Terminator Genisys

I have seen "The Terminator" and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" but not "Rise of the Machines" or "Terminator Salvation". Some would say that is a good thing. I also believe that the best attraction at "Universal Studios Hollywood" without "Back to the Future: The Ride" is "T2 3-D: Battle Across Time". Despite all this, I wouldn't call myself a fan of this franchise. I am just of the opinion that Arnold Schwarzenegger is a fun actor. I probably should have re-watched the first two movies before seeing "Terminator Genisys" because that would have helped me appreciate this fifth film more. The focus of this movie was nostalgia and action. I may be a nostalgic person but I got my satisfaction from the trailer alone. The marketing for this movie affected my enjoyment of the actual movie in a negative way because while the teaser trailer was good at giving us a small taste of the full-length movie, the next advertisement should have included a spoiler warning at the start. Thankfully, this show has some good points so it is not a waste of time to see it.

I believe I would have really liked this movie had it not been for its trailers. They shouldn't have spoiled the John Conner plot twist. If Pixar could keep Bing Bong a secret, why not T-3000? The franchise's most memorable lines were also spoiled in the trailers and we could see them coming while watching the actual film. This took away much of the potential fun that could be had. I also had many problems with the villains in "Terminator Genisys" which include the T-1000, T-3000 and T-5000. It is true that other franchises also have more than one villain but the trick is to create complex villains that differ from one another. They should all be against the protagonists obviously but for different reasons. All of these Terminators in this sequel "can't be bargained with. [They] can't be reasoned with. [They don't] feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And [they] absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead." That doesn't help the entertainment value of the story when all the antagonists are as flat as each other. Another problem with the villains is that some of the Terminators were defeated too easily but I guess when you know the future, that is somewhat justified. Still, in the first two Terminator movies, the Terminators appear to have no weaknesses. They have to be destroyed by improvised means. T-3000's weakness is revealed too soon in "Genisys". After the hospital scene, you aren't all that worried about the main characters. Finally, while the T-3000 was obviously the central villain, it was not given enough screen time to overshadow the T-1000 in the 1984 scenes.

Usually, I am able to understand time travel stories like "Star Trek" but this sequel had a confusing plot. The characters themselves ask too many questions, which adds to the confusion. For example, if Kyle and Sarah don't fall in love, will John cease to exist? I also could not follow how the two different timelines are now intertwined. Things are so much simpler when certain paradoxes are ignored and Doc Brown can provide exposition for us using a chalkboard. The plot of "Genisys" also had organizational problems. It felt like the filmmakers had painted themselves into a corner in 1984 and their way out didn't work perfectly. The same feeling is present in the other sequel I just alluded to: "Back to the Future: Park II". The reason why that movie is better than this one is because Bob Zemeckis and Bob Gale didn't mean to end up in the metaphorical story corner that they did. Their ending for the original film was supposed to be a joke and not a set up for a sequel. When a sequel was demanded, Zemeckis and Gale had problems but the main conflict they created in the story in order to get out of the corner was a lot better than the T-3000/T-5000. Maybe the writers on "Genisys" should have stayed in 1984. Just like the character of the Terminator, this movie franchise just won't die. The film leaves us with a lot of questions such as where Pops and the T-1000 in 1984 came from. "Terminator Salvation" was supposed to begin a new trilogy and that didn't happen. Will the announced sequel to "Terminator Genisys" give us the resolution we need or will it even be made?

I am giving a lot of negative criticism but honestly; this movie wasn't a waste of time. Seeing Arnold's name on IMAX screen was pretty cool. The chemistry between Jai Courtney and Emilia Clarke is good but their on-screen relationship should have been developed a lot better. One part of the story I enjoyed is having Sarah know that Kyle is John's father. In case you are wondering, there appears to be no relation between Jason Clarke (who plays John) and Emilia Clarke (who plays Sarah). Jason is better at being the hero than the villain by they way. It was fun to have the newly Oscar-winning actor J.K. Simmons appear in this movie. I kind of wished that Bill Paxton had reprised his role in the 1984 scene. Even though I still don't like nudity in movies, I am glad it was used sparingly. James Cameron I think has less self-control. I enjoy the new take on Skynet in 2017. It illustrates how dependant on technology we are these days, more so than in 1984. The special effects in "Genisys" are quite good; better than those on "Jurassic World". I fully accepted the T-800 or the young Arnold. I also accepted the 1984 scenes in terms of lighting and use of color. They match those of the original film very well. Editor Roger Barton has worked on a lot of action movies. In his first feature film, he won an Oscar along with James Cameron for "Titanic". He was a good choice for this sequel.

I think the original Terminator film is slightly better than this sequel because of a better story and freshness. T2 is also a bit more entertaining. The biggest problem with "Terminator Genisys" is that the story played second fiddle to the action and sense of nostalgia. The marketing for this movie also prevented me from fully enjoying this film. The good news is that die-hard fans of the franchise will not be let down completely.

3.5 Stars