Terminator: Genisys
General Information:
Released: 7/1/2015
Opened: #3 3758 Theaters
Current Box Office Numbers: $ 224,818,000 (as of 7/13/2015)
Rotten Tomatoes Aggregated So Far: <a data-cke-saved-href="”
26% Critics 66% Audience Approval
Metacritic: MetaScore: 38 User Score: 8.4
Trailer
Editorial Background & Biases:
I’ve long been a fan of the Terminator franchise, and in truth have always favored, like many of my contemporaries, Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Up until the opening scenes of this film I had never considered a better scene for a nuclear holocaust existed. Even though T2’s Holocaust scene is still among the best ever filmed and that movie is 24 years old and counting. I likewise have always wanted to see a few things brought to the big screen regarding this franchise. The first among them was to understand the original timeline as it was prior to any paradox or causality issues in the storyline. Questions like: Who was the original father of John Connor? Prior to anyone ever traveling back in time and effectively causing a loop. Another question—through that original timeline, we’ve always known the original date for judgement day to be August 29th, 1997; Who and what brings Skynet online during this original timeline? While we know a date and time, the moment the first Terminator crosses back in time, everything is effectively changed. Having a general expectation of these questions for this film, awkwardly titled ‘Genisys’, I had some semblance of that expectation being a possibility. With the film releasing, I didn’t necessarily gain exactly what I expected but was both pleasantly and awkwardly surprised.
The Good
Genisys succeeds as a blockbuster film. It didn’t rest on many of the expected laurels of catch phrases and perceived storylines. Everyone played their part well and Suspension of Disbelief was in general effect. I enjoyed seeing Arnold in multiple aspects of the film. I enjoyed seeing homages paid to original scenes that were iconic. I thoroughly liked a relatively full prologue containing an appropriate amount of backstory and fleshing out of the future we’re visiting. I also was quite impressed with a much more specific view of the world being destroyed. I like the direction the film took. It attempted to keep you on your toes and paced the action to be consistent with injections of necessary storyline, but kept the action heavier. Likely to prevent the need for more dialogue than was necessary.
The Bad
There were numerous plot holes that affected the story. However, some of those plot holes existed in the previous releases of the franchise. Specifically—The flesh covering metal necessity for Time Displacement. It was such a focus of the dialogue, and used as a plot-point, that it gives more credence to the thought that this was a weak script point to carry. Because if that were the case, how did John Connor travel through the Time Displacement Unit (TDU), how did either of the T1000’s travel using the same device? Continuing in this argument, how did the TX also do so? So this problem isn’t essentially inherent in this film, it’s existed before, however—the movie gave it so much attention that it resonates in your mind as your trying to enjoy the film and it causes various breeches into the suspension of the disbelief; effectively removing you from the escape of the film for however brief a moment you are realizing this issue doesn’t make sense. There were also general issues I take with minor plot points used to move the story forward. Like ‘Pops’ cobbling together a TDU out of spare parts and making it work with a T101 CPU. But Nano-Corrupted John Connor using full knowledge of the future and superior technology, and the full backing of Cyberdyne R&D, did not have his Futuristic TDU fully up and running (yet). That’s a disjointed setup. I dislike that this film, while attempting to resurrect the action and grandeur of a proper Terminator Blockbuster, it did not attempt to really put exceptional writing and acting within its scope. Terminator 2: Judgement Day took 4 Oscars. Granted the bulk of its accolades went to Sound, Effects, and Editing—for the time the effects were ground breaking. Which is a hard feat to accomplish in today’s special effects field. However—that said—T2 also won numerous awards for Best Female Performance, Best Male Performance, Best Breakthrough Performance, etc. etc. There is no reason that the general statement, which I could make, should devolve to “Well this is just a blockbuster film—it is what it is.” While the acting is not bad and the writing is not terrible, I can feel that this film attempted to parallel T2 in many ways. But fell short of the mark.
