Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

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Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

R

Released Jul 2, 2003

1h 50m

Sci-Fi

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

70%

Tomatometer

205 Reviews

46%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Now 25, Connor (Nick Stahl) lives with no record of his existence -- no way he can be traced by Skynet. Out of the shadows of the future steps the T-X (Kristanna Loken), Skynet's most sophisticated cyborg killing machine yet. Now Connor's only hope for survival is the Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger), his mysterious former assassin. Together, they must triumph over the technologically superior T-X and forestall the looming threat of Judgment Day.

Critics Consensus

Although T3 never reaches the heights of the second movie, it is a welcome addition to the Terminator franchise.

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Wendy Ide

Times (UK)

A steely [Kristanna Loken]... makes the T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) look positively creaky.

Jul 22, 2022

Full Review

David Ansen

Newsweek

Perhaps wisely, Mostow doesn't try to outdo James Cameron. His sequel has a B-movie spirit--swift, punchy, tongue often in cheek. ...at its screeching, wall-breaking best, "T3" achieves heavy-metal slapstick.

Mar 13, 2018

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Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B+

Sep 7, 2011

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Mostow directs without concern for his own ideas, and instead considers What Would Cameron Do? In turn, we wonder the same thing. The result isn’t poor direction, just clearly not that of a singular voice.

Rated: 2.5/4

Sep 19, 2023

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David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

What is one to make of such a cheap and unserious, but misanthropic and morbid conclusion? A Terminator 4 is foreseen, and there is most likely no way to forestall that future.

Feb 16, 2021

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

It's undeniably fun to see Schwarzenegger return for another high-octane installment in the hugely successful franchise.

Rated: 7/10

Nov 9, 2020

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Nick R

A massive dip in quality and storytelling, but still not all that bad.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/13/24

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La bourre A

Ok ok.... Lame... Meaningless... It goes too far... The previous ones had a minimum of coherence, even if they talked about subjects that hadn't yet been studied (computers). Here, it's totally impossible... Just explosions all over the place, with no explanation and no coherence.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/16/24

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Spencer S

Was extremely surprised by how much I didn't despise this one. Definitely feels seperated from the rest of the series, has a good 2000's vibe running throughout. It's hard to not have fun while watching Terminators do their thing. The Terminator getting told to talk to the hand from a flamboyant male tripper, the T-X growing double-D's to manipulate the cop, and the asshole who shouts "If you don't have insurance, I'm gonna rip your balls off," are my three stand out moments.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/16/24

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Robin A

It has its moments being a little silly, but overall this is a good 3rd movie and recommended =)

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/11/24

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Nenad V

I personally think this movie was pretty decent up until the scene where the T-1 machines apear. At that point, the movie becomes so dumb and confusing, it honestly had rolling on the floor from laughter. But I still reccomend it.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/07/24

Full Review

G M

“Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” offers a mixed bag of entertainment. Arnold Schwarzenegger delivers a solid performance, injecting some humor to compensate for his slightly diminished physical presence compared to the original film. The pacing keeps you on the edge of your seat, with action scenes that never let up. The story, though simple and brief, ends on a refreshing note with Skynet’s victory. However, the film is heavily reliant on CGI, which unfortunately hasn’t aged well, often pulling you out of the experience. While Arnold shines, the rest of the cast falls short, and the plot rehashes familiar tropes, making the overall experience less impactful than its predecessors.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/31/24

Full Review

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Jonathan Mostow

Director

Arnold Schwarzenegger

The Terminator (T-800)

Nick Stahl

John Connor

Claire Danes

Kate Brewster

David Andrews

Robert Brewster

Kristanna Loken

T-X

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Synopsis

Now 25, Connor (Nick Stahl) lives with no record of his existence -- no way he can be traced by Skynet. Out of the shadows of the future steps the T-X (Kristanna Loken), Skynet's most sophisticated cyborg killing machine yet. Now Connor's only hope for survival is the Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger), his mysterious former assassin. Together, they must triumph over the technologically superior T-X and forestall the looming threat of Judgment Day.

Director: Jonathan Mostow
Producer: Mario Kassar, Andrew G. Vajna, Joel B. Michaels, Hal Lieberman, Colin Wilson
Screenwriter: John D. Brancato, Michael Ferris, Tedi Sarafian, Michael Ferris
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: InterMedia Film Equities Ltd., IMF, C-2 Pictures
Rating: R (Language|Brief Nudity|Strong Sci-Fi Action|Strong Sci-Fi Violence)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 2, 2003, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $150.4M
Runtime: 1h 50m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)