Very good follow up to the established franchise. Things may have changed from the perspective of the established story, but there are references throughout all the previous films that the future is not set - "one possible future, I don't know tech stuff" - "no fate but what we make" - "you merely postponed it, Judgement Day is inevitable" and in this film "something has changed, this is not the future my mother warned me about".
Its early days for the resistance, set in 2018, and John Connor is not the leader of the Resistance just yet, serving under General Ashdown in this film.
The story encapsulates a lot. It shows how Connor became the Resistance Leader, how he got his scar, even the rise of a certain adversary and ally.
The addition of Marcus, an infiltrator Terminator, really makes this film stand out. The cyborg playing an important and central role in the previous films, but that was merely as a protector. Marcus is more entwined in the events.
Performances are very good, Bale plays Connor very high strung and without a clear objective or path of where he is going. Marcus, played by Worthington, steals the show and is only relagated to second tier when a certain muscle bound Terminator attacks.
All in all it makes me hungry for the next installment, probably based nearer to the time Reese was sent back in time.

considerable movie to watch very much enjoyed with detailed structure