SummaryThe highly anticipated third installment in one of Hollywood's most innovative and celebrated franchises, which was originated with the 1984 release of "The Terminator." Melding riveting suspense, trademark humor and explosive action, Terminator 3 pays homage to its predecessors and adds an electrifying new chapter to the series' sophisticated m... Read More
Directed By:Jonathan Mostow
Written By:John Brancato, Michael Ferris, Tedi Sarafian
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Metascore
Generally Favorable
66
User score
Generally Favorable
6.3
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
66
71% Positive
29 Reviews
29 Reviews
27% Mixed
11 Reviews
11 Reviews
2% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
90
T3 delivers the goods. A hard-hitting, straight-ahead sci-fi actioner with none of the pretentions and ponderousness that have put at least a portion of the public off of "The Matrix Reloaded" and "Hulk."
78
Reality has overtaken the movies here, which, I suppose, makes T3 all the more cathartically appealing. At least onscreen we have Arnold Schwarzenegger in our corner.
User score
Generally Favorable
6.3
48% Positive
281 Ratings
281 Ratings
41% Mixed
244 Ratings
244 Ratings
11% Negative
65 Ratings
65 Ratings
Jul 3, 2020
10
Terminator 3 was directed by Jonathan Mostow in 2003 and stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Claire Danes and Kristanna Loken.... It's a sci-fi kind of action adventure film and it's basically a rip off of Terminator 2: Judgment Day because Arnie is once again the protector but this time he's protecting Kate Brewster (Danes) aswell as John Connor and we see a similar Terminator villain to Robert Patrick's in the shape of the T-X (Loken) except she's got a few gadgets that Patrick didn't have so it's slightly an upgraded version. Kristanna Loken was amazing all through Terminator 3 and was very beautiful and added sexiness to the film and a spark. Arnold Schwarzenegger was his usual self and the others were okay, the action scenes were great but there was a few oddball characters like the dude on stage at the beginning of the film who Arnold wanted his clothes from. Some explosions, chases, gunfire and other fun make Terminator 3 a worthy entry into the franchise.
75
Gets the most bang for its buck by letting the camera linger on the spectacle, and allowing tension, not flashiness, to be its hallmark.
70
T3, while far from a classic, is an overachieving, mercenary sequel that's short on thrills, but surprisingly long on laughs and surprises.
63
Terminator 3 moves at not-quite-breakneck speed, and the shape-shifting, metal-melting special effects aren't exactly spectacular.
60
Less about the characters than about the first two movies, whose best scenes it congeals into ritual or parody.
25
Pointless and mind-numbing.
Sep 3, 2019
10
The last great Terminator film, this film still has the charm the 2nd film had.
Jun 20, 2026
6
Well-acted movie. It is not exactly a bad movie; it just didn't need to exist, as the first two could arguably clear up the plot. It is a fun movie, what I would call a "popcorn movie". It gets too much hate, but the lower rating is deserved, sadly.
Nov 1, 2025
6
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines had a troubled production—James Cameron abandoned the project after disputes with Fox, leaving Jonathan Mostow to take over. The story follows John Connor years after Judgment Day: Sarah is dead, Skynet’s rise was delayed but inevitable, and a new female Terminator, the T-X, is sent to kill John’s future allies while a reprogrammed T-800 returns to protect him. Despite strong visual effects and Kristanna Loken’s effective performance as the T-X, the film lacks the emotional depth and intensity of its predecessors. Nick Stahl’s John Connor feels flat, the humor feels out of place, and the movie ends up feeling more like a polished remake than a true continuation. It’s entertaining but ultimately unnecessary—a solid action film that never matches Cameron’s vision.
Jul 12, 2020
3
My biggest disappointment of the 00s so much hope dashed by a crap script and casting.
Jan 28, 2020
3
It was interesting to have a female villain for a change. It was interesting to see the Terminator go back and protect John during the inevitable action that causes the rise of Skynet. However, This movie fails to deliver on a decent premise with subpar acting from the other leads (Arnold was fine, Daines and Stahl were miscast that lacked chemistry) and the clear attempt to be more of an action ridden film rather than being a more drama-action hybrid like the first two films. With T3, The foot is always on the gas and never on the break. The only bits of story or dialogue are too few and in between these overly long action scenes that never seem to end. Here is a tip to anyone wanting to make an action film: People like having a story, People like having characters you can get behind and rally for. T3 doesn't have that. It's all flash, no substance.
Production Company:
- Intermedia Films
- IMF Internationale Medien und Film GmbH & Co. 3. Produktions KG
- C-2 Pictures
- Mostow/Lieberman Productions
Release Date:Jul 2, 2003
Duration:1 h 49 m
Rating:R
Tagline:Next Summer, the machines will rise.
Awards
Golden Schmoes Awards
• 5 Nominations
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 5 Nominations
Taurus World Stunt Awards
• 4 Nominations