The Ugly
There were too many simple answers for ultra-complex problems, and conversely too many ultra-complex answers for the simplest of problems. The film decided to use a variant explanation of the Theories of Relativity and Time Travel to finally give us (as close to) an answer as possible for one of the most burning of questions since the original film. But it instead kept us guessing how it was actually probable. It chose to showcase a scenario where time was not instantly effecting the future, and in so doing, allowed for parallel scenes between the past and the future. As if returning to the past had no direct effect to the future. The story also, in so doing, did and didn’t affect the direct outcome of such a future because of how far into said future Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese jump forward into. Taking a minor cue from the failed TV Series—The Sarah Connor Chronicles. They effectively jumped 33 years into the future, yet met with a John Connor who should not at all have exist. So in terms of storyline, if you can shutoff logic; and this does not mean you need to understand physics, causality, relativity, or quantum and temporal mechanics. You just need to have some semblance of common sense. If you can shut some of that off, many of the paradoxical issues presented in the film won’t bother you. If you can just let your brain rationalize, it’s all science fiction—“it’s wibbly wobbly timey wimey…stuff.” Hey—Doctor Who was present, so why not just consider it timey wimey stuff instead of attempting to apply logical reasoning. However, if you have some understanding of this material, or possibly are a fan of science fiction and have grown to understand these scenarios from various time-and-mind bending storylines—then you will likely be pulled out of the escape of the film as your mind struggles to accept the various issues with the movies interpretation of possibility. That or you are trying to piece it together with logic instead of allowing yourself to enjoy the spectacle. To be very specific.
Let me give you a direct breakdown simply from this films perspective:
Everything moves forward during the original unaltered timeline
Judgement Day occurs, 08/29/1997
John Connors rises up to be the leader of the resistance.
At some point in this grim future, Skynet is losing due to John Connonr, and creates a TDU; sends a Terminator back in time to kill Sarah Connor to erase John from existence.
The very essence of changing the past.
As this happens, the resistance sends back Kyle Reese, at some point after the Terminator is sent back, to protect Sarah.
In so doing—Kyle falls in love with Sarah, beds her, and inadvertently sires John Connor—effectively changing the timeline and creating a loop. But maintaining the future-history where John Connor is born.
Moving forward it all happens again, but with variable changes to future-history.
If we continue this from Genisys and forget a few of the plot holes presented (like the doctor who remembers them, the fact that Dyson’s son continues in his line work); future history is essentially repeating and an event has to take place to maintain whatever timeline is supposed to occur from Kyle Reese securing the past.
At this focal point, we see Matt Smith—who is essentially portraying a physical embodiment of Skynet—attack John Connor. Effectively changing him forever.
Now—while everyone that needed to go to the past (to change the past) is already in the past. The future seems to be exactly the same as it was. Judgement Day is delayed in the past and no longer occurs in 1997.
The additional date changes that occur in the past are also wiped away, apparently, and now we’re left with the new possibility for Judgement Day in 2017. Yet, even though within a days’ time of Kyle Reese returning to 1984, they both jump 33 years into the future. John no longer was born or existed under any of the timelines that came before--Therefore should not exist in the 2017 under any of the memories of the past where he existed from 1985.
Whatever was turned into a machine by Skynet in the future never actually happens. Yet—John Connor goes back in time to 2017 as the changed John Connor who was born in 1985. Reese maintains all of the memories of him in this altered reality.
Unless what we’re witnessing is the future that is always being created based on the numerous moments in the changes throughout the timeline, what we’re seeing in this future is the result of the changes that are occurring and always seemingly occurring – throughout any of the movies and possible future movies and storylines, yet effectively erasing T3 as a possible reality that never occured – This is a copout in story telling that is only used to essentially further the franchise and leave it open ended. It could have been done better without the need for a Doctor Who narrative mechanic.
The Great
Aside from the inherent problem in the franchise, there are moments when you don’t completely believe Sarah Connor. Emilia Clarke is great in her role, but the writing for her character is dramatically different than what you’d expect her character to be. I suspect this is more an issue with myself as the viewer, in terms of my expectation. I had to adjust my thinking to realize she is not the same Sarah Connor from 1984. This is a completely altered Sarah Connor from many years prior. She wasn’t as insane as the Sarah Connor from Judgement Day. She wasn’t as demure as the Sarah Connor from 1984. In that I have to say I enjoyed her character. I might not have enjoyed some of her lines, as some were awkwardly juvenile. But overall, I thought Emilia Clarke was great in her role. There were glimpses where I could easily see her as Linda Hamilton, but then I saw her own spin on the character and it made sense.
I enjoyed the makeup and changes in appearance for Arnold. He looked great across the board. I even enjoyed his cheesy and ridiculous smile. I think for a man in his age he handled his scenes relatively well. I’m also glad many of the gimmicks were not milked beyond reasoning. With the exception of said cheesy smile. Which seemingly fit every time we saw it. Arnold didn’t feel tired or weak. He did in T3 and that was just strange. But overall I enjoyed watching him recapture the mantle of the Terminator.
…and, Amazing?
