REVIEW: The Terminator is Back in Terminator: Dark Fate
“I’ll be back” is one of the most iconic movie lines of all time. When The Terminator was released in 1984, it was an immediate hit. An android sent back in time to kill a woman set to give birth to the son destined to destroy future androids grabbed audiences’ attentions and “I’ll be back” was cemented in history. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton, as The Terminator and Sarah Connor in the original, became household names. Five more movies then followed and Paramount Pictures is now releasing the sixth in the series, Terminator: Dark Fate.
This movie picks up several years after the original with a new young woman, Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes) needing protection. A Rev-9 Terminator (Gabriel Luna) has been sent from the future with the mission to kill Ramos. However, like Terminator 2: Judgement Day, someone else from the future is on hand, but not to kill Ramos. This advanced human, Grace (Mackenzie Davis) is tasked with protecting Ramos and she may not be the only one. Sarah Connor (Hamilton) and the original Terminator (Schwarzenegger) are also on hand to protect Ramos and to stop the new Terminator.
It is a joy to see Hamilton and Schwarzenegger return to the Terminator franchise. The film doesn’t fully focus on their characters, you can’t help but care more for what happens to them. Davis and Reyes do a nice job playing Grace and Dani, but they don’t quite suck you in like Hamilton and Schwarzenegger.
Luna as the new Terminator is a great addition. His character has very few lines yet that doesn’t effect how well he plays this character. From his expressions to his body language, you can’t help but believe may actually be a Terminator. Watching him and Schwarzenegger battle it out makes for some pretty fun scenes.
Like its predecessors, Dark Fate is action packed from start to finish. The CGI is used very well and adds on nicely to the film. From a spoilery flashback scene to the many action scenes, there isn’t a moment you won’t believe. The movie also has a number of funny lines, especially between Hamilton and Schwarzenegger.
That’s not to say the film doesn’t have its faults. The story is stale, mainly because this version is essentially the first and second Terminator movies combined. Even with the minor changes, the story has been told before. If it weren’t for the different characters, I would have thought I was watching the original two.
Fans of The Terminator series will definitely get a kick out of Terminator: Dark Fate. Whether you see it in theaters this weekend, or wait for it to come out On Demand, this movie is worth watching. It isn’t as good as the first two movies, but it is still a fun time.
Source: B