Maybe it’s just because I went in with really low expectations after the crappy RT score and generally negative reactions, but I thought the movie was a lot of fun. Definitely surpassed my expectations.
The movie had decent action and it appears to mostly make sense (at least on a superficial level), but I really can’t shake that dull feeling that nothing happened. Like “why was this made? Why was Terminator brought back?” This added nothing to anything, and it’s such a disappointment because I think we all wanted to see Connor in the future making it right.
It did feel like it was building up to something… that never happened. Now, that could (and probably is) be due to the ending re-write, but the movie we got felt like there was another reel to go before the credits hit.
But, after the mess that was T3, I was very happy with T4. The camera work/special effects were awesome.
Oh, and with the Arnold thing; for CG, it was great, but for looking like Arnold, I think he just looked way too young. I know it’s from his 1984 model, but they could have added some lines to the face. It looked too clean, but I guess no computer technology right now can match up to reality.
I’d go ***.
The cast didn’t really do anything for the movie. There is no “Bruce Campbell” in this. Alison Lohman (was Ellen Paige originally attached to this role?) was okay, if not somewhat miscast, Justin Long was just a supportive boyfriend, concerned seance/fortune teller guy, etc. Mrs. Ganush was GREAT though, one of the best horror characters I’ve seen in a while.
The plot had some weak points. I didn’t think that Christine’s southern roots really brought anything to the table, they probably could have cut that out. I’m also guessing that you have to formally give the button to someone, because I thought Justin Long’s character was going to have the curse.
In the end, it was just another fairly neutered modern horror film that lacked that good old spark. I have no idea why the horror community has embraced that one so much. It represent for me, all that is wrong with most modern horror films. It’s all about slick visuals and no guts (quite literally) so to speak and it became too predictable after the late middle-half of the movie (The anvil, handkerchief on the way to the grave, the obvious button swap, awkward kitty conversation at dinner event).
It tried to be Army Of Darkness and ended up being closer to Scary Movie. But it’s a damn beautiful looking film. It’s utterly gorgeous.
I’d go **1/2.