Terminator Salvation, the prequel/sequel of the Terminator Saga is a hit. At least, I think so. I’ve never been a fan of action films but, let me assure you, it was packed with explosions and fight scenes which are all fast-paced, technically-sophisticated and mercilessly-brutal. It was so bloody awesome that I’m getting sleepy just writing about it. I say that in all honesty and I think McG can take it as a compliment. I dozed off on Mission Impossible, Face Off, Fast and the Furious, and even Transformers when I first saw them. It’s in good company, at least as far as the blockbuster criteria is concerned.
Do I hate action movies then? Well, not really. I mean, I don’t think so. I just can’t stand action sequences after action sequences. It’s tiring and my attention span can only follow so much punch, kick, dodge, shoot and ka-boom! I need something to hold on to in action movies. Like the repressed passion in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the slapstick in Stephen Chow’s Kung Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer, or the inexplicable love story in The Professional. Action movies like that, I can’t help but love.
But why is Christian Bale doing two iconic characters? His low and raspy voice is so unmistakably distinct that it’s really weird to have Batman unmasked as John Connor. Maybe his indie “Machinist” days are behind him and his real career-goal is to take on as many big budget heroes and bring them to the dark side. I remember “Equilibrium” which I was able to finish without falling asleep and actually retain in my innately anti-explosive-cinema memory. It was Bale’s first attempt at an action protagonist. Maybe Bale’s preference on characters that do so many things but say so little isn’t as radical as I thought. Maybe I should have seen it coming.
So there. Watch the Terminator Salvation, if only for Christian Bale sounding off the worthy movie quote: YOU ARE THE RESISTANCE. A warning though, the chase scenes are so fast and delirious that you might think that Optimus Prime and Bumblebee have abandoned the Autobots. Don’t fret. At the end of this journey, it will be Neo that will save us all from the machines. Or you can rent Equilibrium and see Sean Bean reading a Yeats’ Poem: “But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.” Christian Bale fighting the impossible fight may make more sense here, if not give it more humanity.
Do I hate action movies then? Well, not really. I mean, I don’t think so. I just can’t stand action sequences after action sequences. It’s tiring and my attention span can only follow so much punch, kick, dodge, shoot and ka-boom! I need something to hold on to in action movies. Like the repressed passion in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the slapstick in Stephen Chow’s Kung Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer, or the inexplicable love story in The Professional. Action movies like that, I can’t help but love.
But why is Christian Bale doing two iconic characters? His low and raspy voice is so unmistakably distinct that it’s really weird to have Batman unmasked as John Connor. Maybe his indie “Machinist” days are behind him and his real career-goal is to take on as many big budget heroes and bring them to the dark side. I remember “Equilibrium” which I was able to finish without falling asleep and actually retain in my innately anti-explosive-cinema memory. It was Bale’s first attempt at an action protagonist. Maybe Bale’s preference on characters that do so many things but say so little isn’t as radical as I thought. Maybe I should have seen it coming.
So there. Watch the Terminator Salvation, if only for Christian Bale sounding off the worthy movie quote: YOU ARE THE RESISTANCE. A warning though, the chase scenes are so fast and delirious that you might think that Optimus Prime and Bumblebee have abandoned the Autobots. Don’t fret. At the end of this journey, it will be Neo that will save us all from the machines. Or you can rent Equilibrium and see Sean Bean reading a Yeats’ Poem: “But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.” Christian Bale fighting the impossible fight may make more sense here, if not give it more humanity.
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