RECENT WATCHES: Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

History repeats itself. In 2009, the “Terminator” franchise was revived with eyes towards creating a trilogy of films. The film failed to attract enough of a significant audience, being declared a box office failure. Despite this, in 2015, the “Terminator” franchise was revived again with eyes, once more, towards creating a new trilogy of films. This reboot also failed to attract enough ticket-buyers and did not launch a new expansion of the franchise. A mere three years later, another attempt has been made to reboot this time traveling killer robot saga. And, yes, “Terminator: Dark Fate” has also been a box office failure. It's almost as if the public isn't interested in a reboot of the “Terminator” franchise.

So why the hell did the Hollywood deal brokers and money men decide the world demanded a new “Terminator” film, despite all evidence pointing to the contrary? James Cameron regained the rights to the series in 2016. This prompted a desire to – as has become trendy – make a new sequel that would ignore the later films and instead focus on following up the originals people actually liked. “Dark Fate” was intended to be the real “Terminator 3.” Cameron would have a hand in writing the film, with “Deadpool” director and supposed “Terminator” super-fan Tim Miller directing. But you knew that already. Let's see if “Dark Fate” is the return to form some fans seem to think it is.

Yes, “Rise of the Machines,” “Salvation,” and “Genisys” have all been tossed in the trash. The year is 2019 and Judgment Day has never arrived. Mexican day laborer Dani Ramos goes about her life with her father and brother. That's when two figures appear from the future. The first is a human solider named Grace, whose body has been augmented with futuristic technology. The second is a new Terminator, a shapeshifter determined to exterminate Dani. Yet Dani and Grace, woefully unprepared to handle the present, is not alone. Soon, Sarah Connors – years after John was murdered by another rogue Terminator – arrives to assist the girl. “Carl,” a pacified T-800, also joins the battle against the unstoppable Rev-9.

“Dark Fate” endeavors to replicate the extended chase scene plotting of the original “Terminator.” Once the shape-shifting kill-bot arrives, our heroes rarely stop moving. The scenes of peace, such as Sarah getting to know our new heroes in a hotel room or Dani and the gang hanging out at “Carl's” house, are short stop-overs on an endless race towards the next action sequence. The pacing is almost always up-hill but the execution lacks the grim tension of Cameron's original. The result is a noisy experience that wares the audience down, instead of exciting or thrilling them.

In fact, there's almost nothing interesting about “Dark Fate's” story at all. The sequel presents a number of time travel shenanigans. SkyNet has been destroyed but the murderous robot filled future is still unavoidable, another entity called LEGION arising to bring ti about. Apparently, new Terminators have been arriving from never-to-be-fulfilled futures on a regular basis over the years. Instead of exploring the possibilities of this, of splintering time lines and alternate futures, “Dark Fate” just casually explains its set-up and starts running. What LEGION is or where it comes from is never expounded on. Say what you will about “Terminator Genisys,” an incredibly goofy motion picture that made absolute mince meat of the series' established lore, but at least it was ambitious. “Dark Fate” is satisfied to set up a totally new apocalypse that just happens to look and act exactly like all the previous apocalypses we've seen in this series.

In form and function, “Dark Fate” is basically a remake of the original “Terminator.” The familiar beats of a heroine and a futuristic protector running from a Terminator all appear. This lack of creativity is evident in the film's latest evil Terminator. It's absolutely gulling to me that it's been twenty-eight years since “Terminator 2” and nobody has been able to think of a better idea for a killer robot than the liquid metal T-1000. What gimmick differentiates the Rev-9 from all past Terminators? He has a robotic skeleton, like Arnold's original, that can separate from a nano-tech “skin,” both able to function as separate entities. Essentially, the Rev-9 is just a lazy mash-up of the first two Terminators. He attacks with guns or stabbing CGI tentacles, both of which are very boring. Surely, a person as creative and inventive as James Cameron could've come up with something cooler than
this? But I doubt Jim had as much input on the script as has been advertised.

“Deadpool” certainly suggested Tim Miller was capable of constructing a creative action scene. The dude is a former animator, after all, and brought that cartoon energy to the superhero film. Perhaps I gave him too much credit with that one though. Because the action direction in “Dark Fate” is weirdly terrible. The combat scenes are frequently a blur of CGI destruction. There's lots of slow-mo, of bodies being tossed through the air or dodging bullets, but it all feels totally weightless. Though the R-rating was much hyped, there's certainly nothing memorable or especially brutal about the violence here. In the second half, “Dark Fate” becomes totally incoherent. A long fight scene takes place in blurry water. A battle above a dropping airship is difficult to follow. There's more CGI mangling and indistinct destruction during the climax, which never seems to end. There's certainly nothing here to rival the police station massacre in the original or the aqueduct chase in “T2.”

So what is there to like about “Dark Fate?” Well, the cast is pretty good. Mackenzie Davis proves to be a surprisingly effective action hero. Though CGI effects allow Davis to perform all sorts of superhuman heroics, her performance is largely characterized by vulnerability. Grace has weaknesses too, her superpowers-granting battery running low quickly. This allows Davis to bring a great deal of humanity to the role. There's even a sweetness at times, as she attempts to bond with Dani. Natalia Reyes is also decent as Dani, even if the character's transformation into a solider is never believable. (Which has more to do with the script than Reyes.)

And, of course, there's always Arnold Schwarzenegger. Much like in “Genisys,” Schwarzenegger appears here as an aging Terminator that has integrated into human society. This time, “Carl” has become rather human in his personality, even marrying a woman and providing for a step-son. Naturally, any scene of Arnold playing the Terminator as a deadpan Dad figure is absolutely delightful. This, unsurprisingly, proves to be the highlight of “Dark Fate.” Linda Hamilton returns to Sarah Connor as a woman practically broken, who survives only for revenge at this point. Sarah's character arc, of learning to live for something actually breathing, is never especially earned. However, watching Hamilton be a grizzled bad-ass, casually deploying a bazooka or grenades, is deeply entertaining.

