 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Terminator Salvation
- Review Date: May 8, 2009
- PG-13
- Genre: Science Fiction
- 2009
Common Sense Media says
First PG-13 Terminator is loud, explosive, and dark.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that although this installment of the Terminator series is the first to earn a PG-13 rating instead of an R, it's still extremely violent. There's not much actual blood, but there's plenty of broken flesh, bruises, and batterings. The film's tone is also quite intense, with constant attacks, life-or-death struggles, and scenes in which giant robots attack and abduct humans. While much of the violence is directed against robots, some of those robots are remarkably human-looking, which makes the gore and grim action a bit tougher to take than you might think. Characters also touch on heavy topics like morality, ethics, and redemption. There's a little bit of kissing, but hardly anything to worry about in the way of strong language, drinking, or smoking.
What's the story?
Taking place after the events of Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, TERMINATOR SALVATION begins with a 2003-set prologue in which condemned prisoner Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington) volunteers his body to science; it then jumps ahead to a devastated 2018, where the now-grown John Connor (Christian Bale) is leading the fight against the machine intelligence that's devastated the planet. But after a raid on a machine base, a single figure staggers from the wreckage -- it's Wright, confused about the battered new world he's woken up to. Marcus and John rally around Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin), the freedom fighter who, years later, will be sent back in time to protect John's mother from a robot assassin -- and who, in the past, becomes John's father.
Is it any good?
Full of pretzel-logic time-travel philosophy and an over-the-top production jammed with effects and action, Terminator Salvation feels less like an addition to the Terminator franchise than an ambling, throat-clearing side-track. Promised the ultimate war between humanity and machines, we instead get more of the same plot threads the franchise has already served up three times: the dangers of a fractured time-space continuum and the possibility that a robot designed to kill humans might come to know and feel for them.
Director McG has a firm hand on the big, blow-'em-up action set pieces, but the film founders in the spaces in between. Bale's Connor is a loud bore, even while Worthington infuses his thin role with a stiff shot of star power and rugged charisma. Terminator Salvation promises the last word in the franchise, but it's just a tale full of sound and fury and special effects, signifying nothing.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about what's makes this movie different from the other Terminator films -- why do you think this one is rated PG-13 when the others were R?
What's the impact of seeing violent images like the ones here?
Can human nature be replicated by a machine -- and, if so,
would that machine be human?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
Beware the Directer's cut is rated R
Note; reviewed on theatrical cut.
two kissing scenes.
Marcus trades his dead body (for experimentation)
for a kiss from a dying woman.
a man and woman huddle together to share warmth
(survival situation.)
one main character wears a tight/semi-lowcut outfit.
a man, naked and covered in mud (nothing is shown),
wanders onto a battle scarred site.
a newly formed *naked* terminator (nothing is shown)
walks out of a cell and proceeds to beat the stuffings out of
John Coner; untill Marcus intervenes.
a few men attempt to sexualy assault Blair; Marcus intervenes
and Blair shoots one of the baddies in the crotch.
three uses of s---, (one holy s---.) three uses of h---,
two s.o.b. words, one b--t--- and one d--n,
God's name is missused three times,
Marcus says, "That thing is *pissing* off."
note: pluggedin, imdb, and commonsensemedia,
all say they use the f-word once; I reviewed it on closed caption,
and I didn't see or hear it.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
It's good, but not as good as the 1st and 2nd
This movie was very good and my friends and I who have seen it enjoyed it alot. But if you havent seen the first one the seconed, you should either wath those first of read about. Just so you get filled in and don't get lost during this one.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
the movie was ok
this movie was ok not as good as the older terminators 12 and for violence not worth buying watch this after you see all the terminators in order
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Very disappointing movie...
I'm 14 and I absolutely love the first Terminator. It keeps you hooked and it has Action, Suspense, Romance, and it's actually more thought-provoking than it has the reputation of being. The second and third are also great, but I the first is best. However, this movie ruins everything for a fan of the other three. The movie is totally off and not having Arnold in it really puts this movie in a pile separate from the others. If you haven't seen the others, I guess it's okay, but you'll be very disappointed if you have.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
terminator salvation review
This terminator movie is way different than the other 3 terminator movies. One of the terminators in this movie is good and it's not arnold schwarzenegger but he is in this movie for like 3 minutes. Not the actual actor but he's cgi. His name is marcus brody. He thinks he's a human and john connor talks like batman from the dark knight. Kyle reese from the first movie is here but he's like 17 years old and he has a little girl following him around. Great movie so
5 out of 5
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Good Christian Bale movie.
You might need to see the first 3 movies to understand what is going on. That is an issue though, the first 3 movies are rated R so you will need parental advisory while watching them. Christian Bale did a good job portraying John Connor. This movie is violent. In one scene you can see the stomach of a "terminator".
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
I liked this movie! But T2 was better :)
I like this movie and it was the first Terminator movie I saw. The violence is okay, but it's not for little kids I can tell you.
But let me tell you this: If you wanna see this movie and you're not that familiar with the Terminator franchise, I recommend you see the first 3 Terminator movies before seeing this. You're gonna get really confused If you see this movie before the others. That's why I watched the older Terminator movies after watching this one.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
A fun action movie
A look at what it is like after Judgement day in the terminator series... Fine for 12 and up. 4/5
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 10 years old
May 10, 2011
AGE
i saw it and i just only have 9 years but it was a little scary
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
A must see for a terminator fan. but is the movie for kids?
Terminator salvation takes place in 2018, judgement day has happened machines have nearly took over.
Im not going to talk that much about the story so i wont give away spoiler.
Violence: 4/5 The violence in this movie is frequent and strong. although its not as strong as 1 and 2 the violence might even be a bit stronger then T3.
Their are jump scenes where terminators pop out of no where while its very quite..very cliche of course *laughs*. The violence may frighten younger audiences if they have not seen many movies like this.
if your kids saw the last 3 terminators then let them see this one. its not as violent but that not saying much its still very strong.
Language 3/5: Their is usual PG-13 language the S word is said a few times. One use of the F word but it can be missed by.
The b word is used a couple times..
Not as bad as the last 3 but still theirs language.
Love/you know: None
and a man and a woman snuggle to share warmth.
Their is a couple kissing scenes but its not bad.
1/5 for Love/you know
Is the movie any good?: If you are a terminator fan you will probably love this movie *like me* or you can hate it many people have different opinions.
if your kids loved the last 3 movies then they are going to love this movie.
I say go watch it. but i think someone younger then 12 or 11 should not see the movie. if you have someone younger then 11 or 10 and you let them see it and they were okay then let them see this one.
5/5 *in my opinion*
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Studio: | Warner Bros. |
| Director: | McG |
| Cast: | Bryce Dallas Howard, Christian Bale, Sam Worthington |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |
| Run time: | 114 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | May 21, 2009 |
| DVD release date: | December 1, 2009 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and language |
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already seen it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
