TERMINATOR: DARK FATE
US, 2019, 128 minutes, Colour.
Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mackenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes, Diego Boneta.
Directed by Tim Miller.
Here comes another Terminator action film, fully 35 years after the original appeared in 1984 and made such an impact. An impact not only for Arnold Schwarzenegger and the following Terminator franchise but also for the director, James Cameron. Cameron gets a credit here as an executive producer.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day was considered to be the best of the Terminator films, something of a classic in 1991. There were two other sequels but they did not make much of a mark. While, in theory, Terminator fans should enjoy this particular sequel, a quick look at the bloggers on the IMDb shows that trolls are winning in the comments, minimal comments in favour. Which seems a pity because there is quite an amount going for this particular chapter.
One of the major advantages is the return of Linda Hamilton as Sarah, star of 1984, mother of the future saviour of the human race, John Connor. (And, at the opening of the film, that is another terminator attempt at killing John leading to Sara’s grief and vengeance.)
In many ways, the plotline is a rerun to the original Terminator, greedy powers in the future under siege and wanting to send a robot back in time to kill the leader of the rebellion of the future so that the future will be changed. It didn’t work then – we are sure that it won’t work now!
Two characters from the future suddenly appear in Mexico City, one a young woman, Grace (two point Davis), the other young man, no-name Terminator (Gabriel Luna). It is revealed that the latter has been sent on the destruction mission, Grace has been sent to protect a young woman, Dani, in Mexico City who, we soon realise, is to be the saviour in the future.
With the focus on Dani, Grace and Sarah, one is tempted to think of this version as Terminator #MeToo.
For any audience which has been feeling spectacular-movie-crashes-deprivation, rest assured there is plenty of compensation in the first part of the film. The action in the latter part of the film includes helicopters, a huge dam and the cavernous spaces behind and below the dam.
And, we are kept wondering for quite a while, where is Arnold Schwarzenegger himself? When the women discover that they are being sent coordinates with a message “For John� from somewhere in Texas, they have to cross the Mexican-US border (shades of President Trump and his wall and detention), and find that their destination is a cozy house in the countryside. And, there he is, and now a grey-bearded terminator who calls himself Carl, and is protective of a woman and her son, earning his keep selling drapes. While Carl can’t be truly human, he has been learning how to behave in a human way for more than 20 years – and, in his famous deadpan way, announces that one of his qualities is that “I am funny�. And, there is an amount of deadpan dialogue to back that up!
Ultimately, there is an explanation of why Grace is on her mission and has not revealed it thus far, absolutely committed into her protection and Dani who gradually grows in character and forcefulness during all the action. The bad Terminator continues in deadly pursuit until a final confrontation with the women and with The Terminator himself.
And so, the future is once again saved – but there is no reason that screenwriters could think up another opportunity for it to be threatened!
1. The popularity of the original films, the classic status of Judgement Day? The status and impact of the sequels? This film and the focus on the women, terminator #MeToo?
2. Science fiction background, futuristic? AI, the role of robots, deadly robots, capitalistic companies and power? Violence?
3. The time shifts, going to the past, saving the future? The theme of the original film? Repeated here? Sara, returning? Memories of John and his role?
4. 1997, Sarah and John, happy, the role of the Terminator, killing John? The impact on Sarah?
5. 2019, the Mexican settings, homes, the city, the car factory? The countryside? The Mexican-American? border, detention centres? The move to Texas, the home in the countryside? The move to the dam, the subterranean buildings? The musical score?
6. Grace, her name, arrival, enhanced human, the violence with the police, changing clothes? The arrival of the male Terminator, confrontational, his clothes? Grace and her mission to protect Dani? The malevolence of the male terminator?
7. Dani and Diego, at home, ordinary, with their father, going to work, Dani’s promotion, the father bringing the lunch? The sinister consequences?
8. The missions of destroying and protection? The future, Legion, sending back the terminators, to kill the potential saviour?
9. Sarah, her background, in herself, Linda Hamilton reprising the role, her memories, John, her grief? Receiving the coordinates, the caption “for John�? Her intervening, Dani’s reaction, the car and the pursuit? Grace and her reaction?
10. Dani, the car, the impact of the chases, the crashes? Diego and his death? Dani and the rescue? Grace present, no explanations – but later and their effect?
11. Dani as a character, pleasant, mild, at work, some assertiveness, grief about her family, her being saved? Sarah and her story, Grace and her mission? The range of dangerous experiences?
12. The information, sharing the coordinates, going to the border, the train, the detention centre, the guards, the cells?
13. The terminator, changing shape, the pursuit, his information and technical know-how? His surviving, the pursuit, the border, Grace and her injuries, health needs, the supermarket and demanding medication? Open the doors for the detainees? Getting the helicopter?
14. Going to meet Carl, Schwarzenegger with his beard, his cover as a terminator, 22 years on Earth, learning human ways, protective, as a husband, his wife and her son, saying that he was funny, his deadpan humour, the drapes? Sara confronting him, the angers? Grace and the information, the explanations? Dani’s response? Moving out the family, driving to the dam? The plan, the room for the confrontation? The detailed action?
15. The terminator, his mission, in pursuit, the intensity, going to the dam? The buildup to the confrontations, with the women, with Carl?
16. Grace, her death, saving Dani? Carl, his quiet, the red lights going out?
17. Grace, the flashbacks and the explanation of the future, the role of Dani as a saviour?
18. The ending, 2019, the young Grace seen by Sarah and Dani? Hopes for the future?
