T3: Rise of the Humanistic Values

[Yahzi]

T1 was a Modern movie. John Connor sends his best friend back in time to meet his mother and become his father. This irresolvable paradox was the basic theme of the movie.

T2 was an Existiantialist movie. The theme is "No Fate:" there is no destiny (or meaning) except for what Man creates for himself.

T3 is, much to my surprise, a thouroughly Humanist movie. The theme is that maybe the future is predetermined and maybe it isn't, but it doesn't matter: Man must continue to fight regardless. Even if the future is pre-scripted and unavoidable, Man must struggle against oppression and fight for right and survival anyway.


WARNING! Spoilers follow!


Some examples:

The good robot is sent back to protect John Conner and his future wife/lieutenant. She asks him, what happens if you fail and we die? The robot says, "I would have no reason to exist." Here the robot is defining the meaning of life as relations with others.

The human characters - who are supposed to be super-hero resistance leaders - are displayed as fallible and ordinary people just trying to survive. While they are competent, they are not super-competent Ubermen like James Bond (or any of Arnold's usual characters). They are heros not because they never fail, but because they don't give up. They fall down, cry, and then get back up.

At one point the only leverage John Conner has over the robot is to threaten his own life. He does this in an attempt to save the lives of others. He's not trying to be a martyr: he's just using the tools he has available. This struck me as a utterly humanistic scene.

The good robot gets reprogrammed by the bad robot to kill the hero. The robot struggles against himself and finally achieves a partial victory: he shuts himself off - a metaphor for death. The robot is prevented from choosing good, so he choose death over evil. Again, to my mind, a very humanistic choice. The robot does not win against evil, or surrender in despair, or redefine evil out of existance - he struggles and then he dies. (Of course, after rebooting, he is cured - but that's just a joke against Microsoft).

The good robot is not sent back this time by John Connor, but by his wife. His wife captures the robot just after it kills him (in the future). Instead of extracting a pointless revenge against a piece of machinery, she turns it to what good she can. No deontological morality here!


End of spoilers


Plus, it's a dang good flick (I was so afraid it would blow chunks!). I can't understand why it wasn't hyped like Star Bores IIXIXIXX: The Boredom. It is a solid sequel, worthy of its forebearers.

I'd like to know if anyone else saw as much Humanism in this film as I did.

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

I didn't have my philosopher's hat on while watching the movie, but I gotta say it contains just about the most fun you can have with land-based vehicles.

Of course, after rebooting, he is cured - but that's just a joke against Microsoft
Yes, because rebooting has never fixed any other operating systems. :cool:

It was a great flick.

~~ Paul

[EdipisReks]

the movie ruled.

[FireGarden]

T1 was a Modern movie
It certainly was.
Otherwise, Sarah Connor would have tried to save her life by playing chess against a rather grim looking reaper. The terminator represented Death, and (sure as taxes) he would not give up until Connor was dead. You can't argue with it, you can't reason with it... But you CAN smash it flat as a flat thing that's quite flat.

T2 was similarly about killing death. Even killing death defore it was born. And sending death itself to do the killing! Death learns the value of Human life....

I've not seen T3, and possibly my interpretation will falter here.

I would try nominating a humanist movie, but I don't entirely know what you mean by the term. I'll probably end up with a feel-good movie like Groundhog Day. Not very exciting, but actually it bothers me that people only think that the life/death, guns blazing parts of movies are important. I've lost count of how many movies I've tried to watch in the company of others where they talk all over the story/dialogue scenes, but then shut up to watch the car-chase with absolute rapt attention.

I've got some words left over, so.....

For "Humans are scum movie" I would nominate Planet of the Apes. The original "Damn you all to hell" statue of liberty version. Too many good things in that film to quote them all.

For a soul destroying SF movie, try "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" especially if you're of the opinion that D Sutherland is still human at the end of the movie when he does that pointing and screaming bit. In the real world, the film is all about witch hunts. (Obviously). And how we all eventually fall asleep and join them.

I suppose that's the opposite of what you were looking for.
Actually, those are two of my favourite movies. I bet that says something.....

But wait! I've got it!
Logan's Run.
Escape from paradise to live a hard but worthwhile life. (Or at least that's the idea at the end, no way of knowing if anyone puts it into practice). The City's age limit giving an obvious reference to growing up and becoming an adult.


New Smilies!!! (I've been away)
:wink8: :roll:

[Marc]

One thing that can be almost as interesting as a movie is seeing people project into it symbolism that may or may not have anything to do with the creator's intent.

A christian could also read a bit of their own beliefs into it. Skynet represents the anti-christ. It's taking over all the computer systems corresponds to Revelation's uniting the world under one government. It starts a huge war in which the majority of the population is killed, untill a 'savior' arizes to overthrow him, starting a 1,000 year period of peace. (while not quite a 'virgin' birth, the circumstances of his father were rather unusual) John Connor commented how he lived 'off the grid', as in little or no computer records of him, which could be translated into rejecting the mark of the beast.

The terminators sent back are satan's attempts to win, but their failure to kill John, plus the failures to stop the rising of Skynet represent the inevitability of God's word, it has been fortold so it will be done. Calling it Judgement Day is just getting blatant. The Crystal Point bunker could be symbolic of the New Jereuselem, god's city, that is set up for the reign of peace.

What other christian symbolism can we force on the movie if we try?

[FireGarden]

One thing that can be almost as interesting as a movie is seeing people project into it symbolism that may or may not have anything to do with the creator's intent
"Art is percieved not expressed"
What other christian symbolism can we force on the movie if we try?
John Connor = JC = Jesus Christ
How did you miss it?

Why not try to add it to my old, old "Buddhism in the Movies" (http://www.randi.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6815 ) thread?