‘Terminator 3’ Is the Best Non-James Cameron Movie in the Franchise

It’s clear by now that The Terminator franchise simply does not work without James Cameron. That’s not to say that Arnold Schwarzenegger, co-writer and producer Gale Anne Hurd, or any other filmmaker who worked on those first two entries didn’t contribute to the franchises’ success. It’s just that the next four entries (none of which were directed by Cameron) each had a varying degree of diminishing returns, both creatively and financially. What makes Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines stand out from those four entries is that director Jonathan Mostow (whose 1997 thriller Breakdown starring Kurt Russell is one of the ’90s most underrated flicks), hand-picked by Schwarzenegger, is very aware that he is not James Cameron, and wisely, doesn’t even try to be.

Knowing that only Cameron can provide the kind of spectacle that Cameron does, Moscow instead focuses on delivering clean and suspenseful action and special effects that shockingly hold up considering their age (this entry had nearly twice the budget of Terminator 2). The filmmaker even injects a fair amount of humor into the mix. This, plus the casting of Nick Stahl as John Connor instead of bringing back Edward Furlong from the 1991 blockbuster sequel helps separate from Cameron’s previous vision even further, cementing its break from those first two films in both tone and style. More than anything though, the fact that this is still a direct sequel to the first two keeps the film free of any overly complicated time travel plot points that some of the later entries fell victim to as the franchise attempted to reboot itself over and over. This entry actually leans into the continuity beautifully, giving the characters an ending that both honors Cameron’s original vision but also feels different enough from it to make it feel fresh and exciting.

James Cameron Wasn’t Interested in Returning to the Terminator Franchise

After the monumental success of Terminator 2 in 1991, neither the director nor star seemed to be terribly interested in returning to the franchise, as Schwarzenegger quickly went into production on his famously ill-fated action-comedy Last Action Hero before re-teaming with Cameron again with the 1994 hit True Lies. After that, Cameron starts to get obsessed with a certain ship and blue aliens for the foreseeable future. Cameron himself has admitted that he turned his back on the franchise when the obvious talk about a third movie came up, saying that “I’d evolved beyond it.” Schwarzenegger had held out hope the director would one day change his mind, but eventually, Cameron relented and gave the star his blessing to go on without him.

Terminator 3 picks up over a decade after Terminator 2, with John Connor living off the grid ever since his mom, Sarah Connor (played by Linda Hamilton in the first two), died of leukemia. Of course, in true Sarah Connor fashion, she fought off the disease long enough to make sure the original judgment day of August 29, 1997 came and went. Unfortunately for John and the rest of humanity, their efforts only delayed judgment day, as the machines sent yet another terminator back in time. Only this time it’s to kill Connor’s future lieutenant’s since he’s nowhere to be found. It’s a simple logline that allows the filmmakers to play with the idea of fate and destiny that Cameron explored so well in the previous entries, allowing this third movie to really feel connected to the original timeline of those classics without becoming beholden to them.

‘Terminator 3’ Is Funnier, but Still Has Plenty of Practical Stunts and Effects

The first instance where we really see Mostow breaking away from the mold is the first time we see Schwarzenegger arrive in this timeline. It’s a sequence that mirrors his iconic entrance in Terminator 2, only this time instead of showing up at a biker bar with dudes that are as tough as it gets, he shows up at a male strip club filled with ladies ready to give away their dollar bills. It’s a moment that is entirely played for laughs and lets you know right then and there that Mostow isn’t even interested in trying to outdo Cameron. From here, the film is basically one long chase as the Terminator, John Connor, and John’s future wife and second in command, Kate Brewster (played by Claire Danes), try to outrun the evil T-X (played by Kristanna Loken) and finally stop judgment day once and for all. It’s honestly a very straightforward and simple plot, which gives Mostow and crew plenty of chances to deliver set piece after set piece.

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The action of Terminator 3 is truly impressive, and if there is one thing it has in common with Terminator 2, it’s that a lot of the stunts and effects are entirely practical, with cars crashing and explosions galore. There is one particular car chase where the T-X has taken control of numerous emergency vehicles and one very big truck in an effort to capture the heroes. The sequence is a fantastic blend of real-deal action with CG that keeps the audience breathless. The sound design is also integral here, as every little clink we hear as the terminators get hit with every giant metal object known to man is a particularly nice touch. The real effect, though, is still Arnold Schwarzenegger. The actor was 56 when he shot the film, yet somehow looks as if he walked right out of the second film. Arnold was also still able to perform a good deal of action as well, and you know what, there’s just something about seeing this action star lift heavy things that somehow never gets old.

Kristanna Loken’s T-X Is an Exciting New Villain in the Terminator Franchise

As for T-X, the main villain of the film, Mostow once again knew there was no topping the iconic T-1000 played by Robert Patrick. So instead of fighting an uphill battle, they moved laterally and made the new threat a woman. Kristanna Loken is perfectly intimidating and formidable, but the real threat with her T-X is that this Terminator seems to enjoy killing people. The enjoyment is only seen briefly maybe once or twice, but still, it’s a nice touch that hints that Skynet is evolving and not in a good way. More than anything though, the ending of Terminator 3 is what allows this entry to stand just a little taller than the following sequels. As John and Kate attempt to stop Skynet from forming, we learn that her Dad is the military man in charge of the system and ultimately the one who unleashed it on the world after the AI tricked him into thinking it was the only option. The two heroes arrive at the base just in time to see Kate’s dad get gunned down by the T-X. With his last words, Kate’s dad gives them coordinates to what they believe to be the location of Skynet’s server, so they can blow it to kingdom come.

However, in the film’s closing minutes, it’s revealed that her dad sent them to a nuclear fallout shelter for VIPs, ensuring their survival from the enemy that cannot be stopped. It’s a gut punch of a moment, as you realize the movie is not going to give you the hopeful ending of the previous two. The machines have in fact won, the bombs will be deployed and humanity will have half of its population annihilated within seconds. Judgment day is inevitable. The entire franchise comes full circle, as once the bombs fall, calls start coming in from various other shelters asking what’s happening and who’s in charge. John Connor, leader of the human race, is born.

From this point on in the franchise, CG became much more prominent in the action and the plots much more convoluted, leaving the simplicity and rawness of the first two far behind. Terminator 3, however, was the perfect blend of what came before and what would come after. The film grossed $150 million domestically and just over $430 million worldwide, making it the second highest-grossing entry at the time (Terminator: Genysis would outdo the worldwide total a decade later, but no sequels would ever reach this height again in North America). While it may not hold a candle to the first two classics, the movie is still an excellent showcase for big-budget action and a perfect showcase that allows Arnold Schwarzenegger to remind us that he still has the goods when it comes to his most iconic character.