TERMINATOR GENISYS (Theatrical Release USA 2015)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.8|5.0 Starsììì

Terminator Genisys—wannabe remake of Terminator—tries valiantly to entertain and does entertain, maybe not on the same level as the original Terminator, but satisfactorily. The special effects are good. The movie sets itself up for a future Terminator film. Arnold Schwarzenegger does something wise that other seasoned action actors need to do in order to maintain their audience with the younger set of viewers. He acknowledges his age. Then, he notes that he may be aging, but he is not ‘out’. That single movie scene adds class to this film, creates respect as he works his role of Guardian, and allows his movement into the next stages of a solid career as the strong and powerful presence that may not rely on high octane scenes, but will get the job done without failure. That solid presence will be welcome and satisfying. This approach to aging is a refreshing break from other films that feature seasoned actors who either bemoan their age or try to continue the high action role pattern of younger years and cannot pull that off well. It’s a gracious move that completely works.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

A fractured timeline, a T-1000, a Guardian, John Connor as an antagonist, Kyle Reese as a protagonist, and Sarah Connor, Skynet, and Genisys inter-combine to change the future.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Alan Taylor for directing effort. Thank you to Executive Producers Bill Carraro, Robert W. Cort, Megan Ellison, Laeta Kalogridis, Patrick Lussier, and Paul Schwake for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger), John Connor (Jason Clarke), Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke), Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney), O’Brien (J.K. Simmons), Danny Dyson (Dayo Okeniyi), Alex (Matt Smith), Miles Dyson (Courtney B. Vance), Cop/T-1000 (Byung-Hun Lee), Lieutenant Matias (Michael Gladis), Detective Cheung (Sandrine Holt), and Young O’Brien (Wayne Bastrup).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. The basic Terminator story is in place and the action scenes provide high entertainment value.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers