FRESH from his role as the latest Batman in The Dark Knight, Christian Bale joins another action franchise, as the new incarnation of John Connor in TERMINATOR: SALVATION (12A). It is now 2018 – do we really think this is what life will be like in nine ye

FRESH from his role as the latest Batman in The Dark Knight, Christian Bale joins another action franchise, as the new incarnation of John Connor in TERMINATOR: SALVATION (12A).

It is now 2018 - do we really think this is what life will be like in nine years? - where Connor is the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators.

But the future he was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright, a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row.

Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past.

As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind.

It's the war Terminator fans have been waiting 25 years for.

There's no Arnie, of course, but there is the voice of Linda Hamilton - the original Sarah Connor - on tapes recorded for John before Sarah's death.

Bringing Bale on board looks like a good move - he's a quality actor - and instead of the chase movie the previous films have been, this is about a serious man on a very dangerous mission.

There's plenty of edge-of-the-seat battles, a whole array of cyborgs and it wouldn't be a Terminator film without the "I'll be back" catchphrase.

In addition to Bale breaking his hand and Worthington hurting his back, special effects technician Mike Menardis almost lost his leg filming an explosion in which a manhole cover was blown into the air.

Director McG (yes, that's his name) noted it was testament to the gritty style of the film.

"I say with respect, I didn't want that Star Wars experience of everything's a blue screen, tennis balls, and go for it. I had Stan Winston (the visual effects superviser from the first three films) build all the machines.

" We built all the sets, the explosive power so you feel that wind and that percussion and that heat blowing your eyebrows off.

"And with that you get a couple bumps and bruises on the way, but you get it in an integrity and a realism that hopefully echoes Apocalypse Now.