Terminator: Genisys [Movie Review]

Second series reboot movie in a row!
This time for a series that I honestly have always enjoyed more than the Jurassic series.
The Terminator and Terminator: Judgment Day are classic science fiction movies by James Cameron. The later films are not as good, but not that bad either.

I want you to pay attention to the lower right corner!
Also, everyone scream at Arnold's smile!

While Genisys is not as gritty as the first two films, it is easily a better movie than the later two. Of course, I will always hold Judgment Day as the best Terminator movie. 

4 out of 5 stars

Daenerys Targaryen with a Desert Eagle. Okay...

This movie opened on Wednesday, I do no know why. Considering movie that release on Friday have showtimes as early as 7pm on Thursdays, a Wednesday release seems silly now. The theater was rather empty for an early afternoon matinee on Thursday. there were maybe 20-30 people all total in the room. It seemed empty, and I wonder if it was due to the odd day. I imagine opening day and Friday both had far greater crowds. But I do not know. The box office numbers are obviously not in. Well they are for Mexico, Greece and Turkey who got the movie on June 28th... which also seems weird.

Sarah and 'Pops' have a talk.

Before I get to discussing the movie itself, I just want to comment on a few reviews I've read. Most critics are panning this movie, but the audience reviews have been far more favorable. The critics I've read are eyebrows deep in their veneration of nostalgia. They have venerated the original film to such an extent that it is not funny. They forget that when it came out The Terminator was not exactly critically acclaimed. Sure a few places gave it high rating, but may reviews were not so kind. It was called "A B-movie with flair" (New York Times), "just another of the films drenched in artsy ugliness" (The Chicago Tribune), "repellent to the last degree" (Gilbert Adair, British Author). He said the film was "insidious Nazification." (source: Wikipedia)   

I mention this because it is important to realize that all the movies we think of as classics, were once their own summer blockbusters. They too were once looked down upon by critics. A blind veneration of the past is not always a good lens to view films through. As far as I'm concerned some of those movie that won Best Picture back in the day were awful. Some excellent. It is the nature of the times.

Now, as for my own rating, it reflects my enjoyment of the film. And I did enjoy the movie. I loved the shot for shot remakes that would go along at the same pace as the original film and then suddenly jump to track 'B' and change everything... then slowly slip back into the shot for shot, and change again. It was loads of fun for anyone who has seen every Terminator movie (a dozen times or so).

It references the other films as well, constantly using the date of August 29, 1997 as Judgment Day (as mentioned in Judgement Day). Which is a different date from the date in Rise of the Machines, which changes Judgement Day to sometime in 2004. The Sarah Connor Chronicles gives April 19, 2011 as the day Judgment Day arrives. Now in this most recent film we have the date as 2017. Every movie moves the timeline, which makes sense as every movie alters the future - just a bit. Genisys also makes a slight reference to the TV series when John, Sarah, and Summer Glau time-jump into the middle of an LA freeway (TV was in '07, Genisys is '17).
You gotta give it credit, it pulls from all over. It even has Miles Dyson's son in it! C'mon, it is trying.

Now, fair warning, this is the 3rd Sarah Conner we've had, the 3rd Kyle Reese, and the 4th John Connor. Maybe, hopefully, this time they can maintain cast from film to film. Because there will be sequels, yes, more than one.

Things go boom! With many sparks...

Getting past the cast changes, aside from Arnold, the movie is pretty fun. The plot is actually pretty straight forward considering we are dealing with time travel and multiple timelines. The changes are fun and very self-aware, and the is more than enough humor. And action, there is more than enough action, as one would expect from a Terminator movie. Have no fear, we are given time to breathe, to settle, to advance the plot between action sequences.

There are probably messages as well, but I'm not sure. There was a bit about the fact that we spend too much time on our smart phones, and tablets, and computers... and that we're becoming too interconnected... but honestly it was not stressed. Nor would it have gone over well if it was. It is interesting to see how Skynet has evolved with the passing of time. Early Skynet was more or less Cold War paranoia, later Skynet was fear of Military Drones, modern Skynet is something different. 

I had a load of fun watching it. And honestly is that not what typically counts when seeing a movie? I could go to the most beautifully shot, decadently set, over budgeted, all-star cast movie... but if I had no fun, was it worth it? I'd say no, even if it was the most critically acclaimed movie of all time. I'll be honest, I don't think that could occur, but this is all hypothetical.


I enjoyed the film. I've enjoyed all the Terminator movies, but I would certainly put this up close to Judgement Day. Not as good as Judgement Day, but good.

It was worth seeing if you are a fan of the Terminator series. It might be worth it if you are not... but I can't say on that subject. I've seen em all.

I would certainly recommend this film to anyone who has enjoyed the Terminator series, even in passing. 
  

Other things go 'ridiculous flip!'