TERMINATOR: DARK FATE (2019)
Say what you will about the Terminator franchise, but their films have not been devoid of risks or bold choices. Be it because of real creative intentions, or just as a result of being cornered by the premise and the story.
Terminator: Dark Fate is no exception, as it starts with a literal and figurative bang. The film follows Grace (Mackenzie Davis), an "enhanced" human sent back in time to protect Dani (Natalia Reyes), a young woman that might have an impact in the future, from a new "Terminator" (Gabriel Luna). In comes Sarah (Linda Hamilton), who offers to help Grace and Dani fight the bad guy.
I might be the only one on the face of the Earth, but I'm a huge, HUGE fan of
Terminator 3. I think that, despite some tonal dissonance and a somewhat weakly conceived villain, it manages to extend and expand the themes of the first two and should've successfully closed the chapter in the end, perhaps opening the possibilities for films set in the dystopian future? It's a shame that the studio ping-pong that has ensued, with each creative team that takes it going bankrupt forcing them to lose the rights, hasn't allowed for the story to continue in a cohesive and coherent way. Despite what I consider to be "risky" and "bold" choices (mostly regarding the character of John Connor), the franchise seems to be trapped in a loop of nostalgia and innovation, with the end results being more messy than they are effective.
With that said, I went into this with very low expectations other than kick-ass action, and for the most part, it delivered. I thought the action in the first half was pretty much excellent, starting with the fight in the auto manufacturer and finishing in the highway chase. Director Tim Miller handled the camera pretty well, with lots of fluid, continuous shots, as opposed to shaky camera. However, the action sequences do become more chaotic, exaggerated, and CGI-esque as the film continues, with the fight in the plane being particularly weak.
Also, the moment the script feels the need to shove Arnold back in, it pretty much lost me in terms of its story. The justification for his character to still be in it, and the logistics of it, just doesn't work. The script also tries to juggle the themes of fate/free will, nature/nurture, and overall purpose, but it doesn't fully succeed either. The saving graces are, like I said, the action and some solid performances from most of the cast. But with yet another film bombing, and another studio being in jeopardy because of it, the fate of this franchise seems to be dark indeed.
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