Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) Retrospective / Review 

T3 should have been a prequel that takes place in the final days of the war, ending with John sending Kyle back to 1984, basically bringing the franchise together in a neatly contained trilogy

It makes me sad that there are reviewers on RU-vid that just scream in anger or use the words "like" every two words in and they have a million subs. Then you got Oliver Harper who is thorough, precise, well spoken, and breaks down reviews in organized categories (intro, movie review, score, game/merchandise, connected material, etc) and he has like 40,000 subs. Wth?!

In the defense of Salvation, at least it was not afraid to go into relatively uncharted territory.

It's now 2019 and the terminator series has a very dark fate.

T2 is pretty much a perfect big budget, action film. I can't even imagine a sequel that could live up to it.

"Your confusion is not rational. She is a healthy female of breeding age."

The fact that this movie was connected to T1. Skynet becoming self aware and that it is a kind of a new intel. That part was great. The circle was complete.

I'm from 2019 and wow this don't look so bad anymore...

After Dark Fate, I've to admit now that t3 was the closest to Judgement Day quality. Nothing gets closer as much. Seriously and unfairly underrated

T3 is a guilty pleasure at the end of the day but for me I’d rather take this film over anything after it any day because it does make the series a watchable and lovely trilogy ❤️

Compared to Genisys Rise of Machines is a masterpiece. I still watch it with pleasure, because it has pretty good handmade action scenes and good tension. Not to mention it has an R-Rating.

I think The Sarah Connor Chronicles did some wonderful twists and turns on the concept. It was intelligent, and had a great cast. Sadly, just when the story arc turned very interesting, it was cancelled. Worth watching.

I can see being pissed off in 2003. But in 2019 I was surprised how much fun I had watching this movie. The finale helps me overlook any of the repetitive parts early in the film.

Terminator 3 was the last movie in the series that still made logical sense but was less compelling than the previous two. Time travel in the terminator series is complicated but was explained further in the Sarah Connor Chronicles where every time someone goes back into the past to change things it creates a new timeline or alternate future so the experience of one person is completely different for someone else in the future depending on when they travel back in time. This is demonstrated where John Connor's uncle who came back earlier has a different experience and memory from his girlfriend who later came back. This would explain how Skynet is inevitable where if you stop its existence at one point then its rebirth might occur somewhere else. The machines in the future could sense a disruption in the timeline and send something back to correct it each time to ensure its existence in the future. This was shown in Frank Miller's comic Robocop vs. Terminator. The entire time travel aspect becomes really confusing after awhile if you dwell on it too long. In the original timeline, John Connor is born and helps destroy the machine. The father is not Kyle Reese but someone else. Machines build a time machine and remake the past so that it helps create Skynet and Kyle Reese now becomes the father. This new future sends a terminator back to kill John Connor when he's a teenager which winds up killing Miles Dyson of Cyberdyne and helps mold John Connor into the leader needed to defeat Skynet in the future. That's when things get a little murky but the SCC helps explain this with the idea that Skynet is preparing for war by sending multiple terminators back to gather supplies, help R&D with cpu, assassinate certain individuals or corporate competitors to Cyberdyne, etc. so the future keeps changing and Skynet becomes inevitable. Anyways, I didn't hate this movie as much as some people. I think the third film should have shown John Connor destroying Skynet in the future and end with the machines sending someone back in time and Kyle Reese following him to round out the trilogy.

Say what you will about this movie, but that crane-truck sequence is freakin' awesome!

Nice review, Oliver, but @8:54 is a minor common misconception. Neither the TX or the T-1000 actually "stole" their victims' outfits. They merely mimicked them. That's why the outfits would heal along with their bodies whenever damaged.

Terminator franchise is like when you are fixing something. It's tight enough but then you think you need another couple turns. Then wind up stripping a screw

I was bummed when I found out people didn't really like this movie as I was pretty happy with it when I saw it back in the day. I really loved how bleak the ending was and Claire Danes is always a win.

I've never seen Oliver get so frustrated during the plot synopsis lol

Everybody calls Terminator 3 a carbon copy of T2 yet they seem to forget or simply don't want to acknowledge that T2 is basically a retread of the original anyway.

Linda Hamilton's presence is sadly missed in T3. Sarah is arguably the main character in the first two Terminator movies. She is the protagonist in Terminator & the narrator in T2. The films are Sarah's story.

