I don't think Terminator 3 was a sequel too many folks were asking for. Writer-director James Cameron pretty-much closed the book on this saga with T2, and any follow-up would likely reek of squeezing blood from the last remaining turnip. So it comes as a real surprise that T3 is a hell of a lot better than it should have been, especially since Cameron had no part in its creation. From a story point-of-view, the attempt to forge yet another chapter out of this franchise is woefully shaky, but T3 compensates nicely with some stupendous action scenes, good performances and a truly unexpected ending. Warner Home Video has put together a pretty good two-disc presentation for its DVD release, though I think a single disc would have sufficed.

T3 picks up the story ten years after the events in T2. Nick Stahl assumes the role of John Conner, the future leader of the human resistance in the war against the machines. Because John's still not convinced he's completely safe (even though he and his mother, Sarah, destroyed all the research leading to the creation of Skynet), he currently lives "off the grid," meaning he has no permanent address, phone records, or anything else which may reveal his whereabouts. Of course, John turns out to be right. SkyNet has sent back in time an even more lethal terminator, the TX (Kristanna Loken), to locate and kill all of John's future officers in the resistance. As in T2, the resistance has also reprogrammed and sent another T-101 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to protect John and his future wife, Kate (Claire Danes). Meanwhile, the world's computer network has fallen victim to a mysterious (to the cast...not us) virus, and the military is considering booting up the new Skynet system to regain control. Understandably, John is dumbfounded; since he and his mother destroyed Cyberdine ten years earlier, there should be no terminators, Skynet or Judgment Day (foretold in T2). Gleefully leapfrogging over all logic, and rendering the events of T2 redundant, the T-101 informs John that they only postponed the coming apocalypse, and that Judgment Day is inevitable. This doesn't stop John, Kate and the T-101 from once again trying to stop Skynet before it annihilates everyone, while the TX relentlessly pursues them. The logic and plot don't bare much scrutiny, though we do finally get to witness the rise of the malevolent Skynet, part of a third act that contains a few interesting surprises. But the plot pretty much exists to string along some great action sequences, full of all the fire and destruction we've come to love from these films. These scenes are expertly executed and well-shot by director Jonathan Mostow (U-571). But while visuals are indeed hugely spectacular and impressive, a lot of time has passed since the ground-breaking special effects of T2, and this third installment offers nothing new in the wake of films like The Matrix. The performances by all the leads are decent enough, though James Cameron's input is sorely missing when it comes to character development. Both Stahl and Danes are good with what they have to work with, but their characters simply aren't as sympathetic as those in earlier films in the series. The same goes for Arnold's role; he does a good job in the part that was tailor-made for him, but unlike his unrelenting malevolence in the first film, and his thuggish charm in T2, this terminator doesn't really have much personality. He mostly exists to come to the rescue, or offer story exposition when needed. Coming off best is Loken as the TX; for all I know, she can't act a lick, but this part doesn't really demand much of her thespian skills. Still, she's sexy, humorous and intimidating, and it looks like she had fun with the role.

Unsurprisingly for a movie like this, the video and audio are both outstanding. Presented in 2.35:1 widescreen, the picture is sharp and clear, with no scratches or grain; the color tones are also accurate and vibrant. The soundtrack is even better, presented in floor-rattling 5.1 Dolby Digital. Plus, the track nicely balances the thundering destruction with some of the more quiet, dialogue-driven scenes. Marco Beltrami's suspenseful score is also well-rendered (on a personal note, though, I miss Brad Fiedel's driving and kinetic theme music from the other two films; it only appears here during the closing credits).

Disc one features two full-length audio commentaries. The first one includes director Mostow and all the lead actors. It has its moments, but it's obvious they were recorded separately then spliced together. The second one features Mostow by himself, and is probably the better of the two, from an informational standpoint. The first disc also includes the original trailer, as well as trailers for upcoming video games based on the film. Disc two starts with an introduction by Ah-nuld, and includes a lot of fluff, such as a short making-of featurette originally shown on HBO. There's also a gag reel, which is amusing, but would have been better if it wasn't accompanied by a phenomenally annoying dance tune. The Terminator Timeline outlines the significant events of all three films in chronological order, while another feature uses film footage and text to allow the viewer the learn more about lead characters and Skynet weapons (unfortunately, no footage from the first two films are featured). There's also a neat interactive feature which lets the viewer explore the film's elaborate visual effects, storyboards, and a short making-of-the-video-game featurette. It's a decent set of extras, but other than the visual effects feature, not a lot of in-depth, behind-the-scenes information is offered.

Similar films: The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Matrix, Back to the Future Summary: For a film that wasn't really necessary, T3 certainly delivers in the slam-bang department. It's also nice to see Schwarzenegger (now Governor Schwarzenegger) return to his signature role in what could be his last movie for a very long time. This may not have been the sequel I've been waiting for, but I'm glad they made it. Overall, it's a worthy addition to your collection.