The best part about a time travel movie franchise is that every sequel can also be a reboot. Terminator Genisys definitely gives that vibe. T5, if you want to call it that, presupposes the film that started it all and brings us to an alternate past retooled by an alternate future. It's pretty exciting at first, and the premise is revealed gradually enough to keep the mood suspenseful. Soon enough it becomes evident that the film makers made no effort to explain how we arrived at this presupposed, alternate future-past. We're just supposed to shut up and enjoy the ride, I guess.
Complaints aside, Genisys has all the hallmarks of a great summer blockbuster and a terrific all-around movie. The action sequences are intense, the pacing is good, and the plot twists kept me guessing even despite the tremendous John Connor spoiler given by the movie trailer. But the film just doesn't have the same feeling without juggernaut director James Cameron at the helm.
For one thing, the acting is bad. John Connor (Jason Clarke) doesn't make for a believable military man, let alone a war hero. The war wounds on his face are a realistic touch and it's nice having a principal character who doesn't look like an underwear model, but he just doesn't come across as a battle-hardened, military tactician. For that matter, neither do any of the non-Schwarzenegger characters. Emilia Clarke's portrayal of Sarah Connor as a woman who's spent her life tortured with a detailed, first-hand awareness of her bleak future pales in comparison to T2's Linda Hamilton. And Jai Courtney's Kyle Reese is just so-so.
Mainly, there's a sense of desperation that comes across in the other movies, which is essential to the feel of the franchise. The character interplay in Genisys is snarky and often light-hearted. You don't get the feeling that these people are fighting for their lives, much less championing the survival of humanity.
If it seems like I'm a little ambivalent toward the movie, it's because I am. The action was great, but the acting was bad. The story was unpredictable but also, as far as I know, there may not have been a plot. That is to say, I enjoyed the movie, but I wasn't impressed. Probably the worst thing about hoping for it to tie together in the next sequel is that they haven't even announced one as of now, even though Genisys is supposed to be the first in a trilogy. So us diehard Terminator fans are just going to have to hope that some genius writers with a grasp of concepts like quantum physics and the fourth dimensional continuum can tie this all up in a neat little package for us. I'm not holding my breath.
Complaints aside, Genisys has all the hallmarks of a great summer blockbuster and a terrific all-around movie. The action sequences are intense, the pacing is good, and the plot twists kept me guessing even despite the tremendous John Connor spoiler given by the movie trailer. But the film just doesn't have the same feeling without juggernaut director James Cameron at the helm.
For one thing, the acting is bad. John Connor (Jason Clarke) doesn't make for a believable military man, let alone a war hero. The war wounds on his face are a realistic touch and it's nice having a principal character who doesn't look like an underwear model, but he just doesn't come across as a battle-hardened, military tactician. For that matter, neither do any of the non-Schwarzenegger characters. Emilia Clarke's portrayal of Sarah Connor as a woman who's spent her life tortured with a detailed, first-hand awareness of her bleak future pales in comparison to T2's Linda Hamilton. And Jai Courtney's Kyle Reese is just so-so.
Mainly, there's a sense of desperation that comes across in the other movies, which is essential to the feel of the franchise. The character interplay in Genisys is snarky and often light-hearted. You don't get the feeling that these people are fighting for their lives, much less championing the survival of humanity.
If it seems like I'm a little ambivalent toward the movie, it's because I am. The action was great, but the acting was bad. The story was unpredictable but also, as far as I know, there may not have been a plot. That is to say, I enjoyed the movie, but I wasn't impressed. Probably the worst thing about hoping for it to tie together in the next sequel is that they haven't even announced one as of now, even though Genisys is supposed to be the first in a trilogy. So us diehard Terminator fans are just going to have to hope that some genius writers with a grasp of concepts like quantum physics and the fourth dimensional continuum can tie this all up in a neat little package for us. I'm not holding my breath.
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