Terminator: Dark Fate can't possibly live up to its predecessor, but still manages to provide an entertaining sci-fi/action film that is a non-stop thrill ride from start to finish.
“Decades after Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) prevented Judgment Day, a lethal new Terminator is sent to eliminate the future leader of the resistance. In a fight to save mankind, battle-hardened Sarah Connor teams up with an unexpected ally (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and an enhanced super soldier to stop the deadliest Terminator yet. With the fate of humanity hanging in the balance, “THE BEST OF THE BEST IN BACK” in this action-packed thrill ride from Tim Miller, the Director of Deadpool, and producer James Cameron.”
I’m one of those rare fans of the Terminator franchise who has found enjoyment in pretty much every iteration of the story and the different directions each one of the films brings along with it. Although nothing can ever top the best sequel of all time: Terminator 2: Judgment Day, each of the subsequent films found a way to bring something new to the story they tell in every single film: a machine from the future is hunting down the savior of mankind. This is why I didn’t mind the decision to make this a direct sequel to the second film, ignoring all the others; it’s a time travel story in which it’s easy to negate previous timelines. Just as easy as it was to tell a story about a young boy who will grow up to become a great leader of the resistance against the machines, the story could be about anyone, and that’s what you get with Terminator: Dark Fate.
They seem to have tried it all during the course of the franchise, with them finding a way to bring back Arnold in some fashion in every single one. I’m not sure what took the filmmakers this long to bring back Linda Hamilton, ranking up there among the top sci-fi female protagonists in the entire genre, but they finally did it, and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. Without giving away the plot for those who haven’t seen it, there’s a reason to her dedication to this cause over twenty years from the events of T2, and this gives her character a depth that’s hard to measure. She hasn’t lost a beat after all these years, still bringing a commanding presence in all her scenes, making her the ultimate robot-killing badass that we know her to be. Arnold’s role in this is also a bit different from all his other iterations of the character as well, one that plays a pivotal role in the events directly after the second film. Although they do some interesting things with him, especially his dynamic with Sarah Connor later on, it almost seems to be grasping at straws in trying to find a new way to introduce him into the series in a new way. That may not carry much weight for a story in whose primary narrative is someone constantly running away from a machine, but I’ve seen the Arnold Terminator come and go in so many ways in so many different films that just another version of this starts to lessen the impact. Despite this, I was still thrilled to see Arnold’s involvement and his dedication to the story over the years. This combined with the reunion with Linda Hamilton makes the film worth seeing alone for me.
The newcomers in the series have a lot to live up to, and in my opinion earn every bit of respect as their predecessors. Mackenzie Davis is simply incredible as the protector sent back in time to protect a new threat to the machine’s future. Her background is weaved flawlessly throughout the film giving us glimpses into the future and why her mission is so vital. She’s kind of like the Terminator and Sarah Connor rolled into one, and although this may seem like a detriment to the story combining such pivotal characters with so many different traits, she also brings a vulnerability to the role that you wouldn’t normally see. She has some really great fight/action sequences and I think is going to be a rising star in the near future. Natalia Reyes as Dani Ramos is also a very strong female character, one that I had a lot of fun being invested in throughout Terminator: Dark Fate. What I like best about her character is the fact that regardless of her background, anyone can rise up and become an inspiration that could decide the fate of mankind. She embodies all the qualities of a natural born leader, one that follows a moral compass regardless of the circumstances, making her a good person that people can’t help but idolize. Gabriel Luna as the REV-9, the new killing machine, makes quite the impression. I don’t think anything can be as memorable as Robert Patrick’s T-1000 with the revolutionary effects employed by the second film, but the REV-9 comes close. Although it is very similar to the T-X antagonist in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, this model can have the liquid state operate independently from the exoskeleton, using this to its advantage in many ways, ones that are visually stunning and full of cool action effects.
Overall, I really enjoyed Terminator: Dark Fate. It adds a lot to the Terminator Universe, one that I still won’t discount entirely just because James Cameron says so. Still, this doesn’t come anywhere near the greatness of the second film, and I don’t think anything honestly could. This film has all the great action sequences, impressive effects and compelling science fiction story, but the one thing missing that just can’t be replicated from the T2 is the heart. There were some great opportunities from emotional exploration for all of these characters, but it just isn’t focused on like it should be. The dynamic between Sarah Connor and Arnold’s character could have been so much better if explored more, but the late introduction makes this a missed opportunity that I don’t think we’ll ever seen again.
Video
Terminator: Dark Fate is presented in 2160p 4k Ultra High Definition Widescreen 2.39:1 featuring Dolby Vision. For such a visually stunning film produced by James Cameron, the UHD version is THE way to see this. The dynamic meta-data from the Dolby Vision ensures that each scene looks its absolute best, creating stunningly brilliant brights, deep darks, and vibrant colors. The majority of the film takes place in the daytime, with a muted, dry look that is well suited to the Mexican landscape, a very vibrant display that shows every detail. The effects especially are one of the most impressive things about this film, the morphing REV-9, the explosions, especially the de-aging process at the beginning of the film that looks to be near perfection, you’d swear it was filmed directly after T2. See this one in 4k!
Audio
The audio is presented in Dolby Atmos, another one of the best features of this disc. If the Terminator franchise is known for anything, it’s the action, the explosions, the gunfire, and the soundtrack. Dolby Atmos has given this franchise a new sound, one that is even better than I could imagine back when I watched T2 all those years ago. This track is amazing, providing great balance between the surrounds and center channel. Action sequences are breathtaking, as is the familiar Terminator score that balances the film out well.
Special Features
There are quite a few featurettes located on the Blu-Ray disc of the set. These include:
- Deleted and Extended Scenes
- A Legend Reforged
- World Builders
- Dam Busters: The Final Showdown
- VFX Breakdown: The Dragonfly
Terminator: Dark Fate doesn’t live up to its predecessor but still manages to become a highly entertaining part of the Terminator franchise. I, for one, really hope the series doesn’t end here, as there has to be a better way to end such an influential science fiction film that set the bar that still hasn’t been surpassed.