I really liked this movie and its awesome ending. Arnold looks great for his age and the actress playing the new terminator did a good job imo. Nick Stahl had an impossible task of playing John Connor and did decent. I thought Katherine was the best human character by far

I really liked Terminator Salvation. The delivered on something that I had only dreamed of since Reese mentioned it in the first movie, and it was an onscreen version of the T-600 which I thought looked awesome

After watching the trailer for Dark Fate, this one is indeed a masterpiece

It took a YEAR to write this script?!... THIS script?!

Dude, how am I just now discovering your channel? Your videos are a perfect mix of objective criticism and good old fashioned nostalgia with a dash of humor. Subbed for life!

I remember watching this in theatres. Wasn't expecting a great film and I was right. It still was entertaining and I liked it.

Bruh, A Ridley Scott Terminator would've been omega level. Damn.

PLEASE do a Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles retrospective! Introspective in nature, thought provoking and surprisingly moving- It's THE sequel to T2 and better than T3, Salvation and Genesys combined. Criminally underrated show!

This didn't feel like a Terminator film. More like a made for TV sequel or Universal Studios ride.

I wish Salvation had gotten the trilogy. Would’ve been cooler than rehashing T2 over and over.

I'm glad I was only 11 back in 2003, cause I was too young to understand that it wasn't a good movie and weren't disappointed. The only thing I didn't like was the ending, which I now think is the best part of the movie. I still like the humor and the action, but I would probably have give it something like a C+ or a 6/10.

"Which is total bollocks you can't do that." LOL

My ranking; T2 The Terminator Salvation T3 Genishyt. Great review as always, Oliver!

I'll take Terminator 3 over Genisys & Dark Fate, ANY DAY!! Terminator 3's a friggin' masterpiece compared to those train wrecks!!

I really love the way you do your "Retrospective / Reviews", they were very professionals without the modern tendency of react if something wan't consider right or well done in the movie offering another alternative of what they could do. I don't know if this is the first video you do that, but don't take me wrong, in MY opinion that was what take you a part from the regular You tubers and you don't need to do that. Thanks a lot and keep the great work, i love it.

"which is total bollocks, you can´t do that" hahahahahaha

Love this channel it's honest the best film review channel out on RU-vid

This one had the best ending of the entire series

I saw this movie twice with my dad in Argentina in theaters. Despite the story and acting being bad this movie was pure fun action. Not a good movie by any means but a guilty pleasure action flick.

What always makes great films is the believability of the story. For example, Jurassic Park you could believe could actually exist. Extracting dinosaur DNA from fossilised mosquitos is completely plausible. They even go as far as to explain that not all the DNA would be preserved over time and any missing gene sequences would be filled with the closest relative, frogs. The idea of one day an artificial AI taking over the world isn't that far off from what actually could happen. The attention to detail the stories have, respects the audience's intelligence and they appreciate it and so believe the fiction.

I remember hearing Cameron talking about "the eventual third film" when he was making T2:3D. I've always wondered what that would have been and I'm absolutely gutted we never got to see it.

I think Kate was supposed to be one of the girls in T2 who tells T1000 that John is at the Galleria

10:15 when I was a kid I thought the tx made a gasp of surprise at the fact that it was John's blood. That is kinda funny though 😆

kristanna loken did a terrific job!

"Really? Reeeally?!" had me dying hahahaha

For some reason, I got this on DVD when it came out. Sat on it for awhile. Then one day, out of boredom, I put it on. I was really surprised how much I ended up liking it. It wasn't the train wreck I thought it was going to be. And the ending really threw me off. It was an enjoyable film, but not great like T1 and T2. And looking back at it years later, It was kinda unnecessary. Still not bad though.

Every time I see the orignal, and how menacing Arnie was, I think: "Hi! I'm sergeant Candy!"

I saw this at the cinema back in the day and never watched it again. It scarred me enough to give both Salvation and Genisys a miss..........I guess I'm the lucky one.

