Arnold Schwarznegger returns to the role of the T-800 in this action movie set in the past, the near future and the far future. As in Terminator 2, the T-800 is sent to protect Sarah Connor, now portrayed by Emilia Clarke. Also sent to protect Sarah Connor is Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney), sent by Sarah's son John Connor (Jason Clarke).
This film I found difficult to enjoy. The simple reason is that it did not share the same tone as the original two Terminator movies. The tension has been replaced by a more jokey version that kills tension whenever it is employed.
My big issue with this new approach is based on the fact that Terminator Genisys is rates 12A (PG-13) in the US. For a franchise usually rates 15 (R), this means that a lot of the grit of the original movies has been replaced with more child friendly content.
The action in this movie was very much by the books. Once the setting was known, the character actions during the fights ended up being predictable. It unfortunately meant that there was no point in this film where the audience would be sitting on the edge of their seats. For a film based on suspense and action, this is not a great sign.
Regarding the acting, at least the actors try. My issue is that while the entire cast is talented, this film didn't leave much room for them to demonstrate it. Matt Smith came closest in his role as a computer program, but otherwise the characters ended up being two dimensional. This is largely due to bad writing, relying on nostalgia to carry the movie as opposed to writing a good script.
Dayo Okeniyi and J.K. Simmons were wasted in their roles as Danny Dyson and O'Brien respectively. Their roles were created as plot devices to help characters get from point A to point B with a little character development as possible. Theses roles could have, or should have, been played by lesser known actors as an introductory role.
The twist in the story was ruined in the trailers. There is nothing more to say about that. It means that what was a potentially good twist has been ruined while trying to entice people to watch the film. A lot of the steam of the movie is lost after that reveal.
It is a weird moment when the villain is correct, but somehow this is the second film this summer where I feel like I have been rooting for the wrong side. The primary reason for this is that the our group of heroes are dumb. They are physically capable, but seem to lack the ability to think.
Terminator Genisys relies on nostalgia to work, it takes what was known and twists it in the worst possible way.
The biggest crime that Terminator Genisys has committed is that it wasn't great and it wasn't terrible, it was just boring.
Recommendation: Watch the original Terminator and Terminator 2.
All feedback is welcome, have a great day.
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