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Video: 1-min. review 'Terminator Salvation'Advertisement
Director, cast discuss latest chapter of 'Terminator' series
Published online on Wednesday, May. 20, 2009
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SAN FRANCISCO -- "Terminator Salvation," opening Thursday, is the latest twist on the franchise that's spawned two sequels, merchandising, a theme park ride and a TV series.
This time, instead of the Terminators scooting back through the years to track down humanity's lone hope, John Connor, the action moves to the year 2018. The evil Skynet has turned the planet into a shooting gallery with humans as targets.
Connor (Christian Bale) has to rally the last few humans to save themselves from extinction. The future that Connor was raised to expect has become altered by the appearance of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington). Connor and the remaining humans now have more than the machines to fear.
Director McG said he used the word "salvation" in the film's title because it means "forgiveness from sin." "We start this picture with Marcus committing a rather substantial infraction. He learns that everyone deserves a second chance. He is slow to understand that, but that's effectively the expression of salvation," McG said during an interview at WonderCon, an annual comic book/TV/film convention, in February.
"Terminator Salvation" sticks to the story line established in the three feature films. McG didn't ignore the Fox TV series, but he didn't let it get in the way of his movie.
McG explained: If the first "Terminator" movie was about saving Sarah Connor and the second was about saving John Connor, this one is about saving Kyle Reese. "Terminator" fans know Reese is sent back through time by John Connor to save Sarah Connor. That trip proves to have an even more personal affect on John Connor's life.
McG cast Anton Yelchin in the film's pivotal role. The young actor, who played Pavel Chekov in the recent updated film version of "Star Trek," is the latest Reese; Jonathan Jackson was Reese in the Fox Network series "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles." Michael Biehn played him in the original 1984 film. Yelchin prefers the Biehn version.
"Being a huge fan of 'Terminator,' there was no way I was going into this movie and not have that Kyle Reese in this film," he says of Biehn's work. "I think there is a tendency in stories about heroes when they are younger, to see them start off weak and get stronger. I just thought that was [expletive deleted]. You can't do that with this character.
"You can't have a weak Kyle Reese who then becomes the hero. He's got to be a hero from the start."
Yelchin approached the part of Reese much as he did the Chekov role. He kept familiar elements and added new layers: youthful enthusiasm for Chekov and anger and a fragile nature for Reese.
"I finally thought maybe because Reese has been part of this resistance, it has given him a foundation to consolidate his emotions so he knows exactly what he is fighting for … His whole goal is survival and fighting the machines."
After working in small, independent movies, Yelchin jokes about the novelty of being in a project that took longer than five weeks to film.
He's not the only actor to take over a "Terminator" role originated by another. Bryce Dallas Howard plays Kate Connor, John Connor's wife. Claire Danes was Kate Brewster in "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines," which revealed she and John would marry.
Howard was happy to get the call from McG to play Kate: "As it was written, the character was already wonderful. Then, in addition to that, there was the wonderful performance by Claire Danes in 'Terminator 3.' There was a lot to be gleaned from that performance. Then both McG and Christian were always trying to mine the scenes to find more. So there are some incredible discoveries like she is a doctor and she is seven months pregnant.
"So they are literally and metaphorically trying to create a future."
Moviegoers will best know Howard, daughter of director Ron Howard, from her work as Gwen Stacy in "Spider-Man 3."
It's up to the audience to decide if this latest "Terminator" offering is great enough to warrant more. McG says he's ready, and he's already picked out names for the next two. He says if another movie is made, it will deal with time travel and John Connor trying to galvanize the forces of those who think he's crazy.
TV and movie critic Rick Bentley can be reached at rbentley@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6355.
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