Welcome to Reel People. It’s a place where, you guessed it, real people like yourselves spout off on new movie releases. It works best if you—yes, we mean you—jump into the comments below and tell us what you think of the movie, too.

This week, we’re watching “Terminator Salvation.”

What I liked: It remains pretty loyal to the other Terminator movies right down to the squeeze in of the Guns N’ Roses “You Could Be Mine” song.(Which for me seemed like a cheap throw in last minute)They brought back the famous picture of Sarah Connor and even a quick scene with Arnold in the flesh looking more youthful then in the previous Terminator film. Plus, you usually can’t go wrong with Christian Bale as a lead. He is famous for taking his roles to the brink and he doesn’t fail to do his best to bring out the role of John Connor, leader of the resistance.

What I disliked: Even with Christian Bale, there is something lacking. Fresh off the heels of other summer blockbusters like Wolverine and Star Trek, this one just doesn’t hit the mark. There are several over the top moments with the “half machine, half man” enigma Marcus Wright that seem just down right corny and over done. Sometimes when you try to stay loyal too much, it actually makes it a little boring. It needed a fresh look, and it didn’t get one.

Would I recommend it? Yes and No. There are people that just love action films and with the amounts of explosions, machines flying around and heavy sound effects, many people will love it. When you take a step back, though, was the movie really that amazing as it was hyped up to be? Definitely not-even with Batman at the wheel.

Score: 6 out of 10

Michelle Schenck

What I liked: The war with the machines is here. Terminator Salvation is pumped full of action. Several scenes in the film put you right in the middle of the battle, giving you a sense that this really is war for survival. Christian Bale does a good job playing the seasoned veteran who has seen and been fighting the human killing machines his whole life. Sam Worthington is excellent as Marcus Wright, a half man half machine tough not knowing who he is or how he got to be in the position he is in. It is very enjoyable and believable to see small pockets of resistance around the country listening to John Conner’s radio speeches.  It really does give you the feeling that humanity is at it’s end. And for true Terminator fans, there are several shout outs to the previous movies done with class and respect. Just keep your eyes and your ears open. Especially for special guest appearances.

What I disliked: Fans of the original Terminator film should remember the dark imagery of Kyle Reece’s memories of the future. Terminator Salvation takes place almost all in the daytime and so it looses something of the horror of the machines ruling the world and killing humans at night. It just doesn’t have the same feeling of dread. Another problem I found in the film is the story is all over the place. It’s like watching three different stories which try to come together at the end, but not as successfully as you hope. And although Sam Worthington’s is great as another tough guy in the film, he really doesn’t feel like there is a real need for him. He feels just like a reason to return to the half man half robot tough guy we have gotten use to. Lastly, there seems to be a lot of items borrowed from other big blockbuster movies. Certain machines remind you too much of Transformers. Certain story points remind you too much of The Matrix Reloaded. You’ve seen all this before.

Would I recommend it? The War with the Machines is a definite must see. The action is intense and it’s another great chapter of the Terminator series. It won’t be the awesome flick that will keep you rocking for weeks after, but it definitly will get your blood pumping for some time.

Score: 7 out of 10

John T. McMillin

What I liked: John Connor is back and he is on a mission to save humanity from the machines.  While maintaining aspects of the original story line, Salvation is darker than the previous Terminator movies.  I, for one, enjoyed the dreary, post apocalyptic nature of the film.  Visually, this movie was amazing!  The detail given to the machines and the special effects is incredible.  Christian Bale’s performance is militant and severe and his portrayal of Conner is probably the only realistic element of the film.  Sam Worthington does an amazing job in this film and his presence on the screen far surpasses Bale’s to the disappointment of “Baleheads” everywhere.

What I disliked: The fact that the movie was nonstop action definitely takes away from the human element of the film but what is lost in plot and dialogue is made up for in explosions and gunfire.

Would I recommend it? Do not expect the plot of the century but as far as summer blockbusters go, this movie is at the top of my list!  Definitely go see this movie.

Score: 8 out of 10

Jessica A. Locke