‘The future ain’t what it used to be.’
Just when you think they are history, they’re back with more time-altering mayhem and cyborg shenanigans. Directed by Deadpool’s Tim Miller, Terminator: Dark Fate is packed full of science-fiction fun and apocalyptic action.
This sequel disregards all but the original two James Cameron films (The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day) as Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) returns to hunt down a new Terminator model, Rev-9 (Gabriel Luna); and she still holds a grudge against the old T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) version as well.
Sarah joins forces with a mysterious Mexican girl, Dani (Natalia Reyes), who may or may not be a key player in the future of mankind, and a more human than machine future-soldier named Grace, played by Mackenzie Davis (Blade Runner 2049). The old corporate enemy, Skynet, has been replaced by Legion — and, as the late Yogi Berra once said, “The future ain’t what it used to be.”
Mostly written by superhero and sci-fi veteran David S. Goyer, the story here has some plot holes and clunky moments, should you choose to think about it or take it all too seriously; but if you simply kick back and enjoy the spectacle, you will be rewarded with a heck of a thrill ride. Terminator: Dark Fate is easily the most action-packed film of the year and rarely gives you a moment to catch your breath.
Linda Hamilton still kicks butt as Sarah Connor and Schwarzenegger is back in full, fantastic robotic form; fans will have a nostalgic blast watching the two adversaries working together again. The Rev-9 Terminator brings a whole new level of incredible chaos into the mix. It is unstoppably ruthless on a scale never seen before, and the film’s special effects are first-rate.
Terminator: Dark Fate is rated R, I think mostly for gratuitous and unnecessary foul language and some brief nudity. The violence is also very graphic, but it’s mostly robots being damaged. The story briefly attempts to comment on the affects of artificial intelligence and robotics in society, but in the end this is just an awesome and mostly mindless action movie.
