouf, for instance, still brings a lot of energy into the role but because of some plot developments, becomes an even more engaging and interesting character to watch along with some very hilarious moments with White and Dunn (albeit a bit too much in some scenes).  An even bigger surprise has to come in just the sheer number of hilarious cameos and homages Bay pokes fun at both others and himself.  Just to spoil two moments, look for the Bad Boys II poster in one scene with another being an oddly reminiscent temple from Indiana Jones.  Some may complain that these are unnecessary yet they are oddly engaging little Easter Eggs that avid moviegoers will enjoy.

To note, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a very typical Bay blockbuster that will have common as well as some very odd complaints that hampers the film’s overall, dumb enjoyment factor.  Some audience members will complain about the pacing mistakes while others are going to be turned off by the convoluted plot or some offensive or weird characters.  Yet if some audience members are the type that cannot stand plot holes or lack of emotional resonance, do they really have the right mindset to begin with entering this film?  For all the little trivial and huge errors, this sequel is a pure, popcorn action flick that has a lot of good improvements from the first to at least note that Bay is listening and maturing.

The Wie muses: **½ out of *****

Ratings:
*****: Excellent
**** to ****½: Great
*** to ***½: Good
** to **½: Mediocre
* to *½: Bad
0 to ½: Terrible

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Youtube Trailer

Director: Todd Phillips
Running Time: 100 Minutes
Rated: R

For: Those looking for raunchy/simple humor
Not for: Anyone looking for a unique or different approach to the Vegas/road trip genre

“It was the best of times.  It was the worst of times.” As much as it sounds like a line out of A Tale of Two Cities, this actually well refers to everyone’s fond memories of Las Vegas.  Nights of debauchery, public drunkenness, casinos, strip clubs, etc. are just a few of the typical stereotypes people associate with sin city.  Films have always used Vegas as a backdrop for many different activities from complicated casino heists to blown up babies and much more.  The Hangover is a comedy that attempts to give viewers both a laugh and a thought about the joys and pains of partying in the city, yet does it do enough to differentiate itself from other slapstick comedies?  In the end, it is going to satisfy those craving a raunchy and visual comedy and will be appreciated for its interesting structure, but while it may surprise with a slew of gags, it won’t quench any other viewer’s appetite for something a bit more different.

The Hangover follows a group of four friends: Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis), and Doug (Justin Bartha).  Doug is about to get married in a few days and has decided to party out his remaining single days in Vegas for a bachelor party.  They exclaim that the weekend will be one of the best party nights of their lives, being able to get the executive suite and seeing a magnificent view of Vegas from the top of Caesar’s Palace.  What starts out as a harmless night, though, becomes catastrophic the next morning.  Phil, Stu, and Alan wake up to find their room in shambles and Doug ultimately missing with no one remembering a single clue about the night before.  And so starts the race to find Doug and get back to the wedding while trying to put back together memories of the night before.

The comedy itself is pretty funny and interesting in the way it approaches its subject matter.  Director Phillips assaults viewers with constant surprises that are used to make the viewer laugh at complete shock of the situation.  This rarely lets up as gags are almost always trumped by the next plot point and all smartly relate to Vegas hijinks.  To not reveal any relevant narrative not seen in the trailer, one moment pops up a baby in a closet while the next has Mike Tyson jabbing Alan in the face.  This is all well complemented by the array of characters included within the story, well focusing on Phil, Stu, and Alan as they look for Doug.  All the bases are covered from the crazy lunatic to the straight, middle man and the cool, suave caretaker with Cooper, Helms, and especially Galifianakis all doing competent jobs in carrying out their roles.

Perhaps the most commendable aspect that overlays the entire film is the unique hangover structure.  The film begins with the night in Vegas yet skips to the following morning and has the audience feeling much like the characters; hungover and confused as the plot unfolds with the characters piecing back together what happened prior.  It is not completely original, done many times before successfully, but seeing it here is a clever addition that helps break up the overdone Vegas gag.

