Director McG comes through with flying colors. Don't let the PG-13 rating fool you; the film is as ferocious and unrelenting as Christian Bale's well-publicized outburst. The fast pacing and CGI is very contemporary, but the detail and history of Cameron's future dystopia is never forgotten. It just looks different in daylight.
If you accept new character Marcus Wright's origin and role in John Connor's and Kyle Reese's destiny, you'll enjoy the new hiccup in the Skynet timeline. The ending may be predictable, but it's a thrilling roller-coaster ride to get there.