The music cue that starts around 31:35 is so on point. lmao "There was no planned James Cameron sequel. But the series would not be stopped. The sequel was released in July 2nd 2003. Just as they said it would. Terminator 3. The day the series was destroyed by the people who profited off it. We should've realized that the series ended at the end of the second one. The James Cameron knew. He tried to tell us. but we didn't want to hear it. Maybe the series will be saved. I don't know. All I know is what The Oliver Harper taught me. "Stick to Terminator 1 & 2" and I always will....The battle has just begun...."

I agree with your review of this movie 100%, your ending with Peter Griffin standing up and saying "I'm Done" sums up my feelings about this movie completely.

This isn't anywhere near as bad as some people make it out to be.

100% agreed with everything you said in this retrospective. Aside from all the obvious stuff, I'm glad you caught on to the occasionally very cheap production design that looked like it came out of a TV show. Especially in the third act. The magnetic accelerator control room has some of the most 90s TV sci-fi set nonsense I've ever seen, complete with hilariously oversized labels on buttons/levers.

This is my second least favorite Terminator film. It's such a bland rehash of 2. The only saving grace is the finale scene which I find quite touching and tragic. Genesis is only worse than this because of the way it throws the first two films out of existence in universe. That and the terrible casting. At least Salvation tried to take the series in a new direction. Future war is where the series needed to go. Not constant attempts to rehash the second movie.

I liked The Terminator Tv-series a lot. Especially season 2.

I like this more now than I did back then.

I remember being 7 years old in the cinema and losing my mind over the violence in a 12a film which is why i have fond memories of this film , especially remember my mum complaining about the hand through the stomach scene

"After twelve years they just pump out a movie that's identical with its plot structure and action sequences. It's lazy sequel making at its finest". I agree. Force Awakens

I saw T3 in theaters and loved it and you know what? I still do. I understand all the constructive criticism but my love for this movie is above all that, I had a blast watching it back then and everytime I watch it now, I guess you must be a fan of T3 to enjoy at that crazy level of mine.

i must admit : Desire is irrelevant. I am, a machine! is my favorite line

Great review, I must disagree on Nick Stahl, I really liked his performance. Claire Danes was very good especially since she was cast at the last minute. This film was flawed but I still enjoyed it.

I actually really liked this movie. Had Furlong been in it, it would have been perfect.

Thank you Oliver for your consistent quality and integrity throughout your reviews, something I look forward to each and every time. This is one of your finest reviews yet.

Your frustration during the plot summary at the begining makes this one of your best retrospectives.

Oliver, you are an absolute beast. I love your reviews so much. Thank you!!!! :)

A fantastic review - thanks. :) The last good Terminator movie in my opinion. Part 4 & 5 are forgettable.

The trailer you made at the end was phenomenal. Thanks

As Star Trek Voyager fan (and that of Seven of Nine's character, in particular) I would have really loved Jeri Ryan as the TX. However, Kristanna Loken was a very pleasant surprise and did an amazing job in the role.

the sarah connor chronicles is pretty interesting because there is like a neutral terminator infiltrating a company whose motivations were unfortionately never fully resolved

They problem is we want to see the future war. Salavation got it started but then they got dumb with genysis

I love the edits you do at the beginning and end of videos

7:58-that's funny! Love your reviews, love the snark in the plot description too!

too much comedy in the movie

Sadly, this was the first Terminator film I watch, so with it repeating T2 didn't bother me at the time. Now I was born a year after T2 was in theaters, and even though I was slightly aware of the Terminator films, I never got around to watch them, so it is also sad to state that T3 got me into the franchise. It wasn't until I own the T2 Extreme DVD that I lose a lot of interest with T3. Though in my personal opinion, I prefer T3 over Salvation, with Salvation being my second least favorite after Genisys.

27:42 - this bit, followed by the punchline where the guy has Arnold's real voice, was laugh-out-loud funny!

I love your videos man !! Subscribed !!!!

