“We’re here to stop the end of the world” If you are hearing those words, you know you must be watching a Terminator film, I mean after all it did tell you it would be back. The franchise that made Schwarnenegger “Arnold” and spawned catch phrases, that like the series, never died, even when we all thought it should, (See Terminator: Salvation. On second thought, don’t) it’s back once again. Arriving with a new shiny new, misspelled title that shares a name with a game console from the past, and the return of the man who was once “The Gonvernator”, the series is bound to get a boost in the arm after two disappointing films that came before it. Like “Jurassic World” before it, this film basically erases two forgettable films and gives us a true sequel to 1991’s “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”.
Since you are asking how I might know this, well because James Cameron has told us so, as he has giving the thumbs up to this entry, so with that, do you really want to hear what I have to say? Of course you do. The first thing you should know when going into this, is don’t try and figure out the timeline from the other films, because it will only make your head hurt. John Conner (Jason Clarke) is still alive and kicking and once again is about to defeat Sky Net. Something happens and Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) has to go back in time to protect Sarah Conner. When Reese gets to 1984, it doesn’t take long to realize Conner (Emilia Clarke) doesn’t need protecting, as she has Pops (Arnold Schwarzenegger) protecting her already. Together they have to travel to the future, to once again stop Sky Net from unleashing judgment day, so mankind can, once again, have an unwritten future.
So stop me if you’ve heard all that before, because I think I just described every “Terminator” movie ever, including the TV show version, which was pretty good. While “T2” was one of those epic Aliens/Godfather II-type sequels that don’t happen too often, you already know nothing is topping that, but is it really worthy of the Cameron approval? The answer to that question is a simple ‘sure’, as long as you don’t think too deeply about the film’s plotline and how it really relates to the others in the franchise. Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier write this version, with Alan Taylor (Thor:The Dark World) manning the Director’s chair, who brings big and bigger thinking that the franchise is known for, because this series always comes big, or not at all. The story though, has some potholes, but if you are a good enough driver you can avoid them and find a road good enough to travel on. If you are seeing this film you are not going for its story, but instead to watch things blow up, and to hear the franchise’s next great catch phrase.
“Terminator Genisys” is a summer movie in every way, big and soulless, just how we like them. With the return of Arnold, and the addition of Clarke and Clarke, there is enough new life brought to a series that was left for dead after the last attempt. So call it nostalgia or just a love for watching things go boom, with “Terminator Genisys”, you will be glad the “Terminator” is back.
Brian Taylor
