Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Terminator Salvation

Play trailer Poster for Terminator Salvation PG-13 2009 1h 56m Sci-Fi Action Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
33% Tomatometer 279 Reviews 53% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Although Judgment Day has in fact occurred, the future for which John Connor (Christian Bale) was prepared has been partly altered by the appearance of a stranger named Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington). Connor must determine if Wright has been rescued from the past, or sent from the future. As the machines prepare for a final battle, Connor and Wright delve deep into Skynet's heart, uncovering a secret that could lead to the annihilation of mankind.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Terminator Salvation

Terminator Salvation

What to Know

Critics Consensus

With storytelling as robotic as the film's iconic villains, Terminator Salvation offers plenty of great effects but lacks the heart of the original films.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online 09/12/2017
B
It was good, but not great. Go to Full Review
Joshua Rothkopf Time Out 11/17/2011
2/5
Missing is Cameron's signature action modification, best exploited in Aliens: the strapping female heroine. McG's testosterone-juiced world feels a little doomed without her. Go to Full Review
Laremy Legel Film.com 05/06/2011
D+
It brings me very little joy to report that this version of the popular Terminator franchise is silly, obtuse, and pointless. Go to Full Review
Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 09/19/2023
1.5/4
This rather cold exercise contains a synthesized quality and feels like it was executed by an artificial intelligence. Go to Full Review
Emiliano Basile EscribiendoCine 07/11/2023
6/10
Terminator Salvation lacks human connection as the backdrop of the story, and if it has any, they're far removed from the films starring Arnold. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies 08/25/2022
4/5
I liked “Terminator Salvation” and while it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, I think it has a place in the series. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Mike 10/08/2021 loved whole experience See more Matthew T Dec 7 Another much maligned great movie. We wanted a post-apocalyptic look at the war with machines. What we got was perhaps cleverer and more nuanced than we deserved. Perhaps that was the issue - it doesn’t feel like the other movies, though it has nods and Easter eggs aplenty. My particular favourite is there is a reason why later (earlier) terminators seem to prefer to ride bikes… Whether Bale was the best choice to play Connor or not… he is perfectly watchable, and Sam Worthington is the real heart here. This was what we wanted. Perhaps Arnold being largely absent was too much of an ask? My one and only major gripe (losing it a whole star), is that this movie, more than almost any other, is guilty of the ‘monster throws the hero instead of killing them’ trend - which drives me nuts. The machines could have killed Connor, and Reese, many times over, but just fumble it for narrative purposes. The promise was always if the terminator got close to Connor it was game over. See more @Emb3r.G Dec 5 I think the series for sure needed a film in the future post Judgement Day where we see life in the war before the T800 goes back to 1984, might not have check off all marks like John Connor not having the look of how he did in T2's Future which I liked better but it still was cool See more Romas M Nov 26 Greetings from Lithuania. "Terminator Salvation" (2009) is a great entertainment. It not equal to first two movies by far, but it is better then 3rd and surely by many moons better then "Genisys". That said "Terminator Salvation" delivers goods in terms of entertainment and it does a great job in being a "Terminator" movie set in days after Judgement Day. The world is bleak, set design is very good especially in outdoor scenes. Special effects are great (i love the motorcycles assault scene especially were one spins over the screen - great scene). Robots are crude and not sharply done by purpose, this is early period of after Judgment Day and Skynet doesn't evolved to create sharp models - they are created for purpose, not fore eye candy. Yet. The only complain about this movie in my opinion was the very end of this movie (after all battles scenes at the camp). Last scenes - they aren't strong and don't leave lasting impressions, but they are not bad by any means. Christian Bale does a decent job, but Sam Worthington gives a superb performance, he is the soul of this movie. McG direction is also solid, he shows us this bleak world. The references to first two movies are great, with lines and characters and etc. Overall, i always highly enjoyed "Terminator Salvation". It is not as good as first two movies, but it shows us this universe in new fashion. I would love to see sequence for this movie MUCH more than a dreadful, not involving and just simply boring "Genisys" - "Terminator Salvation" delivers what it promises. See more Bumbling K Nov 5 Nice sequel. Strong story. Momentum throughout the movie. Would definitely my recommend. See more xpig332 B Nov 5 Definitely not groundbreaking like 1 & 2, not a great movie, but good enough to keep my interest. See more Read all reviews
Terminator Salvation

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
Impostor 25% 42% Impostor Watchlist Next 28% 53% Next Watchlist TRAILER for Next Ultraviolet 9% 30% Ultraviolet Watchlist Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines 70% 46% Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines Watchlist TRAILER for Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines Aeon Flux 9% 39% Aeon Flux Watchlist TRAILER for Aeon Flux Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Although Judgment Day has in fact occurred, the future for which John Connor (Christian Bale) was prepared has been partly altered by the appearance of a stranger named Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington). Connor must determine if Wright has been rescued from the past, or sent from the future. As the machines prepare for a final battle, Connor and Wright delve deep into Skynet's heart, uncovering a secret that could lead to the annihilation of mankind.
Director
McG
Producer
Moritz Borman, Derek Anderson, Victor Kubicek, Jeffrey Silver
Screenwriter
John D. Brancato, Michael Ferris
Distributor
Warner Bros.
Production Co
Moritz Borman
Rating
PG-13 (Intense Sci-Fi Violence|Intense Sci-Fi Action|Language)
Genre
Sci-Fi, Action
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 21, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 22, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$125.3M
Runtime
1h 56m
Most Popular at Home Now