Opening

87% Star Trek Into Darkness May 16
24% Erased May 17
91% Frances Ha May 17
44% The English Teacher May 17
42% Black Rock May 17
77% Pieta May 17
—— Populaire May 17
21% 33 Postcards May 17

Top Box Office

78% Iron Man 3 $72.5M
49% The Great Gatsby $50.1M
47% Pain & Gain $5.0M
37% Peeples $4.6M
77% 42 $4.6M
56% Oblivion $4.1M
69% The Croods $3.6M
98% Mud $2.5M
8% The Big Wedding $2.5M
60% Oz the Great and Powerful $1.1M

Coming Soon

—— The Hangover Part III May 23
78% Fast & Furious 6 May 24
—— Epic May 24
94% Before Midnight May 24

Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines (2003)

tomatometer

70

Average Rating: 6.6/10
Reviews Counted: 199
Fresh: 140 | Rotten: 59

Although T3 never reaches the heights of the second movie, it is a welcome addition to the Terminator franchise.

61

Average Rating: 6.1/10
Critic Reviews: 41
Fresh: 25 | Rotten: 16

Although T3 never reaches the heights of the second movie, it is a welcome addition to the Terminator franchise.

audience

54

liked it
Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 405,227

My Rating

Movie Info

The second sequel to the 1984 sci-fi action classic, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is the first film without the involvement of director James Cameron. Instead, Jonathan Mostow, the man behind Breakdown and U-571, has stepped in to fill the shoes left vacant by Cameron. In addition, the role of John Connor from the second film has been recast, with In the Bedroom's Nick Stahl taking over for Edward Furlong. Set ten years after the events of 1991's Terminator 2: Judgement Day, the film finds

Nov 11, 2003

$150.3M

Warner Bros. Pictures - Official Site External Icon

Watch It Now

Cast

ADVERTISEMENT

All Critics (217) | Top Critics (43) | Fresh (145) | Rotten (59) | DVD (39)

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines tells the simple yet compelling story of a very old piece of equipment that refuses to go away. Its name is Arnold Schwarzenegger, and, as famously promised, he's back, and at his anticharismatic best, too.

July 8, 2003 Full Review Source: Boston Globe | Comments (2)
Boston Globe
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Wastes no time getting very loud and very silly and never really lets up.

July 8, 2003 | Comments (2)
Washington Post
Top Critic IconTop Critic

A sizable quotient of the movie's target audience just wants to see stuff destroyed, and in that regard Rise of the Machines won't disappoint.

July 4, 2003 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

It's not as taut or surprising as the first installment. And it's not as resonant or ambitious as the second, but Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines still manages to kick plenty of butt.

July 3, 2003
Denver Rocky Mountain News
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The villain comes back more times than Wile E. Coyote. I found it tiresome and witless and numbingly repetitive, but action mavens won't feel cheated.

July 3, 2003 Full Review Source: Slate
Slate
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines may lack the mythic pow of the 1984 original and the visionary thrill of T2, but it's a potent popcorn movie that digs in its hooks and doesn't let go until an ending that ODs on apocalyptic hoo-ha.

July 2, 2003
Rolling Stone
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Doesn't have the gritty feel of 'Terminator' or the sleek cutting edge of technology look of 'Judgment Day,' but it's a decent addition to the Terminator mythos.

January 17, 2013 Full Review Source: Lyles' Movie Files
Lyles' Movie Files

There are bad sequels that still work as movies, basically. T3 doesn't even do that: it isn't a good action film, and isn't a good science fiction film.

May 28, 2012 Full Review Source: Antagony & Ecstasy
Antagony & Ecstasy

Basically one long, exciting chase scene.

December 28, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | Comment (1)
Common Sense Media

With splashy digital effects and punchy stuntwork, the solid T3 slides along enjoyably, but doesn't have the impeccable story and visual design of the previous entry.

May 25, 2009 Full Review Source: Groucho Reviews
Groucho Reviews

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is without a doubt the weakest entry in an otherwise beloved trilogy, but let's be honest, T3 was doomed from the very day franchise creator James Cameron decided to pass on it.

May 21, 2009 Full Review Source: AskMen.com | Comments (11)
AskMen.com

An exciting and fun popcorn romp...

April 29, 2009 Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed
Cinema Crazed

T3 has the sour, depressive vibe of an untested director submitting to a predetermined mythology not his own.

September 23, 2007 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com
eFilmCritic.com

...unlike the first two films, it is not the kind of action movie I might want to watch again soon. (Blu-ray Anthology)

September 20, 2006 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis | Comment (1)
Movie Metropolis

T3 does not have the sense of humanity that the two previous films had, but Mostow's focused direction helps get the job done.

June 26, 2005 Full Review Source: FromTheBalcony

Audience Reviews for Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines

A needless sequel that only repeats the formula of the one before, with unstoppable (and even tiring) action for those who enjoy seeing cyborgs destroying an entire city - and it is easy to notice how it ruins the continuity of the series.
December 28, 2010
blacksheepboy

Super Reviewer

Almost a soulless robot from the future all by itself, many scenes from the first two simply reheated (with only Ah-nold's dubious charisma to deadlift this one off the ground into tolerable territory). Only this robot doesn't kill, it lulls you into a state of desultory complacency with a less than interested script. Stahl and Danes simultaneously convey excitement for being part of a franchise monster while being embarrassed reciting dreck.
July 9, 2007
UniversalDreamer

Super Reviewer

    1. John Connor: [voiceover] The future has not been written. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves. I wish I could believe that. My name is John Connor, they tried to murder me before I was born, when I was 13 they tried again. Machines from the future. Terminators. All my life my mother told me the storm was coming, Judgment Day, the beginning of the war between man and machines. Three billion lives would vanish in an instant, and I would lead what was left of the human race to ultimate victory. It hasn't happened, no bombs fell, computers didn't take control, we stopped Judgment Day. I should feel safe, but I don't, so I live off the grid - no phone, no address, no one and nothing can find me. I've erased all connections to the past, but as hard as I try I can't erase my dreams, my nightmares.
    – Submitted by Nick S (4 months ago)
    1. T-101: You are terminated.
    – Submitted by Charlie L (6 months ago)
    1. T-101: She'll be back.
    – Submitted by Jed G (7 months ago)
    1. Kate: Drop dead, you asshole!
    2. T-101: I am unable to comply.
    – Submitted by Matthew D (8 months ago)
    1. John Connor: Thank you.
    2. T-101: We'll meet again.
    – Submitted by Matthew D (8 months ago)
    1. Male Stripper: Whoa, bitch. Wait your turn!
    2. T-101: Your clothes.
    3. Male Stripper: Talk to the hand.
    – Submitted by Matthew D (8 months ago)

Discussion Forum

There are no discussion threads for Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines yet.

Latest News on Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines

May 21, 2009:
Jen Gets Terminated, Day 4: Terminator Salvation
It's been a roller coaster ride revisiting the science fiction films Terminator (1984), Terminator...

February 7, 2008:
McG Opens Up About Terminator 4, Starts One Very Intriguing Rumor
There's been a lot of talk about Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins, but the sequel's...

January 4, 2008:
Sarah Connor Chronicles Pilot Making Early Online Debut
Hey, Terminator fans! Excited about the Jan. 13 and 14 premiere of Terminator: The Sarah Connor...

Foreign Titles

  • Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (DE)
  • Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (UK)
Help | About | Jobs | Critics Submission | API | Licensing | Mobile