Yet that is the most difficult aspect of The Hangover to get behind as it feels like another retread into the Las Vegas territory with a lot of missteps in between.  One aspect that really needed fine-tuning was the editing and pacing.  Especially seen at the beginning and the ending where the plot slows down considerably, there are problems with how long scenes are lingered on whether it is driving to Vegas or exposition-laden scenes.  Viewers understand that a drive to Vegas from California is long and that there are many, towering buildings able to be seen.  Not only has it been done before, it bores the viewers and although may create a contrast between the exciting middle section, is no excuse for simply poor plot progression and not even counting some unnecessary repetitive flashback moments of scenes already seen.  Secondly, although it pertains to the central plot point, Bartha is sorely missed for much of the film as the charismatic middleman.  It would have been great and interesting to see relevant flashback moments including him rather than have him completely disappear for the majority of the film.

But the most disappointing feature that veteran comedy fans will discover is that the gags are either of the ‘been there, done that’ variety or non-consistent with the rest of the plot.  Of the former variety, for a comedy concerning Vegas troubles, it is difficult to always come up with something completely original and in The Hangover, there are a couple scenes that really simply go through the normal stereotypes whether it is the Asian gangster or the prostitute in the quick-fix wedding chapels.  Worse off, though, are that the gags rarely have much staying power apart from their surprise, initial effect.  One minute may have Alan carrying a baby when after a couple scenes pass, the baby mysteriously disappears without much word from the characters.  In another scene, a character is mauled by an animal and is never really referred to again.  The scenes may be funny when they first appear yet apart from that, the comedy never really transcends that initial outburst.  In the few instances that the comedy tries to inject more character development and purpose, it does come off as a bit ham-fisted and unreal, further giving the film a weird imbalance.

The Hangover is a comedy that goes through a lot of the same Vegas, vulgar slapstick humor that adds some unique twists through its structure.  Making the audience feel like the characters by piecing together the plot backwards creates some smart, hilarious situations and the pacing barely lets up in surprising the audience with something more profane or disastrous for the four ‘heroes.’  Yet, The Hangover tries to go for some character development and meaning when it obviously is not necessary and works against the film’s over-the-top plot points, and ultimately, falls under the same trappings of making fun of the same stereotypes.  It also feels a lot like one skit after the next, never really addressing or connecting situations completely together.  It’s neither for the light of heart or the viewer looking for the next smart comedy, but for those wanting a foul-mouthed, dirty, and somewhat interestingly structured antics of Vegas, The Hangover will at least leave viewers with their mouths in shock and schoolboy giggles galore.

The Wie muses: ** ½ out of *****

Ratings:
*****: Excellent
**** to ****½: Great
*** to ***½: Good
** to **½: Mediocre
* to *½: Bad
0 to ½: Terrible

The Hangover Youtube Trailer

Director: McG
Rated: PG-13
*Note: This film releases on May 21st

For: Terminator and Sam Worthington fans; Those looking for a good post-apocalyptic action film
Not for: Those seeking innovations and originality in the sci-fi genre

The heavy bass and percussion anthem of Terminator is iconic, stemming from the imagination of James Cameron and his take on the conspiracy theory of machines versus humans.  The first two movies in the series were fantastic representations of gritty sci-fi mixed with some good action and drama along with revolutionary special effects.  The third, however, was a ho-hum entry that seemed to try and keep the franchise alive along with Schwarzengger’s acting career.  Director McG now takes the reins as the series blasts off into the post-apocalyptic future and many had their doubts about how the movie would be, given McG’s past resume.  Does the series still fare well even with the time change and nearly complete cast makeover?  What may come as a surprise to many is yes, Terminator: Salvation is still a good entry and a marked improvement over its third predecessor that may not exactly set the sci-fi genre ablaze with its effects or plot line but progresses the saga in an interesting direction with good action to boot.

