Terminator Dark Fate Review (no spoilers)

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Did you laugh at Arnie?

Only at the sense of humor comment

Id say the nuclear war premise is more relevant more now than then. Back then it was beat into our heads, with movies like the Day After. With North Korea testing missiles now and not mention that when the USSR fell alot of nuclear. Weapons went missing and have never been accounted for. I wouldnt be surprised if a small scale nuclear war happens sooner than later.

Maybe it doesn't have the same cultural impact though.

As someone who dabbles in Cold War History and Nuclear War, the premise of an all out intentional war between the East and West at the time of the original Terminator's release year '84 was very very likely*
and in the for front of a number of folks' concerns. The Day After had just been on tv the year before. A month before Terminator, Threads** had just been on tv in the UK. Red Dawn two months before.

Culturally, Nuclear war with Russia isn't really a high point anymore,it's more of NK launches a nuke or a stolen/dirty bomb goes off in a major city.

But Terminator 1 is more horror than sci-fi,just switch robot killer to masked killer. (Jason,Haloween etc) And considering James Cameron originally based the movie on a nightmare he had of a robot skeleton emerging from a fiery explosion and coming after him.

*likely to the point of almost happening twice in '83

** It's on youtube, not for the faint of heart

 

[Imaculata]

I saw T3 in theaters, and it was entertaining, but certainly not good. Any Terminator flick after T2 has T2's magnificent shadow lurking over it, because T2 is one of the greatest action movies and one of the greatest sequels ever made.

Seeing the trailer for Dark Fate does not make me want to go to the theater. Bringing Arnold back feels incredibly contrived, especially after the death of his character at the end of T2. Seeing an old Landa Hamilton in action scenes just seems kind of silly as well. Don't get me wrong, her character in T2 was one of the best action ladies in film history. But seeing an old woman fire a rocket launcher without breaking her arm, just stretches credibility to a ludicrous degree.

There's also the problem that a lot of the premise of Terminator just doesn't make much sense in the world of today, as it did back when T2 came out. Maybe it is time to move on? This franchise is dead. Maybe leave it buried?

 

[Zardnaar]

I saw T3 in theaters, and it was entertaining, but certainly not good. Any Terminator flick after T2 has T2's magnificent shadow lurking over it, because T2 is one of the greatest action movies and one of the greatest sequels ever made.

Seeing the trailer for Dark Fate does not make me want to go to the theater. Bringing Arnold back feels incredibly contrived, especially after the death of his character at the end of T2. Seeing an old Landa Hamilton in action scenes just seems kind of silly as well. Don't get me wrong, her character in T2 was one of the best action ladies in film history. But seeing an old woman fire a rocket launcher without breaking her arm, just stretches credibility to a ludicrous degree.

There's also the problem that a lot of the premise of Terminator just doesn't make much sense in the world of today, as it did back when T2 came out. Maybe it is time to move on? This franchise is dead. Maybe leave it buried?

Probably buried.

The only place I can think a new trilogy can really go is the future war.

1st one judgement day 1st 5 minutes, graphic nuclear explosions. Robots killing innocent etc R16, timejump to John Connor leading humans, t-800 battle scenes, dark, similar to scenes in T1/T2. Movie ends with Kyle Reese sent back maybe a scene with T-1000 prototype.

Second movie Skynets getting a bit smarter but still losing, T-1000 gets sent back in time, John blows Skynet to bits but Skynet downloads into T-800 chasis. Left over Terminators become free willed.

Last one future war is resolved one way or another it subvert expectations via a peace treaty or something. Main points being dark,gritty, violent, nuclear horror, no over the top new machines until maybe third movie. Tie them to T1&2 vs rehash.

Maybe go with T3s ending setting up the 1st movie.

 

[Morrus]

It's bombing at the box office. Most reviews put it as the third best Terminator film (after T1 and GT2). I'm going to see it tomorrow.

 

[GreyLord]

One of the complaints I've heard are about the changes to the history and such or the future.

However, as they changed the future in T2, wouldn't that mean that past also changes. Wouldn't that mean John Connor was no longer the absolute necessary chap as the past and future had changed? It could be someone else instead.

Same with Sarah Connor, as the past and future have changed, it would make sense that someone else would be the new "Sarah Connor" in regards to whatever future or past is occurring.

I suppose it depends on whether one feels time is more a thing where there are unchangeable events and characters that always have to do the thing time assigns them, or whether they feel time is malleable and can change completely.

 

[lowkey13]

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[BookBarbarian]

I haven't seen it yet but I read John Scalzi's review: Terminator: Dark Fate Review which makes me want to see it.

Also finding out Joe Abercrombie (one of my favorite authors writing today) is responsible for the idea of Grace (whom I've heard is the best part of the film) tips me towards seeing it too.

 

[R_J_K75]

Maybe it doesn't have the same cultural impact though.

Agreed. Thats what I was thinking too.

 

[lowkey13]

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[ccs]

Well, that was...... Unimpressive.

It wasn't suspenseful - like the original.
It wasn't funny - at all.
It had no wow factor as far as far as the FX - something Cameron's films usually deliver.
It wasn't entertaining.
It didn't even throw in a "surprise" & kill off Sarah, Dani, or both.

Plot holes? Yes. I will ignore them because it's a movie who's premise is time travel.

In the end all it was was a mediocre re-run of the original film with bits of the other installments spliced in (liquid metal/shape shifting termies, T-800 acting with the good guys, augmented humans).
At least in this regard it's better than that other recent marquis re-run: SW: TFA - it didn't turn into a parody of its original & piss all over the story/beloved original characters....



Oh, and the Rev9 being able to separate its skin & skeleton? It's not all that impressive.
The 1st time you're like "Huh. That's weird." But, after the first couple times you see the Rev9 reanimate &/or separate its liquid skin from its endo-skeleton (a trick it does alot), it gets pretty tedious.
And I was left wondering "Why doesn't the endo-skull have a top?".