Terminator Salvation
Warner Bros. Pictures | Release Date: May 21, 2009 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
49
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 46 Critic Reviews
Positive:
16
Mixed:
23
Negative:
7
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
New York Daily NewsJoe Neumaier
A fast-moving, rock 'em-sock 'em movie that continues the man-vs.-machines series begun 25 years ago. Read full review
80
Total FilmSimon Edwards
The Terminator story recharges with a post-apocalyptic jolt of energy. Frantic and full of welcome ties to the past, it also ploughs new ground with purpose. Read full review
80
EmpireDevin Faraci
McG has sparked a moribund franchise back to life, giving fans the post-apocalyptic action they’ve been craving since they first saw a metal foot crush a human skull two decades ago. Read full review
75
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
With its idea of an insurgency striking against an implacable evil empire, there's more than a little "Star Wars" in Terminator: Savlation, although not even at its "Empire Strikes Back" bleakest was Lucas' series this dark. Read full review
75
PremierePatrick Parker
Despite some laughably silly plot elements, McG has created an overall entertaining movie experience. It's a great kick-off to the summer explosion season. Read full review
75
Christian Science MonitorPeter Rainer
A couple of scenes directly reference the Iraq war and the Holocaust (where the humans are herded into cattle cars), and this is taking things much too seriously. This is a big blow-'em-up franchise movie. It should not under any circumstances be confused with a Statement. Read full review
70
VarietyJohn Anderson
Darker, grimmer and more stylistically single-minded than its two relatively giddy predecessors, Terminator Salvation boasts the kind of singular vision that distinguished the James Cameron original, the full-throttle kinetics of "Speed" and an old-fashioned regard for human (and humanoid) heroics. Read full review
70
Washington PostJohn Anderson
The result is a movie that takes itself far more seriously than the "Hasta la vista, baby" tone of previous installments. Read full review
70
The New York TimesA.O. Scott
It parades neither the egghead aspirations of "Star Trek" nor the thick-skulled pretensions of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," but instead feels both comfortable with its limitations and justly proud of its accomplishments. Read full review
70
NPRBob Mondello
It all contributes to making the story breathless and nerve-jangling. Read full review
67
The A.V. ClubKeith Phipps
The way-too-familiar climax feels less like a comment on destiny than like watching a finely crafted but soulless product roll off an assembly line. Read full review
67
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
It's basically a zombie movie with machines instead of the walking dead. Read full review
67
Portland OregonianMarc Mohan
Grim, post-apocalyptic, special-effects extravaganza. Read full review
63
New York PostKyle Smith
Yet what makes this movie is the digital effects. It's got all the heart of a demolition derby. Read full review
63
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
A dark-and-stormy sci-fi shoot-'em-up directed by McG, T4 has enough hardware and havoc to satisfy the crowd of action junkies and gamers who sped to "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" on opening weekend. (Terminator Salvation is a couple of liquid metal drops' more satisfying, but only a couple.) Read full review
63
Rolling StonePeter Travers
Bale even cedes the juiciest part to Aussie newcomer Sam Worthington, who is star material as a machine with a conscience. T4 is a mixed bag, but it's not f***ing amateur. Read full review
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