Arnold Schwarzenegger returns as a different T-800, and the script cleverly plays with his age. No longer the learning computer protector of John Connor, this unit is programmed to ensure Connor's survival at all costs, even if it means fighting his own reprogramming. Schwarzenegger leans into the weariness of the character, delivering a performance that balances the iconic stoicism with a surprising amount of heart.
The protagonist Terminator is, again, a T-800 (Schwarzenegger), but this time the model is older, its organic tissue aged. The explanation is flimsy (it was programmed to look a certain age), but it allows Schwarzenegger to lean into the role with a grim, almost weary humor. This Terminator isn’t sent to protect John by his future self. It was sent by Kate Brewster’s future self. This is the film’s second major twist: the introduction of Kate (Claire Danes), a veterinary surgeon and John’s future wife—and the daughter of Lieutenant General Robert Brewster (David Andrews), the man unknowingly in charge of building Skynet. Terminator 3 Rise of The Machines
At the time of its release, critics savaged T3 . Roger Ebert gave it 2.5 stars, calling it “a skillful action film but not a visionary one.” The consensus was that it was loud, empty, and betrayed the spirit of its predecessors. Audiences were lukewarm; it made $433 million worldwide (a success, but below expectations for that era’s blockbusters). Arnold Schwarzenegger returns as a different T-800, and