Terminator: Dark Fate (Tim Miller)

[Morris Schæffer]

[Dukefrukem]

Oh boy... can't wait for the consensus.

[Morris Schæffer]

They've been calling this the true sequel to T2, but it's disheartening how much it actually comes across as a restart. In one egregious case, it stomps its leather biker boot down in full force, and the result isn't gutsy or inspired, but rather disappointing and blunt, like some nasty disease which had to be swiftly removed before they could start over. Proceedings do not feel organic enough after T2, but it has a shoe-horned in feel regarding some elements.

So yes, better than Genysis and Salvation, but perhaps not better than T3 although it's got some beefy action scenes for sure.

[Dukefrukem]

Can you spoil one thing for me. Whats the explanation of old Arnold? Did a 2nd Model 101 come from the future after it lowered itself into the molten steel?

[Morris Schæffer]

Can you spoil one thing for me. Whats the explanation of old Arnold? Did a 2nd Model 101 come from the future after it lowered itself into the molten steel?

[

Show Spoiler

Another bad guy sent by Skynet after the events of T2.

]

[[ETM]]

I've never been compelled to watch T3 or Genisys, I sincerely hope it's better.

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[Skitch]

Can you spoil one thing for me. Whats the explanation of old Arnold? Did a 2nd Model 101 come from the future after it lowered itself into the molten steel?

[

Show Spoiler

Apparently at the time they sent the first Terminator, they sent multiple terminators to different points in time. I was curious about it too, but it worked well in context of more spoilers that I will withhold.

]

[Henry Gale]

It isn't very good, but it's opening scene is a bit of an unnerving stunner for a variety of reasons. Some of the best-looking and most effective use of that technology I've seen to date.

The rest is a mostly clunky, bland mess. Hamilton is way underused, and Arnold is the best character in it, but he shows up soooo late. What a surprisingly effective and hilarious performance he carves out despite everything. If this movie was called "Carl" and then it became a third act twist that he was a Terminator when the other characters show up, THAT would've been something new. But alas, same ol', same ol', just.. slightly tighter and engaging than these have been lately?

So yes, the "best" of the last three, but it kind of sucks to think that I've only seen Terminator sequels in the theatre in my movie-going life, and it's been these four. At least 13-year-old me had a blast with T3. *Pops in his '84 Terminator blu-ray*

[Skitch]

Watch T3 again. As someone who long defended it, it's by far the worst Terminator film.

[Morris Schæffer]

Watch T3 again. As someone who long defended it, it's by far the worst Terminator film.

Criticisms I could throw at T3:


- It's not as good as T1 and T2
- Some throwback humour to parts 2 which doesn't quite work
- sub-par continuity because Edward Furlong isn't back. Neither is Linda.
- T-X not as threatening as T-800 and T-1000
- a visual look that is more generic


Most of these could be thrown at other sequels and they'd stick, at least one of the above isn't even fair criticism.
How are we appreciating a movie which turns John Connor into the villain more than a movie which actually feels like a legitimate follow-up to T2 and
logically leads to the inevitable end of days?

And how did you go from staunch defender to hater?

[Dukefrukem]

It's also rated PG-13. Its really tough to be menacing when you're PG-13.

[Pop Trash]

I saw it in the theaters a million years ago (2003) but I thought Terminator 3 was fun. Didn't like Salvation at all. Didn't bother with Genesys. I'll probably check this one out.

[Dukefrukem]

[Morris Schæffer]

It's also rated PG-13. Its really tough to be menacing when you're PG-13.

Good point, although salvation and genisys are too so compared to those, T3 is not less menacing.

[Dukefrukem]

Good point, although salvation and genisys are too so compared to those, T3 is not less menacing.

Yeh in Salvation there was a scene where a terminator rips off the roof of a house and grabs a woman. That was pretty scary.
Genisys was a disaster though I thought the re-created Arnold scene from T1 felt menacing.

T3 just feels very campy cheesy.

[Milky Joe]

T3 is the funniest T.

[Skitch]

And how did you go from staunch defender to hater?

I rewatch this series nearly every year. As I've said before, even a shitty Terminator is better than most sci-fi films these days (I watch a lot of low budget sci-fi looking for gems, because its my favorite genre). Upon my last rewatch I found T3's comedy to just be insufferable. I wouldn't say I'm a hater of it, its just the least of the series for me.

As for Genysis, (spoilers for Dark Fate)[

Show Spoiler

its really out in another timeline, and now with the way Dark Fate works, really all the sequels to T2 are in splinter timelines because of Sarah's actions in part 2. Thats the way I look at it. T3's splinter delayed D-Day and killed Sarah. T4 plays more like a prequel to 1 than a sequel. T5 could still really be canon, where Arnold could've been sent back to Sarah as a child at same time as Arnold in T6 was sent as second attempt on John (as explained in DF). Basically 4,1,2,6 is the main timeline, and 3 and 5 are splinters off of it because of part 2 Sarah, and part 5 Arnold. I'm not big on ditching sequels from continuity just because they maybe didn't work as well as hoped.

] Is the handling of Conner weird? Yes and no. I always read it that once that terminator got him, he was dead, and it was the terminator using John's memories to his own end.

[[ETM]]

And here I am just wishing we had more of the TV show...

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[Skitch]

I'd take that too. Good stuff.

[Henry Gale]

T3 was (somehow) rated R though. The only PG-13 entries are Salvation and Genysis.

But it totally feels like it's PG-13. Cut some language and violent shots and the same goes for Dark Fate.

[Skitch]

You're not wrong. On the other hand...I kinda feel like of the sequels after T2 (and I'd have to rewatch 4 and 5 to verify), I feel like DF feels the most R, not because of language but because of the way the action/violence was executed. The new terminator feels scary and unstoppable again.

[transmogrifier]

T3 is fine. Better than Salvation by a mile.

[Scar]

Seeing T2 in theaters when I was 13 was one of the best movie going experiences I ever had.

Haven’t seen a Terminator film in the theater since, contemplating seeing this one.

[Skitch]

Took a stab at a Terminator timeline...corrections welcome!

[

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]

[Dukefrukem]

Took a stab at a Terminator timeline...corrections welcome!

[

Show Spoiler

]

Very nice. But the T6 main should be flat right after T2.

T4 would never happen at the end of T2 (even with the paradox aspect(. T4 would only happen after the "inevitable" T3 ending.

edit: actually i think you have it right. There's just no need to put "T4 erased". Just make it flat with T6.

And I think there's a Judgement Day 3 with the release of Genysis.