Terminator Salvation

Plot

In 2003, Dr. Serena Kogan (Helena Bonham Carter) of Cyberdyne Systems convinces death row inmate Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington) to sign his body over for medical research following his execution by lethal injection. One year later, the Skynet system is activated, perceives humans as a threat to its own existence, and eradicates much of humanity in the event known as Judgment Day (see Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines). In 2018, John Connor (Christian Bale) leads an attack by the Resistance on a Skynet base. John discovers human prisoners and the plans for the development of a new type of Terminator incorporating living tissue, but is the only apparent survivor of the attack after the base is destroyed in a nuclear explosion. However, Marcus emerges from the wreckage of the base and proceeds on foot to Los Angeles.

John returns to Resistance headquarters located aboard a nuclear submarine and tells General Ashdown (Michael Ironside) of his discovery. Meanwhile, the Resistance has discovered a radio frequency capable of shutting down Skynet machines. They plan to launch an offensive against the Skynet base in San Francisco in four days, in response to an intercepted "kill list" indicating that Skynet plans to kill the Resistance's command staff in four days' time. John learns that his own name is second on the list, following Kyle Reese. The Resistance leaders are unaware of Kyle's importance to Skynet, but John knows that it is because Kyle will later become his father (see The Terminator). John meets with his officer Barnes (Common) and wife Kate (Bryce Dallas Howard) and sends radio broadcasts to Resistance members and surviving civilians around the world.

Arriving in the ruins of Los Angeles, Marcus is saved from a T-600 Terminator by Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin) and his mute companion Star (Jadagrace Berry). Kyle relates to Marcus the events of Judgment Day and the ensuing war between humans and machines. Hearing John's radio broadcast, the three leave Los Angeles in search of the Resistance. They survive an attack by machines, but Kyle, Star, and several other humans are taken prisoner, while a pair of Resistance A-10s are shot down. Marcus locates downed pilot Blair Williams (Moon Bloodgood) and they make their way to John's base, but Marcus is wounded by a magnetic land mine. Attempting to save his life, the Resistance fighters discover that he is in fact a cyborg with human organs, a mechanical endoskeleton, circuitry, and a partially artificial cerebral cortex. Marcus believes himself to be human, demanding to be released so that he can save Kyle from Skynet, but John orders his destruction. However, Blair releases him and helps him to escape from the base. During the resulting pursuit Marcus saves John's life from Skynet hydrobots, and the two form an alliance—Marcus will enter Skynet's headquarters and attempt to disable its defenses so that John can rescue Kyle.

John demands that Ashdown delay the attack so that he can rescue Kyle and the other prisoners, but Ashdown refuses and relieves John of his command. However, John's soldiers remain loyal to him and he sends a radio broadcast asking the other Resistance fighters not to attack Skynet. Meanwhile, Marcus enters the Skynet base and interfaces with the computer, disabling the perimeter defenses and allowing John to infiltrate the cell block and release the human prisoners. The Resistance's disabling signal is revealed to be a ruse, and the command submarine with the Resistance leaders aboard is destroyed by a Hunter-Killer.

Marcus discovers that he was created by Skynet and has unwittingly fulfilled his programmed mission to lure John into the base to be killed. He tears out the hardware linking him to Skynet and leaves to assist John in battling a T-800 model 101 Terminator. John is mortally wounded during the fight, but succeeds in destroying the Skynet base by rigging several Terminator nuclear power cells to an explosive, detonating them as he, Marcus, Kyle, and Star are airlifted out. Kate attempts to save John's life, but his heart is too damaged. Marcus offers his heart for transplant, sacrificing himself to save John. Recovering, John radios to the other Resistance fighters that though this battle has been won, the war is far from over.

