Yes No Maybe So: Terminator Dark Fate
by Jason Adams
The longest time to pass between Terminator movies was twelve years, from James Cameron's action masterpiece T2 in 1991 to Jonathan Mostow's shoddy Rise of the Machines in 2003. Since then, even though they continually struggle to find and resituate their stories and main characters, it's been five to six years from film to film, taking us from Salvation to Genisys and to now, as of this fall, we'll have Dark Fate. Which, it must be said, finally brings the great Linda Hamilton and her iconic Sarah Connor character back for the first time since 1991.
Today they've just released the first fairly loaded teaser trailer for the film -- so let's take a look...
YES
- Linda Freaking Hamilton, Obviously -- I know I'm not the only nerd out here getting actual literal gigantic goosebumps the second that Sarah Connor stepped out of that truck and starting blasting that robot in the face. The franchise has struggled ever since 1991 because the most important character of the franchise went AWOL (at least the Linda Hamilton iteration - thanks but no thanks Khaleesi). Sure the right and proper Sarah Connor being back doesn't necessarily mean the film will be good, but it adds immediate stakes the others have lacked. Also... Linda Hamilton just kicks ass. We love her.
- Mackenzie freaking Davis -- Davis is one of my favorite actresses working today, whose choices with character are always smart and always just a little bit weird enough to never be boring, and that ability's already on display here in these quick glimpses we're getting. Not to mention it's just a hoot to see the brainy punk from Halt and Catch Fire do flying twisting leaps on the back of a moving pick-up truck. It's the big things!
NO
- The hit or miss ratio on this franchise is dire at this point, so we can't help but wonder if they haven't drained out all that was fascinating about the story in the first place in their endless squeezing of its simple pleasures in favor of overlapping timeline nonsense. And we're not sure this trailer rectifies that problem! It looks like they've rebooted the original story -- the fate of humanity rests on the survival of a normal human woman (Natalia Reyes) who's being hunted by a killer robot -- but there are hints of all the sequels in there too, and there are a lot of characters already; if it can't keep it simple it will be its downfall.
- I already kind of have no idea what was happening in the big showcase plane crash they're showing off?
MAYBE SO
- Director Tim Miller -- Even though it was a massive hit for most folks I congregate with Deadpool is hit or miss, self included. One thing's for certain -- he's no James Cameron.
- The Return of Arnold -- Well... okay, Arnold never really went away. He's been in every one of these, in some form. But seeing him and Linda Hamilton together does tweak my sexy nostalgia places, I'll admit.
Where are you guys falling? Terminator: Dark Fate (and let's hope that title doesn't speak to its own) arrives in theaters on November 1st.
Reader Comments (16)
Everything after Judgment Day is studio backed fan-fiction.
Yes. Yes. Yes. Look at her. She looks even more iconic as a sexagenarian. I haven't prayed this hard for a movie to be good since mother!
I need this to be good and am heartened by the return of Hamilton, who looks incredible, and the addition of Davis. The Schwarzenegger thing, though, gets to me as he’s a machine, she’s a human, so his getting—or looking—old(er) is odd, narratively speaking. 🤞🏼
I cant believe they dragged a bjor music to this trash
Uh... hmm... what is.... OH FUCK YEAH!!!!! Linda Hamilton, Mackenzie Davis, and Arnold!!!!!
I'm totally on board where at least it has some involvement from James Cameron and it has Tim Miller who did Deadpool.
LINDA.
HAMILTON.
....
YES
Linda Hamilton has returned to crush sexism a second time. Right when we needed her most. She’s like Aslan.
kris01 with the comment of the young year.
"the director of deadpool" is not the way i want this movie to sold 😒
Jason: Even James Cameron isn't James Cameron these days, though? Avatar, as a story, does not need 5 movies. Especially since Miles Quaritch has metastasized from "His story's going to be interesting" to "No, he's still the bad guy". So, what, does he become Pandora's Skeletor?
Definitely intrigued by Hamilton and Davis but the heavy mouth-breathing/growling that’s pretending to be a song almost made me turn off the trailer.
I'm not sure how Terminator 2 would look if the terminators make pirouettes in the air as they beat each other on the end...
Rise of the Machines wasn't a great movie, and it's been a long time since I've seen it, so it may not have aged well at all. But I saw it with a friend in the movie theater when it came out (it may have even been opening weekend, I don't remember). And there were a few scenes I genuinely loved, including the traffic chase scene. I distinctly remember telling my friend when we were leaving that that was much better than I had expected it to be. It wasn't remotely close to James Cameron level - let's face it, when the man is passionate about a project, he brings something that no other director can replicate. But I really enjoyed it.
As for Genisys, casting two actors with such little charisma in a script that felt written by committee and was obviously created by people that could care less about anything but profiting off of a movie so many people care about? Well, the less said about that, the better. OMG, that was a horrible movie.
If Jamie Lee Curtis can have her kick ass come back why not Linda Hamilton!
Deadpool was one of the most fun I ever had in the movies. Probably the best comic book adaptation ever (should I rather say, translation to the silver screen?) and really, really deserved to be multinominated (Picture, Director, Actor, Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing at the very least) to the Oscars back then. So yeah, I'm on Tim Miller side, for making such a groundbreaking film. I understand it is not for all tastes, but the film was freaking good... and the sequel, while slightly inferior, also. Can't wait to see what Disney/Marvel does with MCU's Deadpool, but Feige said that is the only thing from Fox they're not "touching", as it is perfect, the way it is.
That's saying something, isn't it?
the hype tho...cant wait to see arnold schwarzenegger back in action*_*