[Review] Terminator Genisys (2015)

cast:  Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, J.K. Simmons, Dayo Okeniyi, Matt Smith

directed by: Alan Taylor

On this night, we take back our world! – John Connor

“Terminator Genisys” wished to follow the “X-Men: Days of Future Past” principle of erasing the bad and make us forget the ugly. Instead we get a complicated timeline yet the movie delivers on good old time feelings, special effects and setting in motion the sequel(s). It doesn’t hurt that we get a bad ass villain, however when the it villain has been spoiled in the trailer, the bang is not as powerful as the producers hoped for.

Alan Taylor, known for his work on Game of Thrones goes back to the blockbuster machine. I personally have a bone to pick with Taylor. It feels like he’s a masochist who enjoy to be delivered the wicked pain from the producers wish of box office glory. Honestly, after the whole Thor: The Dark World debacle, I honestly hoped he will settle down with a few bellow the radar projects, get back to the roots. But no. Therefore, when I read that Alan Taylor isn’t happy the trailer spoiled the villain of the movie or he’s not happy with the cuts in post-production, I want to remind him that a franchise is not a personal movie you get to work on and do what you set out from the beginning. This works for any blockbuster where the producing team invests a big budget – sorry, we’re way past unique vision and creative freedom – we’re talking about a movie which needs to perform excellently with the public and set the course for a string of sequels. This is why Alan Taylor may seems the good man for a science fiction movie, he knows the ropes but he’s not the man able to cut it through producing demands. “Terminator Genisys” feels like a movie put together by a collective board. The screenwriters team is an intersting ensemble cast with Laeta Kalogridis – known for her work on “Alexander” – Patrick Lussier – and his love for the “Dracula” trilogy –  with James Cameron and  Gale Anne Hurd getting their due.

The scenario is a mix and match of ideas with an incoherent result. We have the family bond and father figure complex this time transferred from John Connor to Sarah Connor, we have the all time now obsessive wish to empower female characters – Sarah Connor in the first two movie had a path from a waitress to warrior, I don’t feel the need to hear Emilia Clarke shouting each and every time she can do things, I get that – technology corrupts especially in the hands of those who wish to abuse it and the world is again on the brink of doom. It’s a deja vu feeling and it doesn’t hit as good as it should.

My main problem comes with the revelation of the villain. I honestly believe if Jason Clarke’s John Connor cross to the dark side would have been left to be discovered in the movie and not in the trailer, the wow factor would have been bigger and better. Instead we knew he was evil yet Clarke had fun with the role, chewing his lines and being the baddie we hoped. Revisiting the old movies of the franchise gives a sort of a bad taste and lack of imagination from the writers, together with the mixed and hard to follow timeline.

There’s not much one can say about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s contribution to this movie, except the fact he’s maybe the only one not taking things seriously – kudos to him and Jason Clarke – and simply goes with the flow. Emilia Clarke clearly is overwhelmed by the part and goes on and on about being able to stick to her guns and not needing any help while Jay Courtney – forced lately to be part of some poorly received movies – is shallow and totally wrong for the part of Kyle Reese. But, do stick around and watch Matt Smith’s performance, there might be some silver lining there.

“Terminator Genisys” is big, loud and makes good use of the budget on FX but the script is muddled together with some dialogue which goes from not necessary to ”it could have been better without it”. We will get a sequel and hopefully it will be better and this one.

Edge and Back: 7/10

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