Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)
The machines will rise.
It's been 10 years since John Connor saved Earth from Judgment Day, and he's now living under the radar, steering clear of using anything Skynet can trace. That is, until he encounters T-X, a robotic assassin ordered to finish what T-1000 started. Good thing Connor's former nemesis, the Terminator, is back to aid the now-adult Connor … just like he promised.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 2 July 2003 |
| Genre | Action, Thriller, Science Fiction |
| Director | Jonathan Mostow |
| Starring | Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl and Claire Danes |
| Runtime | 109 min |
| Rated | R |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 6.5/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 70% · Metacritic 66/100 · TMDB users 6.2/10 |
| Budget | $200 million |
| Box office | $433 million worldwide |
Where to watch Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
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Rent or buy
You can rent or buy Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines in 7 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Andorra | Prime Video |
| Australia | ARD/ZDF |
| India | SonyLIV ₹299 |
| Japan | Hulu |
| Portugal | Prime Video €4.99 |
| South Korea | Watcha, Tving ₩10900 |
| Spain | Prime Video €4.99 |
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What kind of watch this is
Jonathan Mostow directs this 109-minute action thriller, where John Connor tries to live off the grid until T-1000’s successor, T-X, arrives. The Terminator returns to protect his former enemy, fulfilling a promise from the first film. It is a straightforward sequel that leans into high-octane chases and metallic destruction. The tone is relentless, skipping the philosophical debates of the original for pure kinetic energy. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays the cyborg with the same stoic efficiency as before. The film delivers exactly what the tagline promises: machines rise, and they do not stop.
What the critics said
The reception was lukewarm but positive enough to keep the franchise alive. Rotten Tomatoes reports a 70% approval rating based on 203 reviews, with an average score of 6.5/10. Metacritic assigns a 66/100 Metascore, which it labels as generally favorable. The critical consensus notes it is a welcome addition, though it does not reach the heights of the second film. A. O. Scott of The New York Times called it "a B movie, content to be loud, dumb and obvious". Not everyone bought that tone. David Edelstein of Paste Magazine found the villain's return "tiresome and witless", though he conceded action fans would not feel cheated.
How it did with audiences
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines cost $200 million and earned $433 million worldwide, with $150 million of that landing in the United States. It was the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2003. On TMDB, users rate it 6.2 out of 10. Audiences paid for the spectacle, then gave the sequel a polite shrug.
What came next for the cast
Claire Danes arrived with Romeo + Juliet and The Hours under her belt, then pivoted hard toward Homeland. It was a sharp turn for a franchise sequel cast. Nick Stahl walked in with The Thin Red Line and The Man Without a Face behind him, only to drift into Sin City and Knights of the Zodiac. That is a strange drift. Arnold Schwarzenegger, of course, just kept walking back into the machine. Terminator Genisys and Dark Fate followed. The credits list what happened next, not why.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.
Read more: The Terminator · Terminator 2: Judgment Day · The Matrix Revolutions
Sources
- Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q29054009 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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