Arnold Schwarzenegger names the worstTerminatormovie, and reveals the very understandable reason why it isn’t good. On the opposite end of the quality spectrum lies the originalTerminator, a seminal 1980s sci-fi classic, and its sequelTerminator 2: Judgment Day, a film often ranked among the greatest action movies of all-time.
James Cameron’s directorial hand was present for both those movies, but wouldbe absent for all subsequentTerminatorsequels, his creative input only returning with the most recent sequelDark Fate, for which he received producer and story credit.Schwarzenegger himself would make appearances in all fourof those post-Judgment Daysequels, though in one of them he only makes a cameo via CGI, as he was unavailable to physically be on the set.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Names Terminator Salvation The Worst Movie In The Series
It’s Also The One He Wasn’t Really In
Schwarzenegger seems to have no doubt about whichTerminatormovie is the franchise’s worst. That same question may stir debate among fans, however, as each franchise entry afterJudgment Dayhas its glaring flaws. The most recentTerminatorfilm, 2019’sDark Fate, tried again to pump new life into the fading series, but came away as a disappointment, grossing just $261 million worldwide.
Dark Fatefailed to launch a new trilogy as intended, leaving the franchise’s future up in the air.
Schwarzenegger sparedDark Fatewhen asked recently to name the worstTerminatormovie, but did not spareTerminator Salvation,which he declared to be the series’ low-point. That film also happens to be the one the actor had the least involvement in, because he was too busy running the state of California at the time (viaWatch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen):
I would say the worst was probably the number four [Terminator Salvation]. Because that was done during the time I was governor and I was not in it. How do you make a Terminator movie without me being in the Terminator movie? It doesn’t make any sense.
Our Take On Terminator Salvation Being The Worst Movie In The Series
It Was The Series' Riskiest Film
The first threeTerminatormovies follow the same rough template laid out in the original film: A time-traveling cyborg seeks to kill the leader of the future rebellion against the machines, and someone else is sent back to protect that person.Terminator Salvationwildly deviates from that formula, however. An origin story set after the events of the previous three films, the fourth installment depicts rebel leader John Connor (Christian Bale) and his rag-tag band as they do battle with machines unleashed by a self-aware AI.
100%
89%
91%
95%
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines(2003)
70%
46%
82%
33%
53%
25%
52%
Schwarzenegger makes only a brief appearance inSalvation, via CGI, as the series attempts a genuine reboot. The effort was in vain, however, as the movie was slammed by critics, landing a 33% fresh rating onRotten Tomatoes. Audiences were scarcely more enthusiastic, as the film went on to gross just $371 million worldwide.
The absence of Schwarzenegger is indeed just one of the many things that makeTerminator Salvationarguably the series’ nadir. Veering away from the classic formula may have been a bold-yet-necessary move after three movies with the same basic plot, but the post-apocalyptic story whipped up by John Brancato and Michael Ferris, and brought to life by director McG, fails to establish engaging new characters or a compelling world.
Terminator Salvationis ultimately little more than aroutine post-apocalyptic action movie that happens to be connected to theTerminatoruniverse. Producers may have thought they could continue the series without Schwarzenegger, but the move indeed made no sense, as the star himself appears to believe.
Source: Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen
Terminator
The Terminator franchise, launched by James Cameron in 1984, explores a dystopian future where intelligent machines wage war against humanity. The relentless pursuit of key human figures by time-traveling cyborg assassins known as Terminators is central to the narrative. John Connor, the future leader of the human resistance, is the core target of the malicious machines.
