THE visionary director of the first two Terminator films - who also struck gold with Aliens and Titanic - jumped ship (excuse the pun) for the third instalment of the series and his absence shows.
Yet although James Cameron's skill for pace, action and cinematography is missing from Terminator 3, the film is still an enjoyable romp which manages to flesh out the mythology of the first two movies without isolating new fans.
Picking up more than a decade after T2 Arnold Schwarzenegger is again the "protector" terminator - sent back in time to protect hero-to-be John Connor from the clutches of the evil TX - model Kristina Lokken.
The chase and fight sequences are by-the-numbers stuff.
But the movie's saving grace is its continuation of the whole Terminator storyline which makes for an unexpected, and shocking, climax.
Schwarzenegger looks great and the effects are awesome, just don't expect anything close to the genre-busting quality of the first two Terminator movies.
OE
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