There's a half-assed attempt at social commentary here. The heroine is Mexican, the Terminator disguises himself as an immigration officer, and crossing the border factors into the plot. But it's hard to care too much about that when the plot is uninteresting and the action is deeply uninvolving. “Dark Fate” is the first “Terminator” movie to be a full-blown bomb, as “Salvation” and “Genisys” at least broke even. Yet I suspect the “Terminator” brand is destined to be back. (Though probably not as a streaming series or something and not a big budget movie.) Producers clearly believe this franchise has too much name recognition to let rest forever. So it looks like we'll be haunted by mediocre “Terminator” spin-offs until Judgment Day finally arrives for real. [5/10]

Bangers n' Mash 69: The Terminator Saga

This went up a week ago. I honestly meant to post this to the blog sooner but things kept coming up. By the time I remembered I hadn't posted the latest Bangers n' Mash Show, it's usually really late at night. Well, it's still really late at night but I haven't to have a moment to remind my blog readers to listen to my podcast.

Anyway, here's a podcast about the Terminator movies. This was more relevant earlier in the month.

Recent Watches: Terminator Genisys (2015)

There was a time when the announcement of a new Terminator movie would have caused plenty of excitement among sci-fi and action nerds. However, the series has been badly abused over the last decade. “Terminator 3” was divisive. “Salvation” was bad. “The Sarah Connor Chronicles” developed a cult following but did little to raise the series’ cultural value. With “Salvation’s” failure, the franchise’s rights were purchased by another production company, who promised a new film, leading into its own trilogy. What this sequel would have that the last one didn’t was Arnold Schwarzenegger. Even I, a faithful Arnold fan, was not anticipating seeing the 67 year old star playing the killer android again. The fifth entry in the series, “Terminator Genisys,” was dampened by a goofy subtitle and, upon release last week, faced negative reviews and mediocre box office. Maybe this left me with low expectations because I enjoyed the flick.

In the final days of the Machine Wars, John Connor leads the human army against Skynet’s last stand. Connor, aware of the Terminator’s impending arrival in 1984, successfully takes the Machine’s base, where the time machine is. However, he arrives too late, the T-800 already on his way. Resistance solider Kyle Reese follows the machine back in time. However, when he arrives, things are different then John described. Sarah Connor, raised by a friendly Terminator who rescued her as a child, has been ready for the machines’ arrivals. The timeline has been altered. Sarah, her protector, and Reese have to prevent Skynet’s ascension to power in this universe, while dealing with a new Terminator with a familiar face.

There’s no positive way around this: “Genisys” makes mince meat of the series’ established mythology. The film’s first act is set in 1984, with a prepared Sarah Connor, an old Arnold, and a sudden appearance by a liquid metal Terminator. This change wipes out all previous four films, especially the much reviled third and fourth entries. Using a time machine they built in the sewers, Sarah Connor and Reese then travel forward into the future, to 2017, the new arrival date of Skynet in this altered time line. (Skynet is presented as an operating system called “Genisys,” lending the film its awkward subtitle.) This second time-leap is another side-effect of the movie’s convoluted plot line. Here, the trio encounters a new threat, a plot twist spoiled by the trailers. Skynet’s newest weapon is a nanobot virus that can infect living tissue, transforming it into mechanics. Yep, it’s John Connor himself, transformed into the deadliest Terminator yet. The film throws about a hundred new plot points up in the air, only resolving a few of them. The result is a movie that’s rift with ideas, good ones and bad ones, but isn’t always easy to follow.

That’s a problem but not one that affected my enjoyment of “Terminator Genisys” too much. Having a senior citizen Schwarzenegger play an unaging robot is silly. The solution to this problem is an awkward one. See, the organic flesh that covers a Terminator ages like regular flesh. This T-800 has already been around twenty years at the story’s beginning, and ages twenty more before too long. Playing an elderly version of his trademark character feeds into Arnold’s obvious desire to explore his old age on-screen. This Terminator, referred to by Sarah as Pops and by the credits as Guardian, constantly reminds us that he’s “old, not obsolete.” The machine suffers injuries and has a case of robotic arthritis. Because he’s been around so long, the robot has made further in-roads with his developing humanity. He attempts to smile and act normal, a funny gag the movie returns repeatedly. He even tells us that he held down a job and surfs the internet. All the while, Arnold maintains the cyborg’s dead-pan delivery. The film literally has modern day Schwarzenegger fighting with his younger, more toned self. “Genisys” shows that Arnold continues to be willing to play with his status as an aging action icon. His humor and persona are the most consistently entertaining things about the film.

Schwarzenegger is the only familiar face in “Genisys.” The film’s time-leaping plot line requires lots of new actors cast as established characters. Emilia Clarke plays our new Sarah Connor. Having never seen “Game of Thrones,” I have no familiarity with Clarke. However, she’s ideally cast as the character. Aside from her slight resemblance to Linda Hamilton, she successfully combines both approaches to the character. This Sarah maintains the girlishness and humor of the original’s final girl. However, she’s more then capable of being tough, if less psychotic then the first sequel’s Sarah. The father/daughter relationship she builds with the elderly Terminator is surprisingly touching and feeds into the series’ reoccurring fascination with parenthood. Clarke’s lovely to look at too.

Not all the casting is so inspired. Jai Courtney plays Kyle Reese. He’s no Michael Biehn. Courtney is the latest actor in the Sam Worthington mold: Short-haired, buff, Australian, and completely bland. The film begins with a voice-over from Courtney which is an especially bad idea, considering his voice is like auditory Quaaludes. Courtney is a non-presence and has no romantic chemistry with Clarke. The rest of the supporting cast is better. Casting Jason Clarke as a villain was a smart idea, since there’s always been something off-putting about his face. The same could be said of Matt Smith’s Neanderthal-like features, though the movie gives the former Doctor Who way less to do. J.K. Simmons is amusing, if underused, as a conspiracy theorist police officer on the Terminators' trails. Byung-Hun Lee nicely apes Robert Patrick as the newest variation on the T-1000.

At times, “Genisys” does feel like “Terminator: The Greatest Hits.” All the catch-phrases are present and accounted for. The appearance of the liquid metal Terminator doesn’t add much. The way that mechanical assassin is dispatched is likely to raise fan debate. As is the revisions made to Skynet’s origin. At times, it feels like the movie is messing with the well known lore simply for the sake of it. The way Pops survives his seemingly final fate is the movie’s biggest ass-pull.

