MANILA, Philippines?These days, if you visit some of Metro Manila?s technologically top malls and leave your vehicles in their computerized parking buildings, you can?t help but notice that some of the human service crew who had once manned those narrow stalls have been replaced by machines. It?s hard not to get impressed by these gadgets? efficiency and immediate service.

Twenty-five years ago, when James Cameron?s ?Terminator? first came out in theaters, there weren?t any of these high-tech innovations?and we knew only too well there?d be more changes to come. Will manual labor soon be a thing of the past?

Cautionary

Well, ?WALL-E? thinks it?s not such a far-fetched idea. Pixar?s cautionary animated feature clearly presented its argument in this regard. Cameron?s financially lucrative sci-fi flicks continually perpetuate this debate between man and machine. The heated discussion rages on in the franchise?s action-packed fourth installment, ?Terminator Salvation?:

The year is 2018. In this not-too-distant future, the artificially intelligent computer network, Skynet, has decimated much of humanity via a nuclear holocaust. Visionary figure, John Connor (Christian Bale), rallies the Tech-Com human resistance movement in its struggle for survival and dominance, but the rebel movement has to find a way to disable Skynet?s almost-invincible machines to ensure victory.

To prevent Connor and his allies from winning the war, Skynet sends different versions of cyborg assassins known as Terminators?including the T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger in a CG cameo)?to finally get rid of the resistance. In the midst of this chaos is Marcus Wright (Sam Worthingon), who?s torn between his human past and his allegiance to his present ?nature.?

Subject matter

McG turns up the action in this needlessly protracted rehash. To be fair, the movie?s premise is engaging enough. In fact, we find the production?s man-versus-machine subject matter provocatively appealing. After three previous features, however, the production is left with little that?s new to say.

Moreover, the frenzied storytelling style and soulless depiction of its characters leave viewers unsympathetic and detached from the protagonists? cause. The actors (Bale, Worthington, Helena Bonham Carter, Moon Bloodgood, Bryce Dallas Howard and Anton Yeltchin as the young Kyle Reese, Michael Biehn?s character in the 1984 original) aren?t bad, but their roles don?t require a lot of depth. If you like nonstop action and nerve-wracking noise, though, you?re in for a roller-coaster ride!