Terminator Salvation (2009)
The end begins.
All grown up in post-apocalyptic 2018, John Connor must lead the resistance of humans against the increasingly dominating militaristic robots. But when Marcus Wright appears, his existence confuses the mission as Connor tries to determine whether Wright has come from the future or the past -- and whether he's friend or foe.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 20 May 2009 |
| Genre | Action, Science Fiction, Thriller |
| Director | McG |
| Starring | Christian Bale, Sam Worthington and Moon Bloodgood |
| Runtime | 115 min |
| Rated | PG-13 |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 5.1/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 33% · Metacritic 49/100 · TMDB users 6.1/10 |
| Budget | $200 million |
| Box office | $371 million worldwide |
Where to watch Terminator Salvation
We could not find Terminator Salvation on any of the subscription services we track in the US right now. That changes often; open it in Binge Boss and we will show you where it lands.
Rent or buy
You can rent Terminator Salvation on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home and Spectrum On Demand. It is also for sale on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch Terminator Salvation in 49 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Algeria | Netflix about |
| Andorra | Netflix |
| Antigua & Barbuda | Max |
| Argentina | Max $9590 ARS |
| Austria | Canal+, Joyn free |
| Bahamas | Max |
| Barbados | Max |
| Belize | Max |
| Bolivia | Max |
| Brazil | Max R$34.90 |
| Chile | Max $9590 CLP |
| Colombia | Max $24900 COP |
| Costa Rica | Max |
| Denmark | Viaplay 159 kr DKK |
| Dominican Republic | Max |
| Ecuador | Max $8.29 |
| El Salvador | Max |
| Finland | Viaplay €13.99 |
| France | Netflix €14.99 |
| French Guiana | Netflix |
| French Polynesia | Netflix about |
| Germany | Joyn free |
| Guatemala | Max |
| Guyana | Max |
| Honduras | Max |
| Iceland | Viaplay 799 kr ISK |
| India | Prime Video ₹299, SonyLIV ₹299 |
| Israel | Netflix ₪32.90 |
| Jamaica | Max |
| Japan | Prime Video ¥600 JPY, Hulu, U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
| Mauritius | Netflix about |
| Mexico | Max $149 MXN |
| Monaco | Netflix |
| Morocco | Netflix |
| Nicaragua | Max |
| Norway | Viaplay 169 kr NOK |
| Panama | Max $8.29 |
| Paraguay | Max |
| Peru | Max S/35.90 |
| Spain | Fubo |
| St. Lucia | Max |
| Sweden | Viaplay 169 kr SEK |
| Switzerland | Netflix CHF14.90 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | Max |
| Tunisia | Netflix about |
| Turks & Caicos Islands | Max |
| Türkiye | Netflix ₺259.99 |
| Uruguay | Max $U399 |
| Venezuela | Max |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
McG directed a 115-minute entry in the franchise where Christian Bale plays a grown-up John Connor. He leads the human resistance against robots in a post-apocalyptic 2018. The hook is Sam Worthington’s Marcus Wright, a man whose origin is ambiguous. Is he from the future or the past? Friend or foe? The film treats this confusion as its central engine. It is a loud, kinetic thriller that never asks for your patience. It assumes you already bought the ticket.
What the critics said
Critics found the robots convincing but the story hollow. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 33% approval based on 279 reviews, with an average score of 5.1/10 as of October 2021. Metacritic lands on 49 out of 100 as of June 2025, which signals mixed or average reviews. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times summarized the plot as "Guy dies, finds himself resurrected, meets others, fights," noting it lasts almost two hours. Claudia Puig of USA Today called it "predictable," arguing the dramatic elements flat-lined. Not everyone agreed. Total Film gave it four out of five stars, claiming the story recharges with a post-apocalyptic jolt. The consensus, however, leans on effects over heart.
How it did with audiences
The budget hit $200 million. The worldwide gross landed at $371 million. In the United States, it collected $125 million. Audiences on TMDB give it a user score of 6.1 out of 10. The math is simple: more came out than went in. For a film that missed opening at number one, it still managed to clear the bar.
What came next for the cast
Christian Bale stepped away from Batman, only to return for a third go before pivoting to The Big Short. Helena Bonham Carter kept her two franchises running in parallel, juggling Alice in Wonderland with the final Harry Potter entries. Sam Worthington drifted between action pictures, landing in Hacksaw Ridge years later. The timeline suggests momentum, but credits do not prove causation. Sometimes a film is just a waypoint in a longer, stranger route.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Terminator Salvation.
Read more: The Terminator · Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines · The Matrix Revolutions
Sources
- Terminator Salvation on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q191543 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Terminator Salvation” 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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