Review: Terminator: Dark Fate

Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger are back! Our J.P. reviews the much anticipated “Terminator: Dark Fate.”

"Terminator Dark Fate" image with Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in Skydance Productions and Paramount Pictures’ “TERMINATOR: DARK FATE.”

Terminator: Dark Fate
Paramount Pictures

  • Rating: R
  • Opening Date: November 1st
  • Running Time: 128 Minutes
  • Director: Tim Miller
  • Producers: James Cameron and David Ellison
  • Cast: Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mackenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes, Gabriel Luna, and Diego Boneta

Studio Synopsis:
More than two decades have passed since Sarah Connor prevented Judgment Day, changed the future, and re-wrote the fate of the human race. Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes) is living a simple life in Mexico City with her brother (Diego Boneta) and father when a highly advanced and deadly new Terminator – a Rev-9 (Gabriel Luna) – travels back through time to hunt and kill her. Dani’s survival depends on her joining forces with two warriors: Grace (Mackenzie Davis), an enhanced super-soldier from the future, and a battle-hardened Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). As the Rev-9 ruthlessly destroys everything and everyone in its path on the hunt for Dani, the three are led to a T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) from Sarah’s past that may be their last best hope.

J.P.’s Take:

James Cameron (“Titanic,” “Avatar”) is one the most prolific filmmakers in the industry and his fertile imagination has transported us to worlds beyond our own. With that said, I’m elated that he’s recovered his brainchild for a proper sequel to his “Terminator” franchise. The long overdue retconned follow-up, “Terminator: Dark Fate,” is one which washes away previous canon that was sparked by other filmmakers. It does so with the intentions of reigniting the franchise in its rightful light.

While new faces Natalia Reyes (playing Daniella “Dani” Ramos) and Mackenzie Davis (a cybernetically enhanced human named Grace) are ushered in to pull starring role duties in this iteration, “Terminator: Dark Fate” reunites original “Terminator” stars Linda Hamilton (Sarah Connor) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (T-800 “Model 101” / now calling himself Carl), whom give more of a heartfelt performance than a cheesed up reprisal.

"Terminator Dark Fate" image with Linda Hamilton
Linda Hamilton returns as Sarah Connor (Skydance Productions / Paramount Pictures)

The beauty of playing with the space/time continuum is that you don’t have to stick to conventional storyline rules. With “Dark Fate,” the tale is woven in a way that fits comfortably within “Terminator 1 & 2,” while offering a fresh take on the Sarah Connor-ish outlook. Like many retconned films such as “Halloween,” “Star Wars,” and “Godzilla,” “Terminator: Dark Fate” requires the viewer to recall events of “T2” in order to move forward with the new plot course.

With the new story arc, you’re given more insight as to how “T2: Judgment Day” developed its conclusion, without the previous story falling apart into time travel trappings. You’re made aware of this story’s social/political leanings as it speaks to the immigration controversy and even pokes fun at gun law issues. For instance, there is a joke where Carl/T-800 is showing off his gun collection to Sarah, Grace and Dani and he spouts the line, “After all, this is Texas.” It also draws on the correlation that humans are being replaced by machines, especially in the workplace, yet in the interim, they are needed for our survival.

This being a James Cameron affair once again, you can bet your bottom dollar there will be action galore. There is a highly advanced Terminator on the loose in Mexico, a machine that is a force to be reckoned with. Gabriel Luna is the face of the frightening and fierce terminator model Rev-9, which combines the fluidity of liquid metal and the durability of a poly alloy exo-skeleton and is able to split apart from each other. The battles that occur between Sarah Connor, Grace and Carl prove to be explosive and lightning fast.

Cameron returns to the highly kinetic and Earth shattering fighting style that fans have revered in “T2.” There is a part of the story arc that flashes back to a sequence, which was never actually filmed in the previous movies, where Sarah Connor and the young John Connor are living in Mexico. The young likenesses of Edward Furlong and Hamilton are portrayed here and immediately you think of Will Smith’s recent entry “Gemini Man.” Only the CGI is sparingly used in these moments making them convincing to watch.

"Terminator Dark Fate" image with Mackenzie Davis
Mackenzie Davis as Grace (Skydance Productions / Paramount Pictures)
"Terminator Dark Fate" image with Natalia Reyes
Natalia Reyes as Dani (Skydance Productions / Paramount Pictures)

Part of the reason this film works is due to the right cast, especially the newcomers.

Cameron is known for placing female actors in prominent roles and new castmates Natalia Reyes (TV’s “Lady, la vendedora de rosas”) and Mackenzie Davis (“Blade Runner 2049”) are proof that they can carry this film. Davis certainly has the gruff, rough and rumble attitude to be the valiant protector. Her body language alone spells warrioress. On the other hand, Reyes is also just as strong, yet in a much more nurturing way. Her character is the matriarch of her family looking after her younger brother and father while she braves her world. And she shows just as much vulnerability as someone, who is caring and real.

"Terminator Dark Fate" image with Gabriel Luna as Rev-9
Gabriel Luna as Rev-9 (Skydance Productions / Paramount Pictures)

Meanwhile, Gabriel Luna (“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) shows no mercy as model Rev-9, who’s name funny enough is also Gabriel. Just in his facial expressions alone you can see the steely viciousness in his eyes. His mannerisms are threatening and methodical. He is a cold hearted machine with the most deadly intentions.

Last and not least, Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger have not lost a step and, in fact, director Tim Miller injects their characters with the same sarcastic temperament as those in his “Deadpool” films. However, you won’t find their roles to be intrusive or corny.

“Terminator: Dark Fate” gives me hope for future franchises and is certainly a vast improvement over the last three interactions. Die-hard fans may or may not view this version as a true “Terminator” outing, yet I’ll bet they will view this as a winner. I got just as much of a thrill out of watching part six as I did watching the original “Terminator” for the first time.

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