Terminator: Salvation is set in a post-apocalyptic future after Skynet, a huge supercomputer, has literally blown up the world with nuclear weapons and is battling the remaining humans, the Resistance, for complete control.  At the spearhead of the operation for the Resistance is John Connor (Christian Bale), who is considered to be both a prophet, mainly because of his knowledge of what is to come, and a hindrance by the leaders of the Resistance, because of his rebellious ways.  Assisted by Dr. Serena Kogan (Helena Carter) and his own army, Connor works tirelessly to figure out a way to stop the machines.  However, that all changes when a Resistance fighter Moon (Blair Williams) discovers Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), a being who shakes up what Connor expected as both sides start to make their decisive moves against each other.

Perhaps the biggest mistakes that McG’s entry makes is based more on lack of innovation and ambition.  Terminator: Salvation is definitely big and spectacular as an action sci-fi movie, yet it lacks the punch and complete terror that came with the first two entries.  This is exemplified when looking at most of the characters, especially John Connor.  Instead of full and featured emotions, most of these people take on with a specific emotion, whether it is being rebellious, fighting against the robots, or staying ambivalent.  It is disappointing to see Connor so under fleshed with only a real change of heart by the end of the film as it is a bit nonsensical after all that he has gone through in his life.  Even the final surprise villain will feel so intangible because of the lack of understandable emotion from the heroes.  Additionally, the editing and exposition are pretty spotty and all over the board.  The introduction is a mess of combining an awkward flashback with a long text overlay, and while never occurring to the same severity, there should have been tighter control over how the narrative is unveiled.  The worst hindrance is the fact that important themes that seem readily apparent are never really explored.  What does it really mean to be both a prophet and a soldier?  What is the significance to being both a robot and human (and wouldn’t you realize it sooner when you couldn’t perform human functions)?  How does one live day-to-day in a post-apocalyptic environment with oneself and others in normal relationships?  A much better movie was definitely lurking underneath, yet it was never aspired towards.

These seemingly large errors, however, are overshadowed by both the entertainment value and successful progression of the narrative.  Terminator: Salvation has a lot of great action sequences that effectively ramp up in the amount of effects and fights seen on screen.  Tensions run high when a massive robot starts to take human prisoners or through a one-on-one showdown between human versus robot.  It is non-stop and gritty (at least for a PG-13 rating).  The biggest and probably unspoken star, though, is the great guerilla-style camera work.  There are some great, beautiful long shots as the heroes duck and weave between debris and robots to reach a destination and while it may never be as ambitious as a movie like Children of Men, such good cinematography is always a pleasure to see.  On top of this, Industrial Light & Magic continue their reign as a great special effects house as many of the CG and technology is seamless and tangible, save for perhaps a few not-so-great looking robots.  Perhaps what also pushes this film into a more memorable direction is the direction the plot takes.  Although it may never explore it in detail, the plot makes interesting points as to what happens when past, prophesized information does not exactly match up with the future or how a prisoner of war could change the entire battle.  Worthington’s Marcus becomes an integral part of that discussion and although much cannot be talked about without revealing too much, this character is probably the most well-rounded and surprisingly intriguing character that will keep moviegoers interested until the very end, which is a testament to both his acting ability and the good dialogue he is given.

Terminator: Salvation is a competent, summer action movie that, much like all good reboots, pleases the fan base while attracting a wider audience.  It does not exactly innovate the Terminator name beyond what is already accomplished as it relies on series old themes and not exactly helped by the dearth of character development for most of the characters, some odd exposition work, lack of cohesive editing, and odd ending sequence, but it does bring up some interesting ideas about where the series could go.  Worthington’s Marcus is the unexpected character that really makes the most impact, raising questions about the differences between humans and cyborgs, while ILM creates another spectacular special effects offering that add to the constant tension and fairly slick cinematography.  All in all, neither action nor Terminator fans should be displeased with McG’s work.  Anyone expecting a genre-defining, science fiction film as explosive as the first two Terminators, though, are going in with too high of expectations.

The Wie muses: *** out of *****

Ratings:
*****: Excellent
**** to ****½: Great
*** to ***½: Good
** to **½: Mediocre
* to *½: Bad
0 to ½: Terrible

Terminator: Salvation Trailer