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.