Opinion: Deficit terminator Schwarzenegger reviews new ‘Terminator’ movie

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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has been busy in recent days combating the dread budget shortfall by terminating 10,000 state jobs and proposing an immediate one-cent ‘temporary’ multiyear increase in the state sales tax, legislative sources have told The Times’ Evan Halper and Nancy Vogel.

The estimated $15.2-billion budget gap may be among the worst monsters the actor has faced since he left the ‘Terminator’ movie series after parts I, II and III and won the audition for governor.

Schwarzenegger’s current role comes to an end at the close of 2010, thanks to term limits. And it may be just as well, since he’s long maintained he’d never raise taxes.

Our clever blogging colleague Geoff Boucher over at the new Hero Complex sat down the other day with the former actor, former bodybuilder and got his reaction to early rushes of the fourth in the ‘Terminator’ series, ‘Terminator Salvation,’ which does not star himself because everyone knows he got melted in one of the other ones.

Schwarzenegger sounded puzzled by what he saw of the new clips, now being filmed in New Mexico with Christian Bale and due out next year.

‘I didn’t see enough,’ the governor said. ‘I wasn’t sure who the Terminator was. I don’t know if there is one or if he’s the star or the hero. These are the things that determine the success and how strong the movie will be.’

Boucher and Schwarzenegger talked about many things in the interview, including the governor’s favorite recent movies and stars. (He loves Will Ferrell.)

But, in the end, the governor maintains he’s moved on from acting. ‘When this movie comes out,’ he said, ‘I won’t be sitting there saying, ‘Why can’t I do that?’ I hope it makes a lot of money and is very successful.’

Ah, but what about ‘Terminator 5: The Return’?

You can read the entire interview here.

-- Andrew Malcolm