TERMINATOR: DARK FATE

In Mexico City, a newly modified liquid Terminator -- the Rev-9 model -- arrives from the future to kill a young factory worker named Dani Ramos. Also sent back in time is Grace, a hybrid cyborg human who must protect Ramos from the seemingly indestructible robotic assassin. But the two women soon find some much-needed help from a pair of unexpected allies -- seasoned warrior Sarah Connor and the T-800 Terminator.

Director: Tim Miller

Cast: Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mackenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes, Gabriel Luna, Diego Boneta

Release Date: November 1, 2019

Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Rated R for violence throughout, language and brief nudity

Runtime: 2h 8min

Review:

Terminator: Dark Fate is an interesting reboot / refresh of the franchise which needs a shot in the arm after the disastrous Terminator Genisys.  Tim Miller mimics a lot of beats from James Cameron’s first two entries while wiping out anything after T2.  There is plenty of incredibly staged action to be found here and it really drives the better part of the film with some sequences like a battle in a crashing air carrier really leaving a memorable mark.  The story itself should feel familiar because it decides to borrow heavily from the first two films and it’s not shy about it.  Sure the characters might have been flipped to refresh the story but it’s very much the same story.  The reason the whole thing works is because the characters are all engaging enough.  Bringing back Linda Hamilton was a masterstroke and she delivers in spades.  Hamilton’s performance is a perfect bend of anger and heartbreak while maintaining inner strength which made her character so iconic in T2.  Mackenzie Davis might have seemed like a strange casting choice but she’s surprisingly good as this chapter’s designate protector of Natalia Reyes who’s essentially the Sarah Connor here. Arnold Schwarzenegger shows up in the latter portion of the film and how the story deals with his appearance might divide a few people but it’s still good fun to see him and Hamilton again.  Ultimately, you won’t find much new or groundbreaking here but it does feel like a proper sequel to T2 even after multiple misfires.  

B-