It’s a little late, we know, but we’re finally done watching the latest instalment of the movie series that made Schwarzenegger the most revered among all robot heroes. Terminator as a franchise is well past its prime, and true fans will probably never get to be amazed by the series as they once did thanks to the brilliance of one James Cameron. The initial chapters in the chain were rare gems, the second instalment especially so, for its detailed portrayal of characters and the way it moved the game ahead in terms of the use of CGI in cinema.
Terminator Genisys doesn’t have the love, devotion and authenticity that only the genius of Cameron could ever have put into a movie. Genisys is here to cash in on a tremendous legacy – so don’t get inside the theatre with lofty expectations, and you would be fine. Genisys does have some high points, and isn’t as disappointing as some of the reviews make it sound like.
So here we have it, Gizmoids’ tuppence on the movie which sees a machine get old like a human, with greying hair, wrinkling skin and hints of arthritis in its joints.
Warning: Spoilers ahead – stop here if you don’t want important plot points to be revealed to you.
What works?
- Altering the storyline and pushing it a little further into the future for making it more contextual to today’s times is a good move. Genisys, as a concept, works. The idea of a connected world using an integrated OS and core is a very credible one, especially looking at what’s happening around us, with pretty much the entire world connecting via a few operating systems. The concept of Genisys is very close to reality, making it both credible and scary.
- Arnie’s T-800 Terminator has gotten old, but hasn’t lost its charm. It’s always been the quintessential hero robot, and still remains every bit of it even with its rusty mechanicals. The show of teeth that the robot terms as a smile is still the cutest thing you can ever imagine a machine doing. ‘Old, not obsolete’ as the T-800 aka ‘Pops’ puts it, is true in every sense of the phrase.
- CGI is smashing – nothing to complain about here. The T3000’s nano-machines integrating and disintegrating to form the shape of a human body, the T1000’s liquid-solid transition, T-800’s skeletal robotics, to Connor’s invasion of machines – pretty much everything looks dapper and credible visually.
- The movie does have its moments, like when an acid-decimated T3000 rises up again out of nowhere to the audience’s shock. There are more such moments, probably not in spades, but not in too small quantities either. Watching it in 3D with Dolby Atmos audio really creates an immersive environment, which is enjoyable, at least for the audience who don’t connect with the scenarios and characters at a sentimental, nostalgic level.
- The action sequences, robots and the tone in general – especially owing to the presence of Sarah O’Connor as a character gives the movie a deep connect with Terminator 2: Judgement Day, arguably one of the best movies ever made. Emilia’s Sarah O’Connor may not be as good as its forebear, and the same applies to Genisys, but that connect with Judgment Day really endows the movie a sense of hope, and keeps the old fans anticipating.
What doesn’t work?
- Emilia Clarke as Sarah O’Connor just doesn’t cut it for us. Linda Hamilton’s Sarah O’Connor was one of the strongest (and convincing) female protagonists Hollywood has ever seen. An unflappable Sarah O’Connor reloading her shotgun in the middle of a desert, with a cigarette between her lips is an image which has bested the ruthlessness of time. That image of a tough woman who would go to the world’s end to save her child is still fresh in fans’ minds. The character was great not just because it was well written, but also because of its compelling portrayal by the actor. Linda’s athletic body, square jaw-line, staunch facial expression, tall stature, rebellious attitude and a finely mastered body language made her look the part. Emilia, in comparison, is too short, too chubby, too innocent-looking, and in some scenes, too confused about what to do with her body to do justice to the tough character. While Linda towered above the rest of the characters, Emilia looks like a kid toddling behind her dad and uncle in some scenes. Personally, I am not a big fan of Emilia’s portrayal of Khaleesi in GoT either. Kill me if you so wish, but Emilia’s Sarah O’Connor is a dud.
- There are quite a few boring monologues. From a complaining Emilia Clarke trying to make a case for ‘Pop’ to a ‘knowledgeable’ Arnold who delivers a discourse on time-space, there are several monologues bringing down the pace of the movie while also firing mild shots of boredom at the audience.
- Are Skynet and its minions too dumb? John O’Connor in his T3000 terminator avatar fools Sarah and Kyle Reese into believing that he’s actually their son, recounting incidents which no one but John Connor would have known about. Heck, the happy family even hugs and cries! At this juncture, when he could easily have finished his nemeses off with a gentle sweep of his hand metamorphosed into a blade, he escorts them to the parking lot for god knows what, where the good old T800, shoots and ultimately manages to disable him. And he bleeds, or rather acts as though he’s bleeding. What’s he been sent here for – family bonding, taking acting tests, or killing the enemies of the Skynet?
- There’s much ado about too skinny a plot. There isn’t really a strong storyline lending itself to Genisys. With a runtime of 2 hours and 6 minutes on a bleak plot, some sequences and dialogues were bound to appear forced, and that’s exactly what has happened.
- There are some major plot holes in the movie, which there is no explanation for. For example, the T-800 building a time machine, that too in the early 80s is just too much to digest for us. A machine that doesn’t know how to smile properly has learned how to decode the complex theories of time and space? Spare us that assumption, please.
Watch Terminator: Genisys if a well shot, CGI-high sci-fi thriller entertains you. You’ll not be disappointed. And forget any impressions you have in your mind about the previous releases in the series – especially the first two parts.
Rating : 6/10