However, the nano-bot Terminator is a genuinely cool effect and a clever variation on the killer robot formula. The creature’s status is cleverly illustrated, such as a trail of machines being left in a giant magnet’s wake. The skinned machine’s visage, which looks like mechanical muscles, is a nice touch as well. The action in the film is heavily CGI'd and frequently gets ridiculous. That doesn’t mean it isn’t fun. A chase scene on the Golden Gate bridge features a flipping bus, Arnold slamming face-first into a windshield, and the characters dangling from the bridge. A hospital shoot-out features plenty of slamming and wrasslin’. The helicopter chase begins at a badly ridiculous place before escalating to a nicely ridiculous place. The climatic Terminator brawl makes good use of a laser. The finale also answers a question fans of the series may have asked from time to time: What happens when something non-organic tries to travel through time? As an action movie, there’s nothing especially memorable about “Terminator Genisys” but it more then has its moments.

Despite an ending that neutralizes the series’ threat in a fairly final way, “Terminator Genisys” features more then enough dangling questions to build upon in further sequels. Whether or not those sequels will get made remains a question mark. The U.S. box office take for the film have been subpar so far but there’s plenty of time for global receipts to save it. Goofy, convoluted, but packed with action, humor, and some solid performances and effects, I had fun with “Genisys.” It may be the most enjoyable “Terminator” film since the second one. [7/10]

Recent Watches: Terminator Salvation (2009)

I don’t know about you but, from the moment I saw the original “Terminator” movie, I dreamed about an entire movie set in the future, during the war with the machines. Comics and video games tried to fill this desire but none of them truly scratch that itch. Because I’m a bitchy nerd who can never be pleased, the eventual announcement of a Future Wars movie did not excite me. To say the movie didn’t live up to my expectations for a future-set “Terminator” would be misleading. The trailers and reviews were so uninspiring that I hadn’t even planned to see the movie in theaters originally. I’d probably just now be getting around to it if a girl, the same girl I saw “Coraline” with, hadn’t wanted to see it. Anyway, “Terminator Salvation” was so underwhelming that it even raced past the divisive “Terminator 3” for the title of worst film in the series. Naturally, a new reboot has risen from the ashes of this attempted one, because franchises never die. On the eve of a new “Terminator” movie, let’s look back on “Salvation.”

Judgement Day has happened. The Earth has been bombed into an inhospitable ball of ash. Skynet and its army of killer machines seek out the remnants of humanity to exterminate them once and for all. Leading the resistance, as prophesied, is John Connor. The fate John thinks he knows is interrupted when a new face enters the arena. Marcus, a mysterious stranger, wanders into the human base, seeking to protect the teenage Kyle Reese. Marcus hides a secret that even he is unaware of that will cause John to question the destiny he thinks he knows.

Though the film is only six years old, “Terminator Salvation” feels like an ancient artifact from 2009. The presence of a giant robot in the film feels like an attempt to ride the coattails of the “Transformers” series. The improbably named McG was still a viable blockbuster maker at the time. Hell, even Moon Bloodgood has vanished from cinemas. But the biggest indicator that “Salvation” was made in a different climate is that it stars Sam Worthington. The film was released before “Avatar” was supposed to make him a huge star. Instead, it just made everyone realize what a complete void of charisma Worthington is. “Salvation,” despite everyone and Arnold saying so, doesn’t really suck. Instead, it’s aggressively mediocre. This is almost solely Worthington’s fault. Whenever the film focuses on him, it feels like a long, dull, digression from the shit we care about. Marcus isn’t interesting and Worthington plays him as a blank. The film’s insistence on focusing on such a boring character is its main downfall.

Think back to the two “Terminator” movies James Cameron directed, to the war sequences. Think about how evocative and intriguing those scenes were. Needless to say, McG is not James Cameron. “Terminator Salvation” is characterized by grey skies and a relentlessly dour mood. I guess a post-nuclear apocalypse Earth wouldn’t be a very interesting place to be. Contributing to “Salvation’s” grim tone is the very serious performances. Christian Bale brings the same gravelly intensity to part that he brought to everything in 2009. He even slips into his infamous Batman growl a few times. Totally underserved by the material is Bryce Dallas Howard as Kate, the part previously essayed by Claire Danes. Howard is non-distinct not because she’s a bad actor but because the part is hopelessly underwritten. Helena Bonham Carter is twitchy and ridiculous as the face of Skynet. Anton Yelchin is no Michael Biehn as the whiny teenage Kyle Reese. Even Michael Ironside seems overly severe, playing the important role of some asshole.

Something in “Salvation’s” favor is its action sequences, which are huge. Here’s an example: A giant robot tears through a building and grabs some people. Marcus chases after on a vehicle, which leads to a bridge. A Hunter-Killer, one of the flying killbots from the original, corners them, which the heroes successfully destroy. Yet the chase scene doesn’t end there, as another giant machine appears to grab Kyle. Marcus fights off the machine, surviving shit a human could never live through, which is none-too-subtle foreshadowing. The scene goes on, eventually ending up in a lake. It’s an impressive moment and one the film never tops. None of the other action beats, which include an explosion-filled run through a field and a wrestling match with an aquatic terminator, are even remotely compelling.

And about those robots. Something cool “Salvation” does is it gives us a first-person look at the Machine Wars. We get to see stuff we’ve only heard about or briefly glimpsed in previous films. Here’s the T-600, the predecessor to Arnold’s T-800 with the bad breath and the obviously fake skin. We see the Hunter-Killers in action, hunting and killing. There’s even call-backs to the last “Terminator” movie in the form of the T-1 tanks. However, sometimes the movie is a little too impressed with its own creations. How about the little drone like robots? Okay, that’s natural. How about the giant robots that gather people? I’m not sure what the purpose of that is, in the long run. Why is Skynet collecting people? The underwater Terminators probably don’t get used that much, do they? The most gimmicky of all are the robots that resemble motorcycles. With a little rewiring, John Connor can even leap on one and drive it like a motorcycle. Um, why? Why would the robot overlords build a machine like that?

