Terminator: Dark Fate — A Review

29th February, 2020.

It has to be said, it’s a spare Saturday evening.

No cash to go out, little to do if I did have cash … 

And frankly … ?

A mood bordering on the thoughtful … 

If nothing else … ?

I fancied a film.

I’ve a few sitting in my collection that needed viewing: and one or two had been suggested to me.

Teaser regular, Olga had suggested I Am Not A Serial Killer.   Which was in the collection, at some point: but is maybe for another time.

The Girl on the Third Floor was another: I’d seen it float past on a Facebook group I belong to.

Possibly not … 

Candyman?   The 1992 horror film: a remake of which is due out this year … ?

Possibly: a post would get a lot of views … 

But maybe not yet … 

I finally … went with Terminator: Dark Fate.

Am I convinced … ?

~≈¥≈~

Terminator: Dark Fate opens in 1998: three years Terminator 2: Judgement Day: and sees Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) and her song John happily living in Guatemala … when John is attacked by a T-800 Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger).

A Terminator sent back by Skynet before its erasure: a Terminator that successfully completes its mission … of killing John Connor.

Years later, in 2020?

An advanced Revision 9 Terminator (Gabriel Luna) is back in time: to assassinate Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes).

Whilst another time traveller, Grace (Mackenzie Davis) is sent back to protect Dani.

What neither know?

Is that:

• Sarah Connor is waiting for Terminators to arrive: so she can deal with them the only way she can.
• The Terminator that finally killed John Connor wants to atone by helping Dani.

This … ?

Could get nasty … 

~≈¥≈~

Now … 

Convinced … ?   Impressed … ?   Dare I say it, stunned?

Possibly … and possibly not.

Over all?

I have to say I wasn’t totally taken with Terminator: Dark Fate.

That acting’s good enough.

The writing?   Ok.

The plot jogs along at an OK pace: even though there’s a plot hole or two.

Sarah is a self confessed wanted criminal in one, early, scene: wanted in all fifty US states.

And friendly enough with a senior military figure to ‘borrow’ some EMP weapons, later on.

The upside?   The fight scenes and chases both well co-ordinated and beautiful to watch.

Gabriel Luna as the Rev 9 Terminator does very well … 

And the effects — and design — for this version of 80s sf’s best know monsters?   Design that lets the fluid ‘skin’ operate independently of the solid endo-skeleton?

Eye-popping.

That alone?   Makes Terminator: Dark Fate just about watchable.

And leaves me wondering if I should have watch something else …

Terminator: Dark Fate.
★☆☆☆