Sunday 21 June 2009

If machines ran the earth, there wouldn't be Sony branding on the technology

My dad didn't want to see Star Trek, and John Woo's epic Red Cliff was on too late, so last night we went to see the new Terminator movie, which was an entertaining way to spend two hours. Lots of action in a similar vein as the last 3 movies, but involving a bigger variety of machines, and some engaging new characters.

I think the build-up, when Marcus, Star and Kyle are on the road, is probably better than the climax, for which by the very nature of the plot there is no long tension-building chase between the combatants. A number of minor things bugged me in the movie, but it had a few nice touches, such as the line "Do you think humans deserve a second chance?" - which is deeply ironic, when you understand the context.

The film also left me wondering if the series has ever told us what the machines are actually planning to do with the earth once humanity has been exterminated - why have they left it such a wreck? Anyone got any ideas on this? What have these machines been programmed to do again - wasn't it something about make the world a better place?

Did anyone else think as well that there is a strange ambivalence in the movie about what makes someone human? For instance in the ending and this idea that having a human heart makes someone pretty human, and yet also the idea that human bodies are mere resources to be used in the fight for survival?

I guess I'm going too far into it, the main aim is clearly to set up fights in a war and leave us thinking Connor has reached a significant victory. And it does this in an exciting way, leaving things wide open for sequel number five!

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