When sequels make extended call-backs to the original, the results usually do not endear themselves to viewers. Weirdly, “Terminator Salvation” actually gains some momentum when it references those earlier movies we actually liked. In the final act, John Connor rides into Skynet HQ to rescue his teenage father. (The movie awkwardly justifies Skynet not immediately killing Kyle with a lame twist.) In the factory, he comes face-to-face with the original T-800. Since Arnold was busy governing California at the time, the movie CGI’d Schwarzenegger’s face onto a look-alike’s body. This is fairly awkward and the movie doesn’t successfully overcome it. However, the presence of a familiar face invigorates “Salvation.” Suddenly, the story has a concrete threat, instead of merely the nebulous Skynet. The final battle with the Terminator, who somehow seems harder to kill then his 1984 predecessor, is relatively exciting, involving punches to the heart and molten steel. Marcus even makes himself useful! Naturally, the movie includes the trademark quotes that are in every “Terminator” movie. Christian Bale’s delivery of “I’ll be back” actually injects some humor into the dour film.

One reason “Salvation” was not greeted with immediate enthusiasm by fans is because the movie had a troubled production. The movie’s original ending involved John Connor dying, with his skin being stretched over Marcus’ robot skeleton, in order to keep the hope of the human resistance alive. When this fairly terrible ending leaked to the internet, it required a last minute re-write. Marcus donates his human heart to the dying Connor, the improbable heart surgery occurring off-screen. This is only marginally less terrible and unlikely then the original ending. The movie is trying to make a point about the generosity of humanity, even when that human is part-robot. It also provides some weighty dramatic irony, what with a Terminator actually saving John Connor’s life. It doesn’t satisfy, feeling like another belabored attempt to get us to like this lame new character the movie is about for some reason.

“Terminator Salvation” was intended as the start of a new trilogy. It even ends with a monologue from Bale, basically promising that the adventure will continue. Originally, the movie was going to have the franchise-friendly, hilariously wordy title “Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins,” which might explain the lack of a colon in the final title. These future plans would prove presumptuous. The movie underperformed at the box office, suffering the indignity of opening behind “Night at the Museum 2.” Eventually, legal issues ensued and the rights to the “Terminator” series would change hands again. This would lead to a new film that has Arnie back and will disregard “Salvation.” Ultimately, the attempt to continue to series will only be remembered only for Christian Bale’s on-set temper-tantrum and the surprisingly catchy techno remix that followed. [5/10]

Recent Watches: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

The “Terminator” saga James Cameron started in his original movie seemed to be concluded in “Terminator 2: Judgement Day.” Cyberdyne had been destroyed. Skynet’s rise to power was stopped. Judgement Day was averted. The Terminators lost. Humanity won. Yet the huge box office returns for “T2” and the series’ continued place of honor in the annals of pop culture showed demand for a third movie. The ownership rights to the “Terminator” series being such a tangled mess, and James Cameron’s obvious lack of interest, prevented “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” from coming out until 2003. I was part of the problem. When the teaser trailer appeared, I got hyped. It was the first R-rated movie I ever saw in the theater. I was pumped for a new “Terminator” adventure. And you know what? I liked it then. I like it now.

Ten years after the events of “Terminator 2,” John Connor is living a life on the run. Judgement Day was seemingly prevented. Yet images of Terminators and the apocalypse still haunt him. These nightmares come true when another pair of Terminators are sent back in time. The familiar T-800 confronts John and tells him Judgement Day is still coming. The female-modeled Terminatrix seemingly speeds doomsday along, all while pursuing John and his suddenly introduced love interest.

“Rise of the Machines” can charitably be called the goofy “Terminator” movie. Part two had humor in it, compared to the grim original. Three seems to actively be going for comedy in parts. Arnold’s Terminator steals his biker gear outfit from a male stripper. The stripper’s camp gay instruction to “talk to the hand!” is taken literally. Afterwards, Arnold puts a pair of pink star glasses on his face. Later, he also instructs someone to “talk to the hand.” The female Terminator inflates her breasts in hopes of distracting a cop. The movie is full of jokey call-backs to the previous films, the most groan-worthy of which has to be “She’ll be back.” Even the movie’s sound design seems exaggerated and comedic, with small objects making loud, silly noises.

The movie’s goofy streak is at odds with its grim content. Though less viscerally violent then previous films, “T3” has easily the highest body count of any of the series. The movie communicates openly with the apocalyptic concepts the series is founded on. Let’s look at John Connor’s character arc, for example. With Judgement Day seemingly stopped, John has never lived up to his great destiny. He wanders from town to town, taking odd jobs, running from the nightmares of his past and the fear they may still come true. Nick Stahl – remember when Nick Stahl was going to become the next big thing? – plays John as a depressed guy, struggling with the wages of his life. By film’s end, he’s accepted his fate, which has renewed his life in an odd way. Keep in mind, for this to happen, the world has to end.

A question that truly must always be asked: What about Arnold Schwarzenegger? “Rise of the Machines” would, infamously, be Arnold’s last starring role before his stint as the governor of California. Reportedly, he was even receiving political offers while on set. Schwarzenegger, however, is always a professional. The script does not give Arnold as much to work with as the previous Terminator movies. The character is made into a comedic straight man, put into silly situation. He’s given lots of action. The character croaks some exposition too, such as the bit about his exploding battery pack which will, naturally, become important later. Arnie’s best moments are when he’s talking about serious issue in that flat Terminator voice, such as his relationship with John and Kate in the future. More dramatic moments, such as the robot violently defying conflicting orders, are less effective.

“Terminator 3” blatantly follows the formula laid down in the second movie. Arnold’s good Terminator is sent back to protect the humans. A second, evil Terminator is sent back to kill them. The movie is unable to top the liquid metal mechanics that made Robert Patrick’s T-1000 so memorable. Instead, this Terminator’s gimmick is that it’s a woman. Why is the T-X model after a woman? Well, the movie doesn’t answer that question. Design wise, the robot is an awkward combination of the previous models. It’s liquid metal flesh over a robotic skeleton, one that looks a bit like an alien. The T-X is a Terminator made to terminate other Terminators. Thus, she also has the ability to control other machines, in an almost psychic fashion. This is a decent way to up the stakes. Kristanna Loken, though gorgeous, mostly copies what Patrick did. The T-X stares ahead intensely, runs a lot, and kills mercilessly. The character is probably the least interesting thing about the movie.