The best part of this movie is simply that. It’s a movie, not a film. Even though it’s a pity, It’s not intended to move you with dialogue (even if it seemed like they tried), it’s intended to move you with spectacle and epic consequence from a nearly impossible to overcome threat, one which is almost completely inevitable. This is a movie that needs to be enjoyed with proper delivery of the experience attached. I enjoyed my viewing in an IMAX 3D setting. While the 3D aspects were not a very important (or focused on) aspect of the film. The soundscape was. I felt every explosion, I was moved by the battles. I thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle. This is what you’d expect from a blockbuster film. Action…GET DOWN…More action…GET DOWN AGAIN. I can’t ask this movie to be much more than that. Even though I should and I was hoping the somber aspects of the iconic musical score would be more present, it wasn't but it didn't take away too much from the experience (only my own expectations). While we can agree the Terminator Franchise has never climbed higher than Terminator 2: Judgement Day. We know it can reach those levels of greatness in film-making. While Genisys is not what I’d called a 'film', it still has great merit as it is in terms of a pure blockbuster movie. It’s no frills is part of its charm and why it’s simply a fun movie. I can praise the direction for great sequences, I can praise the special effects team for great visuals but we’ve seen many of these visuals before. It’s almost formulaic, just follow Stan Winston’s example and you’re fine. There were only a few visuals unique to this film and are nothing new to astound; however, all came together to create beautiful scenes of destruction and mayhem.
What Might have Hurt This Film…
There are many things overall I think may have hurt this film at this time. Among them is the over-complication of the storyline. We want to get an understanding for what is to come. We want to get an understanding for what happens after. All of it from the point of view of the original film. It’s that simple. We may even want the knowledge of what came first…before any timeline changes. Then we want to know the final outcome in the future. But we continue, however close we get, to gain convoluted timeline alterations. Those arguments can become cyclical. The other aspects that may have hurt this film were the title. This sounds idiotic, but it was an issue that took focus throughout their marketing campaign. Audiences didn’t know what to do with that title. Personally, I would have kept it as ‘Genesis’ – especially if they originally thought of using ‘Origin’ and thought it was too pedestrian. The timing of this films’ release may have also played a large part as it had to compete with a variety of other films that took away from its box office numbers. Jurassic World being one of them.
One of the biggest reasons for me, and likely many others, brings me to a statement that one of my writing partners uses often regarding movies like this. 'Breaching the Social Contract' If you've yet to see the film, youget a glimpse of this in the trailer but are not completely aware of its purpose. So if you've yet to see the film, this is the biggest spoiler I offer in my review. One of the most interesting aspects of the movie is also one of its biggest problems. The fact that John Connor, who has been the focal point for all of the films, the messiah so-to-speak, is turned into a villain is a breah in the social contract between storyteller and audience. This in itself may not sit well with many of the fans. It may not even sit well with a large portion of the mainstream. While I don't think this breaks the film, as only a small portion of the trailers hinted at this, I think it's a major plot break in Genisys.
If I’m going to be completely honest, the overt uses of time paradoxes and rampant misuse of relative theory is my biggest gripe. When you need too many gimmicks (including the above to rectify being a different film) to make something work, chances are the strength of the story alone is too weak to stand on its own. While the movie is completely enjoyable as a blockbuster, it is not as enjoyable for a purist fan of the franchise and not to be watched with the expectation that this is a film, rather—fine cinema. It definitely is not.
Overall Verdict?
It is an enjoyable movie, Genisys will likely aide the franchise in opening up to more entries that will hopefully tie up the storyline more cleanly. It is providing more for the fans of the franchise to enjoy. Seemingly attempting to close up loose ends between the various films and the series that was cancelled at a cliffhanger. But it has a variety of issues in terms of the suspension of disbelief. It plays too hard and loose with the storylines in a forceful manner to connect the dots. There are too many gimmicks to give this anymore than a ‘3 Geeks’ rating on my rating system.
3 Comic Book Movie Geeks out of 5 will think it's
Good.
For a definition of this scale click the image above
Terminator: Genisys is now out in theaters but is not breaking any box office records. While it is steadily climbing in revenue internationally it continues to decline sharply here in the US and has barely crossed showing in theaters for two weeks. Giving more and more rise to the fact that many of you have not seen this movie (yet). Is it worth a viewing--Yes. Is it worth paying extra for 3D--No. Is it fun enough to watch in an IMAX setting--most definitely.
For those of us with massive TV's at home (like myself) coupled with solid sound systems; it may simply be one of those movies we're content to wait until it is released on Blu-Ray.
Have you seen
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By @EmanuelFCamacho | Editor | CBM