Let me start off by saying how incredibly skeptical I was about Terminator Genisys. I went into this movie thinking that it was going to be an absolute train wreck of a film, especially considering how T3 and Terminator: Salvation essentially took a massive dump on some childhood classics. But then again, I also thought Jurassic World would be a massive disappointment too, so Genisys should have a decent chance at being good, dumb, entertainment right?
Actually yeah, Terminator Genisys was actually pretty damn good for what it is.
Don't get me wrong, this is by no means a perfect film what so ever. In fact, if you haven't seen the original Terminator or Terminator 2: Judgement Day (either in a while or ever) then I whole heartedly suggest you go watch those two films before heading into Genisys. Genisys, to me, hit all the right marks that made it a worthy sequel to the first two Terminators, just like how Jurassic World is a worthy sequel to the original Jurassic Park.
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| Shit's about to go down, yo |
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| Things seem a little....different. |
This time however, Sarah Connor has her very own Terminator and is an incredibly capable young woman who can fight and blast her way through her problems. A stark contrast to the original Sarah Connor who could barely keep herself together when the slightest issue arose. Kyle Reese has essentially been thrown into a timeline where he and Sarah are going to attempt to stop Skynet from ever being born. It is an action packed adventure with twists and turns and plenty of action packed moments to keep you at the edge of your seat.
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| Old, but not obsolete |
Let's talk about what the film did right. Similarly to Jurassic World, Genisys plays heavily in the nostaliga factor and hits all the right notes. For example, John Connor makes a reference to the first film, a little speech that describes Terminators as relentless (they will not stop, they have no remorse, etc etc). It was such an awesome moment that I was visibly shaking in my seat. On top of that, the very first scene from Terminator 1 where the T-800 flashes into 1989 is recreated shot for shot and was an absolute treat for anyone who has fond memories of the first film. In terms of referencing the second film we have the T-1000 as the first villain that the characters run into along with the Dyson's making a return as the potential creators of Skynet. I enjoyed these references and felt like Genisys was attempting to rectify the mistakes T3 and Salvation had, especially when there was absolutely no call back to either of those films (for good reason too). In fact, Genisys knew it's audience and knew what they wanted from a Terminator movie.
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| Still doesn't beat the T-1000 design...but close! |
I greatly enjoyed everyone's performance in Genisys. Though they weren't Oscar worthy performances, each actor manages to capture the essence of each of their characters successfully. Emilia Clarke creates a compelling Sarah Connor, Jason Clarke gives a sinister and powerful feeling to John Connor, and Jai Courtney brings a new layer for Kyle Reese. Of course, no one can forget the T-800 that is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Reprising one of his most recognizable roles in his entire career, and despite his age, Arnie still manages to nail the Terminator character. Perhaps this could be seen as a criticism since I'm basically saying that Arnie manages to make a convincing robot. But that's ok, he's meant to be a big hulking death machine with almost no emotion!
The action scenes were also of high caliber fun. Well placed sequences helped keep the pace of the movie fluid. Never did it feel like it slowed down to a crawl nor did it feel like the action was going on for too long. This is usually something most action flicks fail at, so it's fortunate that Genisys manages to get over this pitfall gracefully.
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| Scenes like these were entertaining rather than boring me to tears |
Unfortunately, like I've mentioned, Genisys is not a perfect movie. It's still quite flawed. Most of the issues with Genisys lie within the actual plot of the film. Like all the other Terminator movies, there are plot holes everywhere that involve time travel, antagonist motivations and incompetence, and deus ex machinas. Not to mention that Genisys suffers from a flood of exposition during the first half-hour of the film and it still manages to be a tad confusing. Then again, when a plot consists of time travel and alternate timelines, it's going to be a given that the script wants to make sure that you understand what's going on. However, in this case, I got pretty exhausted by it, especially consdiering how the exposition can make the experience of watching a movie become very jarring to me. It pulls me out of the moment and forces me to realize that I'm not as immersed as I should be.
On top of that, we have to deal with stereotypical action movie faux pas such as unlimited magazines and unnecessary civilian casualties. Sure, these are pretty small things to complain about in an action film, but in a world where John Wick exists, it's hard not to have the desire for a more 'realistic' approach to gun play and set pieces.
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| Oh yeah, J.K. Simmons was in this movie for a bit. He was pretty great. |
Terminator Genisys is not a perfect movie. It's far from it. But as a Terminator movie, it's definitely a worthy sequel to Terminator 1 and Terminator 2. Anyone that loved the first two films will find plenty to enjoy in Genisys. Whether it's the one liners that Arnie spits, the explosive action sequences, or the ridiculous time travel centric plot. I really really hope that Genisys manages to make enough money to warrant a sequel. I am genuinely interested to see where the franchise will be taken especially considering Genisys spends a good chunk of the film setting up for future movies to answer unanswered questions. All in all, if you enjoyed Jurassic World for the same reasons I did, and you're looking for another nostalgic trip for another film franchise, look no further than Terminator Genisys.
Verdict: 4/5
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