Saturday, 26 October 2019

Terminator: Dark Fate - The scoop and digest

Consigning T3: Rise of the Machines, Salvation, Genisys and even The Sarah Connor Chronicles to another timeline, the alternate sequel to T2: Judgment Day is upon us.

But way before this was S. M. Stirling's book trilogy (comprising of Infiltrator, Rising Storm and The Future War).

Going further, mini-sequel T2-3D was a Universal Studios attraction.

Put that in yer' Skynet pipe and smoke it.

Anyway, can Tim 'Deadpool' Miller resuscitate ailing franchise?

Linda Hamilton - Sarah Connor
Arnold Schwarzenegger - T-800/Carl
Mackenzie Davis - Grace
Natalia Reyes - Dani
Gabriel Luna - Rev-9

Summary

Sometime in 1998, Sarah and John are enjoying a drink in Guatemala.

But from nowhere, a T-800 selfishly murders John.

2020.

Mexico hosts primary location, as augmented human Grace and latest baddie Rev-9 from 2042 (where new AI Legion rules), have very different agendas for meeting 'mother of the future' Dani.

Sarah joins the party, as does eventually her son's murderer 'Carl', as they team up to swat near invincible insect.

Hasta la vista, baby

Better than T3 and beyond, but that's not exactly saying much.

Female leads bounce off each other nicely, Arnold's droll demeanour made me occasionally chuckle, but holy shit - Luna's villain was duller than dull.

Action sequences are derivative of previous movies and contain way too much CG.

Brett Azar is again young Arnie's body double, and as per Genisys, digital effects still look weird.

Like the T-X, Rev-9 is composed of endoskeleton and liquid-metal exoskeleton, but unlike female predecessor, is able to fully separate components; allowing both to act independently.

Also, unnatural recovery smacks of T-3000 (aka John Connor of Genisys fame).

After regenerating for the umpteenth time, 'human form' is forced inside a grinder and badly damaged endoskeleton is fried with Grace's power source.

Ripping off T3? Now that's desperate.

Haphazard screenplay contains an absolute beauty.

Before final showdown, Sarah calls Rev-9 a 'metal motherfucker'.

Hilariously BAD.

There's also a really pointless scene while Guitars, Cadillacs plays (one of several T2 callbacks), as garden shed literally breaks Rev-9's fall, who apologises to random family for doing so.

Hmmm.

Fairly early on, Dani cools Grace by pouring ice cubes on protector.

Err, Universal Soldier anybody?

Not that it happens, but Dani even suggests using a bath.

I am such a geek.

Ha ha ha.

Why doesn't Carl's dog bark incessantly?

Yes he's learned to become more human over the years, but he's still a Terminator.

Bizarre

Film begins with T2 flashback scene of Sarah in Pescadero describing recurring nightmare of August 29 1997.

Everything flows perfectly, until:

"You're the one living in a fucking dream (BLANK), cos' I know it happens. It happens!"

So they didn't have permission to say Silberman, even though we hear Earl Boen's voice?

I'm VERY confused.

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