Action-Adventure Terminator: Dark Fate

[titansupes]

I broke and watched the scene on YouTube-- Remarkably well done in terms of FX and direction etc. But man, what a... choice.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I thought Michael Douglas is a little off in the flashbacks in Ant-Man. RDJ was pretty good in Civil War but too smooth or something. Best was probably Sam Jackson in Captain Marvel.

Sam and Kurt Russell to me have been their peak.

 

[Zantera]

Watched it last night and I do think I would agree it's the best post-T2 sequel, but it's also not without it's own issues, I guess i'll post my thoughts in spoilers:

Positives:

Spoiler

I enjoyed the two new central characters in Grace and Rev-9 and felt their performances were pretty good. Maybe this is a bit of a stark contrast to my rewatch of Genisys the other week where I had forgotten how bad Clarke/Courtney were as Sarah and Kyle Reese. I think Gabriel Luna might be the best villain since T2, to me he had that intensity in his look and I enjoyed his 'robot stare'.

The Arnold stuff was pretty good and I actually think the plot element of him being a Terminator sent back from a future that was prevented - and finishing his objective and no longer having a purpose was really interesting and almost something I wish was explored more. Dark Fate was basically a rehash of the typical 'send X back to save Y from Z" that we always do in these movies, but I think it could have been more interesting to have told Arnold's story - a movie about a Terminator stuck in our time having already carried out his mission and see what happens. That could have been a fun character study.

Nice to see Linda Hamilton again. My biggest worry going into this was that the movie would just be terrible but I was pleasantly surprised that they did not ruin Linda Hamilton in a way you could argue T3 and Genisys ruined Arnold.

Negatives:

Spoiler

I'm a bit torn on killing John Connor. On one hand you can tell they wanna get away from the 'white savior' thing and I feel like by just replacing him with a mexican woman you're not really doing anything interesting, but if you look at the role it plays in the movie it did help to set up Sarah as an old crazy lady bitter about everything, and part of me enjoys when they go a bit dark. The fact that what she fought for in T1 and T2 still ended up with John dead, to me it doesn't ruin T1 and T2 at all (i can watch those separately) and it helps to establish her character in this movie. I do feel it a bit negative though because I just don't know if it was worth it ultimately.

I had a hard time buying Dani as future resistance leader and while I didn't mind her performance (the actress did fine with what she had I think) it's just that some people - no matter gender or race, they have that "leader"-aura that just comes naturally. I had a very hard time believing her in the future scene when she appears with cornrows and tries to act tough and I just didn't buy into it.

Did we really need to replace Skynet with Legion? It just made me think of Genisys and I rolled my eyes a bit.

I was hoping for a smarter plan at the end for how to stop the Rev-9. I was thinking whole movie that maybe because he had the ability to split the liquid metal form from the skeleton - maybe there would be some explanation that when split - neither form were as strong as when they were together and maybe they would have utilized this in a clever plan for how to stop him. But no, let's just shove a needle in his eye.

For me it was like a 7/10 - better than the last 3 movies but not close to the first 2 ofc. I might feel a lot different if i rewatch it in a few months though.

 

[dark_b]

 

[Iceman]

Watched it last night and I do think I would agree it's the best post-T2 sequel, but it's also not without it's own issues, I guess i'll post my thoughts in spoilers:

Positives:

Spoiler

I enjoyed the two new central characters in Grace and Rev-9 and felt their performances were pretty good. Maybe this is a bit of a stark contrast to my rewatch of Genisys the other week where I had forgotten how bad Clarke/Courtney were as Sarah and Kyle Reese. I think Gabriel Luna might be the best villain since T2, to me he had that intensity in his look and I enjoyed his 'robot stare'.

The Arnold stuff was pretty good and I actually think the plot element of him being a Terminator sent back from a future that was prevented - and finishing his objective and no longer having a purpose was really interesting and almost something I wish was explored more. Dark Fate was basically a rehash of the typical 'send X back to save Y from Z" that we always do in these movies, but I think it could have been more interesting to have told Arnold's story - a movie about a Terminator stuck in our time having already carried out his mission and see what happens. That could have been a fun character study.

Nice to see Linda Hamilton again. My biggest worry going into this was that the movie would just be terrible but I was pleasantly surprised that they did not ruin Linda Hamilton in a way you could argue T3 and Genisys ruined Arnold.

