FilmEdge's TERMINATOR:2018 has scanned the two-disc Director's Cut of TERMINATOR:SALVATION on Blu-ray and found a suitably high-tech presentation of director McG's gritty and controversial vision of the popular franchise's future.  Warner Home Video exploits the technological advantages of Blu-ray by incorporating what would commonly be stand-alone bonus features into its Maximum Movie Mode, a multi-layered experience of the theatrical film hosted by the director himself as you watch.  Storyboard comparisons, cast and crew interviews and branching featurettes deliver an interactive viewing experience of TERMINATOR:SALVATION that reveals as many production secrets making the film as it does uncover scenes and alternate endings of a darker TERMINATOR that could have been.  Adding the R-rated Director's Cut as a Blu-ray exclusive on Disc 2, along with BD-Live functions expanding beyond the film, increases the value of this high-def edition over the DVD release which offers only the theatrical cut.  Let's face it: tech heads who have followed, debated and memorized the minutiae of this enduring sci-fi franchise should definitely be living in the Blu-ray universe by this point, and Warner's gizmo-enhanced HD release of McG's dark, epic chapter in the saga provides one more good reason to upgrade into high-def mode if you haven't already.  Spectacular transfers of image and sound make the most of this dangerous and deadly vision which will have you ducking rounds fired at you by T-600s with geeky glee this holiday season!

While paying dramatic homage to the three films which came before it, TERMINATOR:SALVATION advances the franchise mythology past Judgment Day into the post-apocalyptic wastelands and humanity's desperate battle for survival.  Christian Bale portrays the adult John Connor as a harried, haunted warrior standing tall under the burden of his prophesied destiny as the savior of mankind.  His unique history with Terminators and foreknowledge of Skynet's war on humanity arms him with purpose and expertise, though none of his superior officers in the Resistance seem to value this asset (much to their peril).  Connor's greatest trial is returning from mission after mission with the deaths of his fellow soldiers continually mounting under his command — the heartbreaking flip side to his inability to save his own mother, Sarah, from her own tragic fate. Bale plays this troubled hero with both vigor and restraint, pared down in scale and bravura from his work as Bruce Wayne/Batman but no less intensely in effort.  Standing against this forceful personality is Sam Worthington as Marcus Wright, a condemned man in his own right who accepted his fate to die for his sins only to have his destiny stolen by Dr. Serena Kogan (Helena Bonham Carter) and Skynet.  Wright's dark resurrection ends up the key to Connor and humanity's salvation, and a tense conflict ensues as these two pre-programmed mortal enemies must rely on each other to realize their true destiny, to prove that humanity is superior to its own technology. Joining Connor in the Resistance are his pregnant wife Kate (Bryce Dallas Howard), a conflicted pilot Blair Williams (Moon Bloodgood), a hardened warrior (Common) and the key to everyone's future, Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin).  McG puts the cast and production team through their paces in a hard-edged story set in a dazzling yet dreary post-war environment, the ruin and desperation is absolutely palpable in Blu-ray's HD precision of sight and sound.

Disc One presents the theatrical cut of TERMINATOR:SALVATION supplemented by the Maximum Movie Mode hosted by McG in his "Walk-On" role, comparing scenes on one screen while illustrating their creation in making-of videos, concept art and effects test reels on a second screen in a virtual studio.  Blu-ray's high capacity and branching technology also allows several featurettes to appear in context with movie scenes, with picture-in-picture clips triggering Focus Points which can be selected to play at full-length to study the topic, or allow the movie to continue uninterrupted.  Each of these 11 Focus Point featurettes can also be played separately from the Special Features menu, giving viewers the best of both bonus worlds — a welcome option. Cast and crew interviews also play the same way throughout the film as Bale, Worthington others give you insights into their characters and the production challenges of scenes during movie playback. 

Two additional stand-alone featurettes round out Disc One of the Blu-ray edition: Re-Forging the Future, encapsulating the entire production in traditional bonus feature format; and The Moto-Terminator, a detailed look at the design, intent and creation of the Skynet-born motorcycle menaces prowling the wastelands.  Overall the full compliment of these extras exploit the benefits of Blu-ray technology well, elevating the standard DVD presentation of bonus featurettes into contextual relevance within the movie itself.  McG's hosting of Max Mode goes a long way to explaining his philosophy in making the film: whether you agreed with it as not as a fan, he certainly demonstrates a much deeper understanding and enthusiasm for the franchise than did his predecessor in the third chapter.

Disc Two delivers another Blu-ray exclusive in the Director's Cut of the film, including three extra minutes of footage which basically amount to one scene and short moments excised from the PG-13 theatrical release.  Added back is an extended scene between Blair and Marcus, establishing the romantic spark between them with a brief sensual moment and fleeting nudity, which apparently would have prompted an R-rating in theaters.  It's nothing gratuitous, but the moment between them does forge a slightly stronger attraction to Marcus which then better motivates her assistance in his escape.  Certainly this extended scene — and some unidentified snippets restored in other scenes, if you can spot them — are subtle additions to the Theatrical Cut which has little impact on the film, and rather deflates the concept of a true Director's Cut that fans expect.  At least fans now get their choice of which version to watch, but a more robust, filled-out Director's Cut would have been desirable to better justify a second disc on its own.

The third disc of the set offers the now-standard Digital Copy of the theatrical cut for on-the-go viewing.  Also rounding out the set are exclusive BD-Live content including 10 viral videos from the Resist or Be Terminated internet promotion of the film, along with the first episode of the TERMINATOR:SALVATION Machinima Series and a digital Issue #1 of the T:S prequel comic book series.

While some franchise fans may be disappointed that the DVD releases of TERMINATOR:SALVATION offer the theatrical release of the film and nothing more, expect this trend to grow as Blu-ray's high-definition presentation and high-tech format advanced the evolution of home entertainment. The fact that such controversy arises amid the 'battle for the future' theme of this film is quite fitting, since fully integrating movie and making-of features into a cohesive, interactive experience is home video's next step into the future.  DVD can no longer be the cutting edge technology of home theatre viewing, and studios are wisely investing in tomorrow, not yesterday.  This is no Skynet conspiracy of world domination, it's just growing pains experienced as the future arrives today.  Warner exploits the potential of Blu-ray in this sizeable, feature-bulked release of TERMINATOR:SALVATION and this 3-Disc Director's cut is the only recommended way to continue your journey into the future of the TERMINATOR mythology.