RIP ANTON YELCHIN(YOUNG KYLE REESE)TODAY 19/06/16 THE DAMNED "CLUB 27" CLAIMED ONE♥MORE MEMBER ,SO EXTREMELY SHOCKING&SAD.... GREAT REVIEW OLIVER!..Also T3 has flaws but it is a bit underrated..The cinematography sucks ruins the blueish robotic feel of the originals.The Original Score is unfitting.Nick Stahl was kinda miscast at the time,Kate Brewster was a bit annoying but it was the writer's fault she is a good actress ...Arnie was a delight he got an amazing physique at 55,even the "unwanted"comedy is still quotable and I disagree that he lacks presence in this,he is ARNIE THE BELOVED ACTION HERO OF OUR CHILDHOOD it is great that this movie exists even if it 's a big budget Fan Service film with great effects,action but also story 7.5/10

Oliver you had me cracking up, this was the first time I heard you be sarcastic over a retrospective. That part where you mention the TX having an orgasm over John's blood was hilarious. I will never forget when this movie came out. I just graduated high school and man 2003 was a disappointing year for movies. Don't forget the Matrix sequels either. I still enjoy T3 despite it being a carbon copy of T2. I am so tired of a good terminator being sent back to kill John and another to protect John, it was so repetitive.

Love your channel. Thanks for your work!

Im quickly becoming a huge fan your work on here....your retrospectives and reviews are the best available...very good Happy Halloween 🎃

I actually don't mind the design of the T-X. It's explained early on in the film that she's not a true infiltration unit but instead designed to track down and destroy reprogrammed cyborgs (I guess the practice has become fairly common in the future).

LOL 10:10-10:18! Lovely deadpan there

Hey olive! just here to say keep up the great reviews man.

That video you added at the end of your review (which was right .... but a LITTLE harsh) was awesome man.

Right from the beginning, Nick Stahl sounds like he's bored stiff and looks like they dragged him off the streets!! He completely takes away from an otherwise awesome opening trailer! Still, a day with an Oliver Harper retrospective is always a day to celebrate! I also love the more personal touches during the synopsis: my favourite bit is "which is total bollocks, you can't do that!"

"Which is total bullocks, you can't do that" I'm dying from laughter! lol!

Love all the info in this video. Thanks for sharing

In the official T3 novel, it’s explained that backup files for the first Terminator’s CPU chip and arm were stored offsite from Cyberdyne, so Judgment Day wasn’t inevitable as explained in the movie, but simply delayed instead. That explanation always made way more logical sense to me.

Carrie Anne Moss would have been a badass terminator. You were a little more than disappointed with this one Oliver.

Oliver, you are such a studmuffin! Thank you!

Must admit, this movie had balls. Not many action films end with humans being close to extinction, at least without directly setting up a sequel where it will all be fixed.

The series is very different from the movies, tackling rather subtle things like the mental evolution of the robots, factions inside Skynet, AI concepts, stuff like that. I liked it a lot! Careful attention to the last episodes, made when they probably knew the show was going to be cancelled. There is a scene with a terminator killing people and doing it "as it should be done", cold and efficient, using fire weapons rather than punching and powerpushing stuff through walls. Really great. Plus: Shirley Manson, Summer Glau and Lena Headey are in it!

This felt more like a fan film instead of a feature film.

Hi, Mr. Harper. I thoroughly enjoy your reviews. You really are one of the few critics out there that I trust! Your reviews are always so well-rounded, amazingly executed, and informative. Well done! Would you, by chance, ever be inclined to reviewing Contact (1997), starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConnaughay? It's one of my all-time favorites, and one of (in my opinion) Robert Zemeckis' best.

"Which is total bollocks, you can't do that!" Brilliant :)

The Last 5 minutes of this review are probably among the best of your work Oliver

3 main issues I've had with this movie. 1. Way too much badly written 'humour'. 2. TX was a terrible idea and awfully executed. 3. There is NOTHING new here. The best idea I've ever heard come up with for a sequel was to have Arnold as a human being who is fighting with the humans before the resistance is formed. It would have been poetic that Skynet used the face of it's enemy to kill their enemy. It's kind of what they did in Ter-Sal, but it wouldn't have been expected. The movie would have been about Arnold's character going from a forefather of the resistance to what he becomes in the first movie bringing him full circle.

You're usually so impartial during the plot synopsis, I can tell this got under your skin.

Hi Oliver, as ever you've created another fantastic retrospective! Thanks so much :-) Have you ever considered doing one about Stargate (the original movie)? I genuinely believe it is one of the most underrated films of the 1990s, despite it having a great story which kind of set the precedent for the 'aliens created the human race' narrative. As well as an, epic soundtrack, decent SFX, and of course... Kurt Russell :-D Really hope you get the time to look into it in the future!

I still like the movie, but I understand where you're coming from, Oliver.