Negatives:

Spoiler

I'm a bit torn on killing John Connor. On one hand you can tell they wanna get away from the 'white savior' thing and I feel like by just replacing him with a mexican woman you're not really doing anything interesting, but if you look at the role it plays in the movie it did help to set up Sarah as an old crazy lady bitter about everything, and part of me enjoys when they go a bit dark. The fact that what she fought for in T1 and T2 still ended up with John dead, to me it doesn't ruin T1 and T2 at all (i can watch those separately) and it helps to establish her character in this movie. I do feel it a bit negative though because I just don't know if it was worth it ultimately.

I had a hard time buying Dani as future resistance leader and while I didn't mind her performance (the actress did fine with what she had I think) it's just that some people - no matter gender or race, they have that "leader"-aura that just comes naturally. I had a very hard time believing her in the future scene when she appears with cornrows and tries to act tough and I just didn't buy into it.

Did we really need to replace Skynet with Legion? It just made me think of Genisys and I rolled my eyes a bit.

I was hoping for a smarter plan at the end for how to stop the Rev-9. I was thinking whole movie that maybe because he had the ability to split the liquid metal form from the skeleton - maybe there would be some explanation that when split - neither form were as strong as when they were together and maybe they would have utilized this in a clever plan for how to stop him. But no, let's just shove a needle in his eye.

For me it was like a 7/10 - better than the last 3 movies but not close to the first 2 ofc. I might feel a lot different if i rewatch it in a few months though.

That's around how I feel too. Decent effort that compares well to the post T2 films, but is nowhere near them and has many problems of its own. I'd watch more if they can improve from here.

 

[Zorro]

How rewatchable will this be? I overall like T3 and Salvation but have only seen them a couple of times over the years while I must have seen the first two about a hundred times or so through out my life. Genisys has only been twice and I don't plan to ever see that **** ever again.

This one will be rewatchable for me out of all sequels post T2 but not sure it will eventually be much more than Salvation

 

[Schlosser85]

How rewatchable will this be? I overall like T3 and Salvation but have only seen them a couple of times over the years while I must have seen the first two about a hundred times or so through out my life. Genisys has only been twice and I don't plan to ever see that **** ever again.

This one will be rewatchable for me out of all sequels post T2 but not sure it will eventually be much more than Salvation

There’s scenes in T1 and maybe even more so T2 that are riveting in a way nothing has been since. The TechNoir scene, car chases, police station shootout, and in the second one just about every scene T1000 is in.

The only scene since with any real watchability to me is the crane chase in T3, and even that’s not on the same level.

Also characters like Kyle Reese (the OG) and even The Terminator (Arnold) in T2, and Sarah herself especially in T2, are compelling in a way no one has been since, partly because they’re better-acted, partly because they just feel more “real”. Just look at the difference between how realistic and gritty Michael Biehn’s Reese looks and feels versus that generic buff action hero calling himself “Kyle Reese” in Genisys. And honestly, it’s not even that Michael Biehn is the best of actors or anything, but damn does Courtney’s imposter make you appreciate him so much more.

 

[Zorro]

Right on

 

[eon001]

I enjoyed it, but tbh I don't think I've ever out right hated any Terminator film. Even Genysis.

I just wish they would move on from the terminator hunter from the future cliche. I'm over it.

Let's see some future war stories. There's many stories they could tell. I'd be down for a survival horror film with a family militia similar to walking dead or a quiet place. They don't have to blow the budget on it.

 

[mackblack01]

I enjoyed it, but tbh I don't think I've ever out right hated any Terminator film. Even Genysis.

I just wish they would move on from the terminator hunter from the future cliche. I'm over it.

Let's see some future war stories. There's many stories they could tell. I'd be down for a survival horror film with a family militia similar to walking dead or a quiet place. They don't have to blow the budget on it.

Yup, exactly what I hope they will do some day, to explore more the Terminator universe. Alas, producers seems to afraid to change up up ir formila a bit.

 

[eon001]

Yup, exactly what I hope they will do some day, to explore more the Terminator universe. Alas, producers seems to afraid to change up up ir formila a bit.

I'm considering starting a separate thread to discuss potential anthology stories set in the future war.

There's so many ideas they could do. Anything from huge epic story arcs, to small intimate character studies set on the backdrop of the future war.

Salvation had so much potential. I wish they just kept the story simple and not added that weird hybrid cyborg story.