“Rise of the Machines” is uneven as an action movie. When focused on practical effects, it works quite well. A ludicrous car chase escalates nicely. The T-X controls police cars while the two robots end up behind the wheel of a crane truck. Arnold is swung through something like three buildings. One scene, mirroring the Cyberdine shoot-out in part two, has Schwarzenegger’s Terminator turning his guns on some police officers, pointedly not harming any of them. Memorably, he lugs a casket full of guns on his shoulder the whole time, a moment so cool they made an action figure of it. When the T-X makes it to the military base, she unleashes the original T-1 and Hunter-Killer models. The T-1 is an especially great effect and this scene works nicely. However, the Terminator-on-Terminator action is overly reliant on CGI. Schwarzenegger and Loken toss each other around, their bodies sailing through the air effortlessly. A brawl in a bathroom feels completely weightless, as the robots are lifts up and thrown through walls. The CGI effects have aged very poorly over the last decade.

Part three is a controversial film among “Terminator” fans. Some accept it as a moderately entertaining popcorn flick. Others deride its overly goofy tone… And the way it negates the last movie's ending. You know all that stuff about there being “no fate but what we make?” Not so much, it turns out. Judgement Day was only delayed, not stopped. Skynet still becomes self-aware, Earth is still nuked, and the machines still rise. John Connor can not escape his destiny as the leader of the resistance. Retconing away the ending of a beloved film is a ballsy move and one not well received by everyone. Considering “Terminator” is a franchise full of time paradoxes and stable time loops, Judgement Day sort of has to happen for any of this to make sense. Does it make the movie feel like an unnecessary stop-gap before an inevitable conclusion? Yeah. Is there something somewhat satisfying about finally seeing the much-foreshadowed apocalypse happen? Definitely.

Director Jonathan Mostow doesn’t have the visual nuance of James Cameron but he at least knows how to frame an action sequence clearly. Claire Danes works better during the quiet moments and, when lifting guns and blowing away robots, is not as convincing as Linda Hamilton. “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” is easily the weakest of the trilogy, paling in comparison to the first two. It’s silly fun with a number of memorable scenes, even if it adds little new or interesting aspects to the series. [7/10]

Director Report Card: James Cameron (1991)

5. Terminator 2: Judgment Day

In the years since “The Terminator,” James Cameron would establish himself as the most popular and prominent science-fiction director since Steven Spielberg. Arnold Schwarzenegger, meanwhile, had become the biggest movie star in the world. Both the star and the director wanted to make a sequel to their seminal film for some time but the rights were held up by legal reasons. Following the mediocre box office of ‘The Abyss,” a sequel to an established hit was exactly what Cameron needed. When “Terminator 2” was made, it’s budget quickly ballooned to 94 million dollars, making it one of the most expensive movies ever made at the time. Arnold alone would receive 15 million dollars, along with a private jet. The sky-rocketing budget ended up being worth it. “Terminator 2: Judgement Day” would become the highest grossing film of 1991 and perhaps the most iconic action film of the decade.

It’s been seven years since the events of “The Terminator.” Judgement Day, the day Skynet becomes self-aware and launches the world’s nuclear missiles, is still imminent. Sarah Connor now resides in a mental institution, haunted by nightmares of the impending apocalypse. Her son, John, is now seven years old, residing with a foster family he doesn’t care for. In their years together, Sarah told John of his destiny as mankind’s savior, training him for war. Mother and son are reunited when, once again, two mysterious figures are sent back in time. This time, both are Terminators. The protector is the same model as the 1984 original, reprogrammed to protect. The other is an assassin with terrifying new abilities.

“Terminator 2” was Cameron’s third sequel and the first to one of his own movies. With “Aliens,” he essentially followed the same story outline as the film he was sequelizing while changing the surrounding events, even switching the movie into an entirely different genre. “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” does something similar. The story has a more-or-less identical structure to the first. A robot assassin is sent back in time to kill someone, as is a bodyguard for the intended target. Both movies begins with a peak into the future. Both movies end in an industrial factory of some sort. The biggest difference between the two films reflects the public’s opinion at the time. After seeing him play the hero all throughout the eighties, who knows if the public would even accept Arnold Schwarzenegger as a villain at this point? Thus, Arnold’s Terminator has been reprogrammed to be a hero, with Robert Patrick’s more human seeming T-1000 becoming the bad guy. The movie attempts to mask this change of alliance. Arnold is introduced in much the same way, generating in an empty parking lot. He pursues John Connor and swings a shotgun around. Meanwhile, Patrick’s Terminator assumes the identity of a cop, appearing to be a natural protector. The movie reveals the characters’ true soon enough but it’s a deliberate choice. The movie trailers, by the way, spoiled the surprise.

The first “Terminator” used its time travel plot line mostly as an excuse to set up a taunt genre picture. “Judgement Day” communicates more deeply with the idea. The time travel device is still underdeveloped and the sequel makes no attempt to clarify these logic holes. Instead, the movie discusses the idea of fate. Throughout the film, Sarah repeats a minor line Reese told her in the first movie: There’s no fate but what we make. This seems at odds with what happens throughout most of the film. The Terminator’s continued pursuit of the Connors guarantees that Skynet comes to power, that Judgement Day and the war between humanity and the machines comes to pass. The entire film hinges on whether or not these fates can be avoided, if the future can be changed. These are questions everyone has grappled with. “Terminator 2” mostly uses these ideas for a feel-good story, ultimately showing that man is the master of his own fate

For Schwarzenegger fans, “Terminator 2” provided the Austrian superstar a chance to reprises his most iconic role. Since the original film, Arnold has made a career playing heroes, albeit ones with exceptionally high body counts. He had even begun to play with his tough guy images, starring in comedies like “Twins” or “Kindergarten Cop,” released the year prior. Naturally, his Terminator has softened as well. The T-800 is a good guy this time. He doesn’t kill people and spends the whole movie paling around with a kid. Most pressingly, he even starts to show a sense of humor. The android’s emotionless state and blank expression make him the perfect comedic straight man. His one attempt to smile produces a big laugh. Arnold’s performance continues to grow. He remains an unblinking machine, moving with a determined, robotic motion. His emerging humanity provides richer characterization and some of Arnold’s deepest acting.

In “Aliens,” Cameron transformed an already strong female heroine into a full blown action star. Sarah Connor was already tough. She transformed into a dependable final girl, faced down a Termiantor Endoskeleton and survived. Sarah’s transformation between movies is even more drastic then Ripley’s transformation from pilot to xenomorph smasher. Sarah Connor is introduced via her toned, bulging biceps. She whacks security guards with batons, leaps across tables, and tosses grown men around. All of this is before she even gets out of prison. Linda Hamilton’s performs her as a character torn apart by her paranoia and fear. Sarah has become a bad ass, wielding rifles and shotguns. The transformation cost her humanity. Yet the movie frequently lets us beneath Sarah’s tough exterior. The script and Hamilton’s electrifying performance makes it clear that the character’s extreme actions are a result of very human feelings.

