IT'S one of the most eagerly anticipated films of the year and for once it's worth all the hype.

Arnie's back for his third outing in a worthy addition to the two other films in the series.

There is nothing that particularly marks it out from the previous movies and essentially the story stays the same as before.

But new director Jonathan Mostow still manages to pull off an exciting and stylish film with some fine touches, flashes of humour and a great ending.

The film picks up the story with John Connor (Nick Stahl), the saviour of the human race in the future after a nuclear holocaust wipes out most of the human race, a drifting hobo, who, aware of the enormous weight of expectation placed on his young shoulders, is always on the move in what is an empty, rootless life.

He constantly lives in fear that a terminator will be sent to eliminate him and change destiny.

His worse fears are realised when the most advanced terminator yet devised, the seemingly indestructible, T-X (Kristanna Loken) is sent to change the destiny of the universe.

Her job is to make sure he does not live to lead the human rebellion against the machines who take over the world in the near future.

But Schwarzenegger is sent, as a former terminator captured by the resistance, to protect John.

Also thrown into the mix is John's former childhood sweetheart, the lovely Claire Danes, who is destined to be his wife in the future war against the machines, and on the run with them from T-X.

To reveal too much is to spoil the film but you will be guaranteed non-stop action, thrills, spills and explosions in a film that's done with a lot of skill and intelligence.

There is scope at the end of the film for the franchise to go on for a very long time. Hasta la vista baby!

Mono rating: 8 out of 10

Now showing at the UGC Cinemas in Newport and Cardiff