Terminator Salvation

(USA, 2009, 114 minutes)

In 2018, with the remains of mankind at war with the machines, John Connor has yet to find his father-to-be and finds unexpected help from a former death row inmate whose body was used for cyborg experiments. Fourth in the Terminator series is basically a re-run of plots from the previous three attached to a B-series sci-fi actioner turbocharged with an A-list budget; not bad as these things go, and one that honours the series' pedigree.

A Columbia Pictures/The Halcyon Company release. Victor Kubicek and Derek Anderson present a Moritz Borman production, in association with Wonderland Sound and Vision. Starring Christian Bale, Sam Worthington; Anton Yelchin, Moon Bloodgood, Bryce Dallas Howard, Common, Jane Alexander, Michael Ironside; and Helena Bonham Carter. Directed by McG; produced by Moritz Borman, Jeffrey Silver, Victor Kubicek, Derek Anderson; screenplay by John Brancato, Michael Ferris, based on characters created by James Cameron; music by Danny Elfman; director of photography (Technicolor, Panavision), Shane Hurlbut; production designer, Martin Laing; costume designer, Michael Wilkinson; film editor, Conrad Buff; Terminator make-up and animatronic effects, John Rosengrant; visual effects supervisor, Charles Gibson.