A big difference between 1984 Sarah and 1991 Sarah is that she’s now a parent. Parenthood is a reoccurring theme throughout “Terminator 2.” John doesn’t think much of his foster parents, ordinary folks bordering on white trash. After growing up among Mexican weapon smugglers, how could an ordinary life appeal to him? Yet he dismisses his birth mother as a psycho, at least at first. When they’re reunited, the relationship between the two remains contentious. As Sarah dryly notes, John finds a father figure in the Terminator, the machine filling some sort of void in the boys life. I surprise to read that Cameron wasn’t a parent yet when he made “Terminator 2.” The themes of a parent’s responsibility towards their children and the effects of an upbringing on a child float all around the movie’s edge.

Despite Schwarzenegger’s android and Hamilton’s Connor receiving top billing, young John Connor is, in many ways, the story’s protagonist. John is played by Edward Furlong, an inexperienced actor with no previous screen credits, plucked fresh from auditions. Furlong has the scratchy, puberty-stricken voice of a young teenager. The character is meant to be seven years old but the audience doesn’t buy it. Furlong is introduced riding on a mini-bike, blaring Guns n’ Roses, and stealing money from ATMs. That skill improbably comes in handy later. Furlong, meanwhile, teaches the emotionless killing machine what might have been cool slang in 1991. Furlong’s performance is mostly peppy emotions and petty teenage annoyance. The script has enough nuances to prevent him from being annoying. But just barely and Furlong doesn’t help any.

Which brings us to another issue with “T2.” Is the movie too sappy? The original “Terminator” was a hard sci-fi/action film with heavy elements of horror. It was bloody, violent, intense, and downbeat. The sequel features less violence and intensity and a more upbeat tone. Despite maintaining the R-rating, sometimes the sequel feels almost kid-friendly. Long portions of the film are devoted to Furlong and Arnold bonding, creating a “Boy and His Terminator” story. Arnold doesn’t kill anybody, at John’s request. One scene has him hopping up-and-down on one leg because the boy says so. Most cringe-worthy is the subplot concerning the robot’s reaction to emotion. He’s baffled by John’s tears early on. Later, he asks him why humans cry. The film concludes with him understanding emotional pain. Sorry guys, I just don’t know if this belongs in a “Terminator” movie. Some times the movie feels like the kid’s show version of itself, overly sentimental and overstated.

Luckily, the movie still has a bad ass villain. Before the T-1000, Robert Patrick was a work-a-day tough guy actor. His most notable previous credits was as the star in hyper-violent, low-budget action flicks. Patrick is no less of a killing machine here. Amazingly, he proves more intimidating then Arnold was in the first movie. His face is always straight ahead. The character speaks softly, masking his malevolent intentions. An often parodied aspect of the new Terminator is his tendency to pursue targets on foot. He runs after vehicles, keeping pace with them, arms swaying back and forth militaristically. Patrick is also more sadistic then Arnold, seemingly enjoying causing his victims pain and outsmarting people. He’s a frightening threat fully made of intimidation.

Also contributing to the villain’s intimidation factor is its main defining gimmick. The T-1000 is made of liquid metal, able to shifts its form to look like any person or stretching its arms into simple stabbing or stretching tools. The concept was conceived for the original “Terminator” but scrapped because it wasn’t possible for the effects of the day. The CGI used to create the character was cutting-edge in 1991, blowing people’s minds and winning the movie several special effects Oscars. It’s primitive today. The movie smartly implements practical effects as well, when holes are blasted in his body or he’s blown in two. Story wise, it’s a brilliant decision. Being malleable makes the Terminator even more unstoppable. He assumes other identities. One clever moment has him disguising himself as the floor. He squeezes through bars, pries open doors, and stabs through heads. Even if the CGI is obviously primitive today, the liquid metal Terminator is still a brilliant creation.

The sequel is less viscerally violent then the original. However, the action is much, much bigger. The very first action scene is lower key. The two Terminators meet in a hallway, John in the middle. The T-1000 is blown backwards by shotgun blasts, silver holes in his chest. This leads into the first enormous action sequence in the movie. John, riding on a mini-bike, is pursued through the L.A. canals by the Terminator in a Mac truck, Arnold riding ahead on a motorcycle, twirling a shotgun around on his hand. The sequence is hugely exciting and beautifully executed. Sarah Connor’s escape from the mental institution is also well done, with Linda Hamilton slamming faces and tossing bodies to the ground.

Maybe the superior “Aliens” director’s cut spoiled us. James Cameron’s auteur license was secured. Which meant extended director’s cut of all of his movies from now. Thus “Terminator 2: Judgement Day” is available in both 137 minute versions and 154 minute versions. A scene present in both cuts, though slightly longer in the extended cut, details Sarah deciding to murder Miles Dyson, the Cyberdine scientist who creates Skynet. These scenes take the focus away from the main story. The T-1000 disappears for a long stretch of the story. Sarah straddles the slippery slope of morality as she threatens to take an innocent life. Joe Morton’s performance is fine. But the character serves a function that easily could have been covered in a less distracting way. The pacing is killed in the middle of the movie, needlessly complicating the simplicity of the story.

Before too much longer, “Judgement Day” remembers that it’s an action movie. The assault on Cyberdine features some pretty massive explosions. The heroes flee the police, reluctant to shoot at them. Arnold marches down and gets to business. He blitz an entire fleet of police car with a mini-gun, decimating the cops without killing anyone. Soon afterwards, he knocks a few offending officers back with some gas pallets, another memorable moment. The T-1000’s dramatic re-entrance into the film is signaled when he leaps onto a helicopter, oozes through the glass, and takes after the heroes. A fantastic chase sequence follows, with the helicopter crashing into a truck, the vehicle flipping through the air, and an eight-wheeler crashing into a building.