 

[Mysteryman]

I enjoyed it, but tbh I don't think I've ever out right hated any Terminator film. Even Genysis.

I just wish they would move on from the terminator hunter from the future cliche. I'm over it.

Let's see some future war stories. There's many stories they could tell. I'd be down for a survival horror film with a family militia similar to walking dead or a quiet place. They don't have to blow the budget on it.

Another Salvation? I wouldn’t be down for that.

 

[Sithborg]

The time travel scene is just so hilarious, with all the military people looking up at Jai Courtney's junk that I can't completely hate Genysis.

 

[Mysteryman]

I'm considering starting a separate thread to discuss potential anthology stories set in the future war.

There's so man ideas they could do. Anything from huge epic story arcs, to small intimate character studies set on the backdrop of the future war.

Salvation had so much potential. I wish they just kept the story simple and

The time travel scene is just so hilarious, with all the military people looking up at Jai Courtney's junk that I can't completely hate Genysis.

I didn’t even notice that.

 

[Zorro]

Another Salvation? I wouldn’t be down for that.

Not even a better made Salvation? The concept/setting wasn't a bad idea but the problem was the story and execution of a lot of things.

It had so much potential and the initial plan of a new trilogy was interesting but John Connor became a smaller role and new characters wasn't that great

 

[DarkKnight88]

If we’re going for a future war movie, keep it in look of T1 and T2’s opening and not a desert for 80% of the movie. I hated the setting of Salvation.

 

[Zorro]

Well yeah I agree. Definitely a must and a just a whole warzone for most the the world. Dark Fate's new future is better than Salvation's setting but yeah it ain't like the first two films

 

[Punisher_MAX]

Tim Miller always wanted to work with Mackenzie Davis. He wanted to cast her as Domino in Deadpool 2.

Well now I'm upset this didn't happen...

 

[Mysteryman]

Something tells me that even if there isn't another Terminator film,
This will NOT be the last time that Tim Miller works with Mackenzie Davis.

 

[DJD1983]

This movie has no rewatchability for me just because of the first five minutes. I knew it was coming & I thought I made my peace with it but nope. I was angry for the rest of the movie & for a while after it. Im so happy this is under performing Internationally. Which is a good sign as the Domestic audience is much more picky. Let this be the end of Terminator movies. Its time for Hollywood to stop doing this crap with disrespecting especially in ****ty ass ways what came before in order to poop out crap. But as for the movie itself I'll watch T2 & hell even T3 before I ever watch Dark Fate again. I cant remember the last time the first scene of a movie ruined the rest of the movie for me. I was also much more interested in Carl's story & it being his own thing. Outside of that let Dark Fate be the end

 

[Scarlet Spider]

Well now I'm upset this didn't happen...

Me too.

 

[Mysteryman]

Me too.

In an alternate timeline , the above image is from the book "The Art of Deadpool 2".

 

[Tg11]

I mean as far as sequels go...Terminator Dark Fate is pretty much better than Genisys and that is saying a lot. Hell, it is better than Salvation and T3. However, nothing beats T2. I will say I was skeptical of Dark Fate because of the trailers but I haven't watched it yet. I have read plot leaks more or less but I'm still gonna watch it regardless. But even though it is the same retread when it comes to story parallels with Sarah Connor and Dani Ramos, they more or less make it work. However, Arnie his purpose in this film I thought was very interesting. A Terminator who finishes his objective and then has no purpose for being but then tries to find a purpose afterwards...that's something you don't get in Terminator films. But the strength of the film is not only Grace and even Dani herself but it is the villain, Rev 9. He more or less makes Dark Fate watchable. If I had to compare Luna to any Terminator villain, it would be Robert Patrick's T-1000 in terms of intensity and menace. However, he can also be compared to Loken's TX as well.

 

[Tg11]

But at the same time what I am most pissed off about in Dark Fate is the complete erasure of John Connor but I get it even though it would not have been my first choice. But I get it especially when it comes to further character development of Sarah especially in Dark Fate but at the same time John's character basically served no purpose after Genisys anyway.

 

[Tg11]

With Legion becoming the new Skynet then Legion of course would have more models just like Rev 9...so if Rev 9 is basically the new standard model or Revs are the new Terminator models in this alternate future, then there's no need for T-800, T-1000, T-X or 101 models anymore