
Terminator Dark Fate movie review: Dear Arnold Schwarzenegger, it’s time to say hasta la vista to this franchise
Terminator: Dark Fate
Director - Tim Miller
Cast - Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mackenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes, Gabriel Luna
Breakneck, blasé, and browner than usual, Terminator: Dark Fate is a prime example of sneaky Hollywood self-plagiarism. But in all fairness, a rehash was promised, and that is exactly what has been presented.
Two trump cards, however, add a necessary dash of freshness to this largely stale sequel, which erases the events of three films and a television series, in an attempt to restore the failing franchise to its former glory. The performances of Linda Hamilton (returning as Sarah Connor for the first time since 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day), and Arnold Schwarzenegger (who never really left), serve as soulful anchors in director Tim Miller’s emotionally disengaged film.
Watch the Terminator: Dark Fate trailer here
The year is 2020, and two naked cyborgs with duelling missions have dropped out of the sky in Mexico City. Their target is a young woman named Dani. While a female cyborg played by Mackenzie Davis has been assigned the Kyle Reese role as a protector to Dani, a formidable new Terminator model, the Rev-9, engages them in an unending chase. Aside from the significantly increased presence of Hispanic characters, the plot of Terminator: Dark Fate is essentially an inelegant Frankenstein’s monster, fashioned out of the elements that made the first two films in the series such classics.
For all his faults as a filmmaker, James Cameron’s screenplays are a lot like the Terminators — streamlined and without an ounce of fat to slow them down. Dark Fate, despite Cameron’s creative inputs — he returns as producer after having vocally endorsed and rejected previous films — has a lot of unnecessary weight. It relies too heavily on large-scale action set pieces to truly let the intimacy of its story sink in.
The Biblical themes of the first two films have mostly been discarded, although a new Messiah is in need of protection. But Miller does a fine job of co-opting Cameron’s muscular directing style, his machine-like obsession with efficiency, and the idea of motherhood.

Another of the movie’s highlights is Arnie’s return, which, slightly disappointingly, arrives well past the halfway mark. Visibly older now, he talks about how, after having completed the mission he was programmed to carry out, he went about finding a purpose in life. I can’t possibly discuss the details of his mission, but the idea of a robot spending decades trying to assimilate into our culture, and developing a conscience, is instantly interesting. The manner in which the film addresses this, however, has the subtlety of a Schwarzenegger punch to the gut.
It’s equally interesting how, over the years, the Terminator franchise despite lukewarm audience reception and poor reviews has shown an almost robotic resilience. The last two films in the series — Terminator Salvation and Terminator Genisys — were intended as trilogy starters, but their subsequent box office failure put an end to those plans. And although at least one of those films had James Cameron’s blessings, neither had his creative insights.
So the fact that Dark Fate is less inventive than Salvation, which at least transported the story to a post-apocalyptic future, and Genisys, which tapped into themes of privacy and online surveillance rather potently, is monumentally disappointing.
Follow @htshwobiz for more
The author tweets @RohanNaahar

Judas and the Black Messiah review: And the Oscar must go to Daniel Kaluuya
- Judas and the Black Messiah movie review: Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield deliver extraordinary performances in Shaka King's politically charged film, co-produced by Ryan Coogler.

Coming 2 America review: Eddie Murphy gets more woke and more boring in sequel
- Coming 2 America movie review: Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall reunite for the dull and boring sequel to their cult hit.

Raya and the Last Dragon review: Disney's rip-roaring adventure is vibrant fun
- Raya and the Last Dragon movie review: Kelly Marie Tran and Awkwafina put their own twist on the Mulan-Mushu dynamic in Disney's latest animated adventure.

Chris Evans' friend has funny reactions to first Captain America movie's scenes
- Chris Evans shared a video montage of his friend visiting the sets of Captain America: The First Avenger and reacting to his scenes.

Kristen Stewart recreates Princess Diana's Portsmouth look on Spencer set
- Kristen Stewart has been filming for her upcoming movie, Spencer. The Twilight star plays the role of Princess Diana in the movie.

Nick felt 'disconnected' when Priyanka was away in Germany filming Matrix 4
- Nick Jonas revealed he began the making of his upcoming album Spaceman when his wife and actor Priyanka Chopra was filming for The Matrix 4 in Germany.

Gal Gadot is pregnant, posts a cute family pic to make the announcement
- Actor Gal Gadot and her husband Jaron Varsano are expecting their third child together. The Wonder Woman actor posted a cute family picture to make the announcement.

Chadwick Boseman's wife breaks down while accepting his posthumous Golden Globe
- Chadwick Boseman's wife Simone Ledward broke down while accepting his posthumous Golden Globe for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.

Mark Ruffalo talks about environment in Golden Globe Awards acceptance speech
- Mark Ruffalo received the Best Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie for I Know This Much Is True... at the Golden Globe Awards 2021. The actor, in his acceptance speech, spoke about "Mother Earth."

Chaotic Golden Globe Awards 2021 opens the floodgate for Twitter memes
- The Golden Globe Awards 2021 took place this weekend and Twitter couldn't help but point out the chaos that unfolded at the awards show.

'Time's Up Globes': Hollywood stars called out HFPA ahead of Golden Globe 2021
- Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) were called out by several celebrities for their lack of diversity in their ranks. After stars chanted "Time's Up Globes", the HFPA issued a statement assuring a change in the making.

Golden Globes: Chadwick Boseman wins Best Actor Drama for Ma Rainey
_1614558332327_1614558338010.jpg)
Golden Globes 2021 red carpet: See pics of Margot Robbie, Elle Fanning, Kaley

Golden Globe 2021 nominees list: Ahead of ceremony, mark your favourites

Golden Globes 2021: Date, time and where to watch on TV and online
- The Golden Globes 2021 winners will be announced on February 28 (March 1 in India). Here's what time the 78th Golden Globe Awards will commence and how to watch the show.