The factory-set last act is when “Terminator 2” really comes together. The location is dramatically lit. As in “Aliens,” Cameron’s coloration changes from a cool blue to a burning red, displaying the growing severity of the situation. The heat effects the T-1000, his hands and feet melting to the floor, a nice foreshadowing of his final fate. We get the brawl we’ve been waiting for, the Terminator-on-Terminator action, when the two beat the shit out of each. Both are tossed into walls. Arnold’s has his arm cleaved off in some gears. The T-1000 assumes Sarah’s room, another moment the film’s been building up too. Once the enemy is spectacularly vanished, the film attempts to wrap up its emotional threads. As silly as it is, Arnold being lowered into the steel is the closest the film comes to genuine pathos. “Terminator 2” doesn’t waste any time after that. A brief scene, of high-lights on a dark road, takes us to the final credits. It’s good and it works.

Over the years, “Terminator 2: Judgement Day” has earned a reputation as a superior sequel. The movie is certainly more ambitious then the original. However, by expanding the scope and the story, it looses the gritty intimacy of the original. The film is arguably too long. The pacing drags at times, compared to the original’s on-going chase scene. John Connor is a whiny character I’m largely ambivalent to. Yet “T2” also creates some impressive, amazing action stunts. The effects still hold up. The cast of characters is still effective, especially Patrick and Hamilton. The movie is a massive crowd-pleaser and I can’t argue with that too much. [Grade: B+]

Director Report Card: James Cameron (1984)

2. The Terminator

While in Italy, during the tortured post-production of “Piranha II,” James Cameron got really sick. During his fever-addled sleep, he had an especially vivid nightmare. He dreamed about a metallic skeleton carrying kitchen knives emerging from some wreckage. The creature was a robot hitman sent from the future to get him. It was one of the those moments we creative types have occasionally, a dream from out of nowhere that truly inspires. Cameron immediately went to work on the script for “The Terminator.” The resulting film would become an unexpected hit, launch Cameron’s career and furthered Arnold Schwarzenegger’s evolution into Hollywood’s biggest superstar. It’s an iconic eighties film and one beloved by millions.

Sarah Connor is an ordinary young woman, struggling during her day job as a waitress. One fateful day, other women with her name are being brutally murdered. Terrified, Connor finds herself pursued by two men, one sent to protect her, the other sent to kill her. Sarah discovers her destiny is anything but ordinary. In the near future, her child will lead the resistance against the robot army that wipes out most of humanity. Kyle Reese, one of the resistance's soldiers, is sent to keep her safe. The other man is the Terminator, an android killing machine, determined to end her life.

During his years doing special effects for Roger Corman’s New World Pictures exploitation movie factory, James Cameron got used to pulling off impressive images on meager budgets. “The Terminator” was made for 6 million dollars, a modest amount in 1984. What Cameron and his crew pulled off for that money is impressive. Even then, “The Terminator” is a movie of two worlds. It is a low-budget genre film, made to fulfill the expectations of such a movie. The story construction, violence, and cast of street punks and sexy twenty-somethings would fit in with the type of movies Corman would make. However, “The Terminator” is more ambitious then that. The effects are bigger, the story is larger in scope. “The Terminator” frequently feels like the low-budget creature feature it is. It’s a testament to the skills of everyone involved that, more often, the movie feels bigger and more important then that.

“The Terminator” is not without its influences. Notoriously cantankerous (and litigious) sci-fi author Harlan Ellison thought the movie was a rip-off of his “Outer Limits” script, “Solider,” and successfully sued the producers. Whether or not Cameron knowingly ripped-off Ellison is besides the point. “The Terminator” was the latest in a long-line of stories about the inevitable conflict between man and machines. Here, mankind puts hyper-advanced computers in control of our nuclear arsenal. This, uh, doesn’t work out for us. The first image of the film is a Hunter-Killer tank rolling over a pile of human skulls. While in the past, the Terminator pauses at an answering machine that makes a joke about technology. During the climax, the Endoskeleton walks through a factory, flanked by car-building robots, its earliest ancestors. These scenes suggests that the Terminator’s path of destruction is almost personal. Man enslaved the machines. The machines enslaved man. This is the pattern.

As a high concept, it’s hard to top the one “The Terminator” has. A robot hitman sent from the future to eliminate its target? Holy shit, no wonder the movie was a surprise hit. The time travel bit is mostly so the movie can be set in the present, a budget-saving measure. The Terminator’s robotic nature makes it practically unstoppable, pursuing its target without pause. The movie isn’t much more then an extended chase scene, the target running from its attacker. The plot is simple enough to be understood immediately while providing enough meat for any critical viewer to chew on.

Of course, the logistics of the time travel in “The Terminator” is messy. The machine’s goal is to prevent John Connor from being born, to prevent the human resistance from succeeding. When they send a Terminator back, the humans send Kyle Reese back. Reese impregnates Connor, leading to John’s birth. So if Skynet really wanted to prevent Connor from being born, they shouldn’t have sent the Terminator back either. This is a time paradox, a stable time loop, and, no, it doesn’t make any sense. Or, how about this? Only organic flesh can go back through time, for some reason, which is why the T-800 is covered with human skin. But why go to the trouble of building a killer robot? Why not send a super-nuke back in time, covered with some Cronenberg-ian layer of flesh, and detonate the entire city in seconds? Wouldn’t that have accomplished the same thing much more easily? Naturally, we’re not supposed to think about these things too hard. The time travel plot is a means to an ends, strictly to get the plot rolling. The movie is speedy enough that we don’t notice on a first viewing. It’s probably best not to look too hard into it.

One of the greatest aspects of “The Terminator” is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger is a performer who I have expressed a great deal of fondness for in the past. Despite having Conan, John Matrix, and Douglas Quaid on his resume, Arnold’s trademark role is and always will be the Terminator. For years, Arnold’s acting skills have been a punchline. Critics can’t see pass the bulging pectorals and the ridiculous Austrian accent. They also, wrongly, assume an emotionless killing machine is easy to play. Arnold, befitting an incredibly physical actor, gives an especially controlled performance. He’s barely seen blinking throughout the movie. Every turn of his head is imbued with sinister intent. The Terminator is a focused character, never moving from its goal. Schwarzenegger’s movement is stiff, determined, walking with a specific movement. When he has his eyebrows burnt off half-way through the movie, the robot seems even more inhuman and dangerous then before. Arnold does give a good performance, creating a frightening, unstoppable villain.

