The 5th installment in the Terminator franchise has to be looked at as its own film. If we compare it to Terminator 2--one of the greatest sci-fi films ever--then we will be in for a let down. But if we acknowledge what it is for today's society, it's a really good movie.
In Terminator Genisys, we are faced with the post-apocalyptic world of 2029, where machines rule and humans attempt to defeat them. John Connor (Jason Clarke) prophetically sends Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back in time to 1983 in order to save his mother, Sarah (Emilia Clarke), from a cyborg assassin. However, when Kyle goes back to 1983, Sarah already knows what's been going on and the world is a lot different than the one that we saw lived out in the first Terminator film.
Even though the dialogue is painful during many scenes, the premise is exciting and well thought-out. For a movie about time travel, plot holes are usually inevitable. But Genisys avoids most of them by covering its tracks along the way. However, it does suffer from the age-old problem of time traveling too close to the time of the catastrophic event--thus making the film more suspenseful, but also making the characters' task much more stressful. There were a few other minor head scratchers, but nothing that we haven't already asked in the first two movies.
And we can't forget about Arnold Schwarzenegger. This film is truly at its best when he's on the screen. We're always waiting for him to do or say something. His presence is just as strong now as it was almost 25 years ago.
As good as this movie is, I'm not sold on Emilia Clarke, who plays Sarah Connor. She's not a bad actress, but she's not a great one either. And that, combined with dialogue that's too wordy and inattentive direction, makes her worse. Jai Courtney is a little better, but still suffers from similar issues.
Alan Taylor's directing is good when it comes to interpreting the events in the script, but not as much with character decision. Sarah lives in 1983, yet she talks like she's straight out of 2015. And the little things, when less would be more, end up making what would be a brilliant film into mere popcorn entertainment.
But popcorn entertainment isn't a bad thing. Some of my favorite films fit into that category. It may not be the sort of movie that hardcore Terminator fans were waiting for, but honestly I think hardly anything would work for them.
Twizard Rating: 86
The third installment in the Terminator franchise may seem pointless to some diehard fans, but it's actually a solid movie that furthers the premise of the series.
Following the events of Terminator 2, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines catches us up with John Connor (Nick Stahl) approximately a decade later. It turns out that the judgement day John and his mother thought that they derailed is happening anyway. Two more cyborgs are sent back in time--one to protect John and his future wife, and the other to terminate them.
The movie builds upon our notions of fate and destiny and expands the universe which we grew enamored by in the first two films.
Although it copies the formula from the previous film, it doesn't disappoint. It gives us a solid addition to the franchise without losing the spirit of where it came from.
And believe it or not, it even deepens the Terminator character as well. It gives us some laughs and callbacks to the previous film and aims to please fans.
Sure, certain action sequences are a bit more tiresome and unrealistic, but when you have cyborg warriors I guess anything is possible.
Twizard Rating: 91
The memory of Terminator 2 from my childhood is a foggy one, but I remember, as a child who couldn't have been any older than 10, that I really liked this movie. There were scenes that, to this day, have stuck with me. I remember the ending almost shot-for-shot as I rematch it some 16 years later.
I like the first Terminator film a great deal, but it has that '80s feel to it and it's very dated. But the 1991 sequel is ahead of its time. And 24 years later, It holds up perfectly--just as my memories of it as a child.
In this movie, a cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger), looking exactly like the one who tries to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) in the first film, is sent back to the past to protect her son, John Connor (Edward Furlong), who is being hunted down by a more advanced evil cyborg (Robert Patrick) who can morph into any person or metal object.
The plot is more developed and longer. We realize that there is more at stake here. We know the background already and know who must live and who must die. At 2 and a half hours, the movie never seems to overstay its welcome.
Schwarzenegger has never been more perfect for any role he's played. He's truly at his best and even displays his comedic talents. Patrick, playing the main antagonist, creepily stalks Sarah and John throughout the whole movie, evoking true fear from the audience.
This is a near-perfect cinematic experience. It's one of my favorite films and it's even better watching it with more context than when I was a child.
Twizard Rating: 100
It's a little dated, but 1984's The Terminator is nevertheless jam packed with entertainment. The effects seem cheesy by today's standards, but are impressive considering the lower budget. And the movie's impact on modern day action films is undeniable.
In The Terminator, a cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger) from the year 2029--when machines rule the earth--is sent into the past to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), whose unborn son will lead a human rebellion against the machines. One human from the future, Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), is hired to follow the cyborg into the past and save Sarah from assassination.
While I'm not a huge fan of James Cameron's writing when it's comes to dialogue, he always has really deep premises. And often times I feel as though he casts actors because of their look rather than their acting ability. The Terminator is no different. The dialogue is painful at times, but the themes are still relevant and the narrative is consistent. And Biehn's poor acting is utterly distracting. Luckily Schwarzenegger has limited lines.
I also wish that Sarah and Reese's chemistry had been a little more realistic. It isn't bad, but it isn't great either. Their dynamic feels a little forced and sudden with no buildup.
There are a few plot holes and paradoxes in the film, but we can't expect anything else from an 1980s time travel film.
Although ahead of its time, it comes off as more ordinary when compared to modern action flicks. Possibly because it influenced most of them. But the '80s setting makes for great nostalgia when viewed today.
Twizard Rating: 92
Throughout much of the first half of this movie you start getting the feeling that it's gonna be one of those films where the plot gets stretched way too thin and it becomes a yawnfest. While the former is still true, the latter goes away as soon as we get our first encounter with the monster. From then on we are wide awake and become invested in the outcome, while Predator turns into a pretty decent action-suspense film.
However, much of the dialogue is laughable and every time Arnold opens his mouth you have to shake your head.
Besides the impressive special effects and costume design, all of this film's points come from the second half when the action starts rolling, as the Thomas brothers aren't too competent at writing narrative.
Twizard Rating: 64