Cast

* Christian Bale as John Connor: A soldier in the Resistance waging war against Skynet after it destroyed much of humanity in a nuclear holocaust, who is destined to become humanity's leader. Director McG deemed Bale "the most credible action star in the world" during development.[2] McG wanted Bale for Marcus, but the actor — for reasons he "can't really remember why" — wanted to play John, and that led to the character's role getting expanded in rewrites of the script.[3] Bale was the first person to be cast and signed on for the role in November 2007. McG talked extensively with Bale in the UK about the role while the latter was filming The Dark Knight, and they both agreed to proceed.[4] Although a fan of the Terminator series, he was at first uninterested, until McG convinced him the story would be character-based and not rely on special effects.[2] They kept working on the story every day, along with Worthington.[5] McG said Bale broke his hand punching a Terminator prop during filming.[6] Bale also spent six to eight hours each day with McG in the editing room to advise the finished product.[7]
* Sam Worthington as Marcus Wright: A mysterious man on death row for murder who donated his body to Cyberdyne Systems for experimentation.[8] His last memory is of being on death row, and John is at first unsure of whether Wright is trustworthy.[9] Terminator creator James Cameron personally recommended Worthington (whom he directed in Avatar) to McG.[10] Russell Crowe also recommended him to McG. The director decided Worthington looked tougher than the "great many of today's [waify] young male actors".[8] Worthington recalled Cameron told him "the Terminator to make is the one with the war".[11] Worthington tore his intercostal muscles during the first weeks of filming, but he nevertheless insisted on performing his own stunts.[8][12] McG had originally asked Christian Bale to play the role, but the latter insisted on portraying John instead, and to expand the character's role.[13] The former once expressed interest in casting Daniel Day-Lewis or Josh Brolin in the part as well.[14][15] Brolin did talk to Bale and read a draft of the screenplay, which he found "interesting and dark, [but] ultimately, though, I didn't think it felt right".[16]
* Anton Yelchin as Kyle Reese: A teenage soldier and admirer of John Connor. As portrayed by Michael Biehn in The Terminator, he was sent back in time to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor to ensure the survival of the human race, and fathered John with her. Yelchin said he wanted to portray Reese as Biehn did and not make him appear weaker because it was a younger version of the character. The difference in his portrayal lies in showing Reese as intense, but not concentrated until he joins the resistance proper. Yelchin tried to convey Reese's intensity by focusing on how fast Biehn appeared when running in the original film.[17]
* Bryce Dallas Howard as Kate Connor: John's wife, who is seven months pregnant. Charlotte Gainsbourg was originally set to play the part, but left due to scheduling conflicts with another film.[18] As portrayed by Claire Danes in the third film, Kate was a veterinarian; but in this film, she is now a physician. Howard suggested, as part of the character's backstory, that Kate studied medical books and interviewed many surviving doctors after the events of Judgment Day. The film's subject matter reminded her of developing countries, devastated by war and lack basic supplies such as clean water, which "reflects things that are going on currently in this privileged world that we're living in where there hasn't been an apocalypse and robots haven't taken over the world. I think that's something definitely for us to reinvestigate and that we continue to make choices for our own future to take that into consideration".[19] Howard also focused on Kate "being accustomed to fear and loss" because the character was a military brat.[20]
* Moon Bloodgood as Blair Williams: A pilot and Resistance soldier. She is the romantic interest for Marcus.[21]
* Common as Barnes: A resistance soldier and John's second in command.[22][23]
* Helena Bonham Carter as Dr. Serena Kogan: Before Judgment Day, Serena was an ex-Cyberdyne scientist with terminal cancer working on advanced technology, convincing Marcus to donate his body to Project Angel for her "research", which will fall into the hands of Skynet.[24] Tilda Swinton was originally considered for the part, but Bonham Carter replaced her before filming. She accepted the part because her boyfriend, Tim Burton, is a Terminator fan. Her role was a "small but pivotal" one and would only require ten days of shooting.[25] On August 22, 2008, Bonham Carter delayed filming by a day,[26] and was given an indefinite leave due to the death of four of her family members in a minibus accident in South Africa.[27]
* Roland Kickinger as the T-800 Model 101: The first Terminator covered in living human tissue built as Skynet's newest weapon for the extermination of humankind. Arnold Schwarzenegger's likeness was utilized role via CGI, with a mold of his face made in 1984 scanned to create the digital makeup.[28] Fellow Austrian bodybuilder and actor Kickinger, who previously portrayed Schwarzenegger in the 2005 biographical film See Arnold Run, was his physical double on set. When asked about his role, Kickinger said it's "Arnold's character in the first Terminator. That's basically my role, but 20 years before, so it establishes how the Terminator came about."[29] Polish strongman athlete Mariusz Pudzianowski was also considered for doubling Schwarzenegger.[30] If Schwarzenegger had decided not to lend his appearance to the film, then John would have shot the T-800's face off before the audience got a good look at him.[31]
* Jadagrace Berry as Star: A girl in Reese's care.[20]
* Michael Ironside as General Ashdown: The resistance leader before John.[7]
* Jane Alexander as Virginia: A refugee.[32]
* Linda Hamilton as the voice of Sarah Connor. She is heard from tapes she recorded before her death prior to the film's events to warn John of the future war.