Warner Bros. | 2009 | 118 mins. | Rated R
An entry into the Terminator film franchise without anchor Arnold Schwarzenegger was a questionable proposition, but Warner Bros. did it, and while some dismissed the film, the Blu-ray is reference quality material. The movie though, is a surprisingly strong one; not a reimagining of the story, or a sequel, Salvation doesn’t really fit into the prequel category either. The story is really an extension of the story presented in the first three films, and at the same time, seeks to mine new ground. That was a wise decision, as the central actor in the franchise, Christian Bale and his co-stars are given the opportunity to carve out their own identities within the franchise.
It’s 2018, Post Judgment day. Everything has been destroyed; Los Angeles looks like nothing but a vast, broken down wasteland. Apparently, Skynet, a military defense system, had become self-aware at some point, and instigated nuclear war. Of course, this action wiped out most of humanity. Since the apocalypse, Skynet-powered robots and other machines have been trying to kill the remaining humans, while pockets of resistance fighters valiantly fight back.
Leading the resistance is John Connor (Christian Bale). His ability to both fight with courage and foresee future events has him hailed as a savior in some circles and a false prophet in others. During a break-in at a Skynet research facility, Connor discovers plans for the construction of a radically advanced Terminator dubbed the model “T-800.” He also finds a signal—essentially an off switch—which appears capable of disabling all of Skynet’s defenses. If he could set the switch, Connor could essentially destroy Skynet from within.
Meanwhile, Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington) has awoken, naked in the desert, fifteen years after being executed. Trying to find his way back to the city and figure out what’s happened to him, Marcus runs into a scrawny teenager who tells him brusquely “Come with me if you want to live.” Turns out, it’s Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin), who fighting his resistance in Los Angeles, completely cut off from the rest of the human world. When Marcus and Kyle hear a transmission from John Connor himself, they make their way to the resistance headquarters in the desert, but are intercepted by a giant Terminator—the Harvester—before they can get there.
While Salvation does keep some links to the previous films in the franchise, director McG (Charlie’s Angels and screenwriters John D. Brancato and Michael Ferris continue the examination of man vs. machine, while also exploring new elements. The story of Marcus Wright is really at the heart of the film; his characters story represents the far reaching theme of what it means to be human. Beyond the deeper elements, Terminator Salvation is a gritty action picture that’s exciting and well made. Every action scene is loud, fast paced and well executed. Further, the film makes for an excellent branch between the past and the future.
Terminator Salvation arrives on Blu-ray with a strong 1080p, 2.39:1-framed transfer. The image is by design devoid of bright primary colors; with only a few scenes departing from the dusty earth tones and shades of gray that set the stage for the post-apocalyptic setting. Nevertheless, the lack of color isn’t a hindrance to the transfer; fine detail appears wonderful throughout. From the first detailed close-up shots of Marcus that reveal the finest of facial hairs and pores, it is immediately obvious this is a top flight transfer. The many bombed-out locations take on wonderful clarity and a rough texture that bring each one to life. Only several interior shots of SkyNet command offer a reprieve from the grit of the outside world; smooth lines and bright whites and blues come as something of a shock to the system in the context of the remainder of the film but nevertheless sparkle in high definition. Only some blacks that look a bit too bright hinder an otherwise spot-on presentation. Flesh tones remain neutral throughout, and the film-like presentation is completed by a thin veneer of natural film grain.
Terminator Salvation comes to Blu-ray with a loud, active, clear, and entertaining DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. It’s a sonic experience to behold that never gets old and always seems to find a way to top itself with each major sequence. The opening scene inside a prison cell offers not only the expectedly clear dialogue reproduction but subtle sound effects and the slamming of the cell door — that seems to move across the front half of the soundstage and slam shut with a hard-hitting authority — set a tone for the far more aggressive action sequences to come. The opening future war battle scene features A-10 fighters zooming powerfully through the listening area; missiles track their targets as they maneuver through the room, and return gunfire from ground-based machine gun emplacements cuts through the soundstage with precision. Bass is both heard and felt in every major action scene.
Terminator Salvation debuts on Blu-ray as a three-disc set; disc one holds the theatrical edition of the film and special features, disc two contains the extended director’s cut and BD-Live functionality, and disc three offers a digital copy of the film.
The set includes the following features:
• Maximum Movie Mode is a feature that has the director standing in front of a pair of screens that show on the left the film and on the right behind-the-scenes elements. The segments cover a broad range of information about the production, looking at the creation of special effects via animatics, interviews with cast members, behind-the-scenes footage from the set, etc. Some of the material is presented in a standard picture-in-picture secondary window over the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.
• Pop-Up Timeline places events in and around the film from a range between 1975 and 2032, subcategories include: interactive still galleries, storyboard comparisons, etc.
• Focus Points is a collection of 1080p behind-the-scenes segments that are available to view either within “Maximum Movie Mode” or individually via the main menu. Pieces include Digital Destruction (2:30), Enlisting the Air Force (2:48), Molten Metal and the Science of Simulation (2:09), Building the Gas Station (2:52), Creating the VLA Attack (2:46), Exploding Serena’s Lab in Miniature (2:38), Hydrobots (2:19), An Icon Returns (3:01), Terminator Factory (2:17), Stan Winston Workshop (3:03), and Napalm Blast (2:46).
• Reforging the Future (1080p, 19:01) looks at how the filmmakers both built on Terminator lore and created a film with its own identity. The piece features cast and crew speaking on the film’s look or “retro-future,” the film’s themes and tone, shooting locations, prop and set design, wardrobe, the design and implementation of the various Terminators and machines seen in the film, and the use of both practical and digital special effects.
• The Moto-Terminator (1080p, 8:33) takes an in-depth look at the creation of one of the film’s unique special effects and action sequences.
Terminator Salvation will be available on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital On-Demand, December 1, 2009.
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