Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

After failing twice to be brought successfully into the 21st century, the Terminator series returns with Terminator: Dark Fate, directed by Tim Miller (Deadpool), with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton and (maybe to try to ensure a third failure is not on the cards), James Cameron as executive producer.

Two terminators are sent from a machine-ruled future, one to kill someone, the other to try to stop it. The first (Gabriel Luna) can morph into two terminators at once, and its opponent is a half human, half machine soldier with enhanced capabilities (Mackenzie Davis). But surprise! The target isn’t Sarah or John Connor but a young factory girl named Dani (Natalia Reyes).

Out of all the new cast, Davis seems to be the one with most charisma and can carry scenes believably. Reyes is too similar to how Hamilton played Sarah in the first film, but where Hamilton knew where to stop screaming Reyes keeps freaking out until it becomes annoying. As for Luca, he might be a worthy addition to the Terminator villains list if he weren’t so hard to take seriously – he just looks too ordinary, no matter what he does in an attempt to be frightening. Hamilton plays the older Sarah much like she did last time, but more experienced and hardened. Her efforts are appreciated, if a bit underused. Arnie just does his usual, says serious things when required, with occasional flashes of humour. It works and gets results.

The script feels like it’s doing what The Force Awakens did for Star Wars – new plot, new and old characters, hitting some beats from a previous film while adding some new touches. This script is new but can’t help feeling similar to the first film in various ways: woman on the run from machine with help from resistance fighter. Adding another machine as a protector and a terminator with blade weaponry and who turns liquid, echo the second film. We do get a slightly better look at the AI-controlled future, but where the script definitely fails is in having an excess of dialogue-heavy scenes. We do spend time in Mexico for a change, but it’s really only there so that the terminators will have two places to rampage through. However, to end on a positive note, the action scenes do live up to the franchise’s brutal, hard-hitting style.

For Terminator, the key moment of the music will always be the familiar main theme and it can be heard several times here to good effect.

Terminator: Dark Fate has the potential to pave a future for the franchise, with one good performance from a new cast member, and the old cast giving their best with the material they have been given. There’s a rather unhealthy attachment to the franchise’s past, but as a move into the new century (and only a few years away from when Judgement Day is supposed to happen!), it’s not a bad start.

Director: Tim Miller
Writers: James Cameron (story by), Charles H. Eglee (story by)
Stars: Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mackenzie Davis

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Andrew Moodie

Film reviewer at reviewsphere

Born on 19 November 1999, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was the first film Andrew saw on the big screen at the age of five and he has been a keen admirer of films ever since. He expanded his film taste and knowledge through the years before deciding to become a film critic at seventeen. He started reviewing films through a blog called The Truth About Movies, now upgraded into a professional website called Andrew Moodie Film Review. When not reviewing he enjoys listening to old music and film scores, exercising regularly and is rather an obsessive reader.