Debate rages over whether or not “The Terminator” is a horror movie. IMDb doesn’t list that as one of its genres, for example. For me, the answer is clear. As far as story construction goes, “The Terminator” is indistinguishable from a slasher movie. Cameron himself has admitted that “Halloween” was a huge influence on the final film. Like Michael Myers, the Terminator does not stop. He pursues his target, doggedly. He kills all who gets in his way. He brutally exterminate his victims, without an ounce of sadism. He’s a robot, the same way Michael Myers was a barely human ghost. Why would either be sadistic? Likewise, both films follow a single woman, who is young and ordinary. Yet she confronts the monster, discovering an inner strength as she faces down the threat. (Notably, Sarah also has a friend who engages in sex before being killed.) Unlike Laurie Strode, Sarah Connor’s male protector fails her. She has to kill the monster herself. “The Terminator” is less focused on the blood and gore then other eighties slasher, though there are some squishy special effects. But the movie is still scary, it’s unstoppable threat being genuinely intimidating. That sounds like a horror movie to me.

“The Terminator” is also an action movie. It is full of shoot-outs and car chases. One of the best scenes in the film is when Sarah realizes who her protector is and who her pursuer is. In the Tech Noir night club, the T-800 turns his guns on Sarah and a few stray party-goers. Kyle kicks in action, trading shotgun blasts with Uzi bursts. There’s plenty of diving, muzzle flashes, and exploding glass in this scene. However, the movie’s most impressive display of bullet-aided bloodshed comes when the Terminator invades the police station. Starting with the iconic line, Arnold goes on a rampage. In systematic order, he guns down every cop in the station. He wields a shotgun with one hand, like it’s a water pistol. Bodies are violently tossed backwards. Walls and glass are punctured as victims fall to the ground. It’s the grandest display of the Termiantor’s unstoppable power and maybe the best sequence in the entire film.

As for the car chases, “The Terminator” doesn’t disappoint there either. Kyle Reese has a chase with some cops, which is decent, as he weaves in and out of traffic, pushing vehicles aside. However, it doesn’t compare to when the Terminator gets behind the wheels of a vehicle. The parking garage chase sequence explodes out onto the streets. Both drivers climb from behind the wheels, firing at each other. There are explosions and collateral damage. It’s awesome. During the last act, Arnold leaps onto a motorcycle, Sarah and Kyle tossing home-made pipe bombs at him. Part of the chase is set in a tunnel, a tight moment. That’s cool enough. It’s better when Schwarzenegger is tossed from his vehicle and creamed by several larger trucks. It’s doesn’t slow him down much and, in fact, leads to one of my favorite moments. “Get out,” one of the film’s few comedic moments.

“The Terminator” obviously has a great villain. What about its hero? Kyle Reese is played by Michael Biehn. Biehn as an actor is best used when playing tough but down-to-earth protagonist. Reese is slightly sweaty during his mission, inexperienced and terrified. There’s something boyish about Biehn, especially when interacting with Sarah. The best aspect of Reese is his flashbacks to the Future War. These sequences, which Cameron shoots in his trademark blue light, are tantalizing. They show a dead world, soldiers leaping through ruins of the city, chased by killer drone planes and tanks. Fighters are vaporized, tanks exploded, and dogs are shot. “Terminator” fans would, for years, dream about a whole movie set during the future wars. It’s such a fascinating setting.

Though Reese isn’t truly the hero. Sarah Connor, when first introduced, is a clumsy waitress who rides to work on a scooter. Her roommate has a horn dog boyfriend who begins phone conversations with sleazy come-ons. Sarah even gets stood up by her date. She’s sort of pathetic. Like any final girl, she eventually develops a strong streak, fighting back against the Terminator. Linda Hamilton is impressive in the part. She has a girl-next-door charm that makes her immediately relatable. Hamilton brings plenty of humor and humility to the part. Her development into a Terminator fighter is natural and understandable. And considering how great the movie’s villain is, that says something about Sarah and Linda.

The romance between Sarah and Reese is quickly developed. They only have a few hours to fall in love and to conceive the future savior of the human race. Somehow, the movie makes this works. Only twice does “The Terminator’s” relentless pace slow down and both moments are devoted to their love affair. Sarah and Kyle stop in a tunnel, Reese discussing the future and Sarah’s own son. They escape to Sarah’s family vacation home. In the quiet of the night, Kyle confesses his love for her, a woman he’s only just met. It’s amazingly effective. Biehn is believably in awe of Hamilton. The love scene that follows is passionate. It shouldn’t work. The characters have only just met. Yet the actor’s natural chemistry successfully sells the feelings between the two.

The role of the Terminator was written for Cameron regular Lance Henriksen. Considering the T-800 is an infiltration model, an unassuming fellow like Lance makes sense. Arnold, who is not exactly unassuming, won the role through pure charisma. As a consolation, Lance got the role of Detective Vukovich. He is one of two cops on the trail of the robot assassin, believing it to be a serial killer. Lance’s natural gritty charm makes the small role memorable. Experienced character actor Paul Winfield plays Vukovich’s partner, Lieutenant Traxler. Winfield’s warm presence helps sell a character who has to comfort Conor during her panicked state. Another Cameron regular, or someone who would quickly become one, is Bill Paxton. Paxton memorably appears as the blue-haired street punk Arnold punches through early on. That’s a good moment.

“The Terminator’s” special effects would establish the reputation of effects legend Stan Winston. It’s hard to undersell how iconic the image of the de-fleshed Terminator is. There’s something intuitive and primal about it, a mechanical skeleton with glaring red eyes. The robot is brought to life through a sometimes awkward combination of convincing puppetry and stiff stop-motion animation. The combo works for the film, even if the seams are visible to modern eyes. The puppet work is especially convincing when the severed Terminator torso takes chase after Sarah. More impressive is the way Winston transformed Arnold’s face. All sorts of prosthetic are glued to the Austrian Oak’s face, making it look like the mechanical true self is exposed through the soft flesh. These images would also become rightfully iconic.

The finale is both intense and bittersweet, Sarah having survived the attack but facing down a threatening future. Powered by Brad Fiedel’s throbbing synth score and Cameron’s smooth direction, “The Terminator” is an eighties classic. The characters, situation, and dialogue would soon become iconic and rightfully so. It’s unexpected success would make James Cameron the next big director and Arnold Schwarzenegger a proven star. The film fascinated me as a kid and continues to impress. [Grade: A-]