Without James Cameron at the helm, it's almost scary to think what could've become of the Terminator franchise. Terminator 3 is by no means the epic thrill ride with a keen eye for storytelling that T2 was, but it manages to be one of the single greatest all-out action flicks ever to come out of Hollywood. The DVD release leaves a bit to be desired (and is especially weak for a 2-disc set), but the film is what all true DVD fans need to show off their systems.

John Connor (played by Nick Stahl) has ripped himself right out of society. He has no home, credit cards, bank accounts, family, and has become a complete washout. It is his hope that this will prevent any Terminators from tracking him down. It doesn't. The latest model Terminator (the gorgeous Kristanna Loken) is sent back through time not only to eliminate John, but everyone who later is at his side during the battle. This brings in Claire Danes, portraying a veterinarian who is quickly sucked into the melee during an emergency call late at night. Arnold is back as the quickly aging (appropriately enough) T-101 to help protect John and keep him alive for the quickly approaching Judgment Day.

Very little is here to advance the Terminator storyline. From the opening moments, it's nearly non-stop action throughout the entire 100 minutes. Remember the trench/chase scene from the second film? Forget it. It has nothing on a car/crane chase sequence a half-hour into this one. There is a much heavier reliance on CGI in this edition, and when it works, it works. There are those scenes where it's painfully obvious, but for a movie filled with so many awe-inspiring shots, this is a small price to pay. A few surprises are given to keep the timeline moving, but until the shocking revelations at the end of this film, there's hardly anything that will stun fans of the series. Then again, this is obviously not the focus of this third edition either. It's all about entertaining the masses and in this regard, it's easily the best of the year. (**** out of *****)

The picture here is incredible. With the exception of a few grainy nighttime sequences, the print is flawless. The colors along with the explosions are reference quality material, right along with sound. Gunfire is prominent as it comes from all sides, immersing any viewer into the action. Bass is deep and the action never drowns the dialogue out.