Terminator: Moral of the Story

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

Just watched Terminator Salvation. It was good collection of intense action scenes. Loads of macho bullshit and cool weaponry. Explosions and death. What's not to like?

Overall it was an average yet entertaining movie. Even with Danny Elfman composing the music, there was nothing outside the Terminator theme that was catchy enough to remember. Plotwise it was very sad to see that Skynet was still dumb as a tin can. A rusty tin can.

Film opens with convicted felon Marcus Wright in death row. He chooses to make on last good deed, by signing his body to science. *Dum dum dum* Fast forward to 2018 and Marcus wakes up to find a different scene. Fast forward past the action scenes and we discover that Marcus is a creation by Skynet. John Connor keeps a Resistance Radio Show to keep up the moral in post-Apocalypse. He learns the Resistance will strike and destroy a robo base where Kyle "Daddy" Reese and loads of other humans are held prisoner. DJ Connor makes a rousing speech, where he stresses the need to be above the machines and not sacrifice lives wantomly for the greater good. Then it is time to go solo on a rescue op.

Along the way Marcus has demonstrated undeniable signs of humanity. Even saving humans from Bad humans. Not a bad chap, even if he is designed to lure John Connor into Skynet's trap. Marcus must determine what it means to be human, while Connor is fighting for his life.



Fast forward to inevidable victory for the good guys. There's the traditional tear-jerking sacrifice. Good guys ride into the sunset (in helicopters). Cut to sequel.

What was the moral of the story?

Surprisingly, it is that some humans are more important that others. This comes clear when we see how Connor rescues Kyle Reese from Skynet. The Resistance has only four helicopters for evacuation. Even with movie logic they can't possibly carry all of the prisoners out before a nuclear explosion vaporizes the base. Therefore it is moral to sacrifice the majority for the important individual. Maybe Connor was just being human and lying about the need to be above machines. I guess it still works out.

And then there's Skynet's stupidity. An elaborate multi-step plot to lure John Connor inside the base and into the prison sector, where he must open Kyle Reese's cage. Only to find that instead of Kyle there is Arnold. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? Why didn't Skynet just install a MOAB inside the cage, set to go off when they identify Connor? That's what I'd do.

Oh, FYI Skynet, don't leave nuclear material lying around unguarded so that humans can use them to destroy you.

Stupid Skynet.