Terminator Genisys (2015)

Why do audiences keep visiting new Terminator movies? Since the second movie there really haven’t been any great films in this series, but still new installments are being made. I do keep having hope that the new one will be good, but I have been disappointed time after time. My feeling about this movie in advance wasn’t positive at all. But Arnold Schwarzenegger is back and even James Cameron had positive things to say about this new part. Two important reason for me to still head to the cinema to see how good/bad Terminator Genisys is.

The elements which make up a Terminator movie are all present: John and Sarah Connor, Kyle Reese and of course the various Terminator models. The movie opens, after a short introduction, in the future after Judgement Day. John Connor leads his troops to the final fight against Skynet. It is the moment in which Skynet uses its last move: sending a T-800 back into the past to kill Sarah Connor. So you see the events that happen before the start of the first film. It makes for an interesting start and when the movie heads back to 1984 and recreates the opening moments of the original you wonder if director Alan Taylor is doing a remake. Fortunately you quickly find out that it gives an unexpected twist to the story, which at the same time is a homage to the first two movies. At the same time it does new things, like we saw earlier this year with Jurassic World. Fans of the first two films will be able to relate to various moments from them and it definitely adds something to the experience.

Just like with the other movies it is about trying to stop Skynet and the less you know about the film, the more the movie will be able to surprise you. Sarah Connor is played by Emilia Clarke, who has some physical similarities to Linda Hamilton, making the character believable. Besides that it is a joy to see Schwarzenegger return to one of his most iconic roles and he regularly is responsible for some very funny jokes. As with most time travel movies it is best not to thing too much about the events that take place, because you will be able to poke holes in the logic of it all. If you disregard those though then Terminator Genisys is the best Terminator movie after the first two film, which offers a very enjoyable two hours. A movie which was a lot better than I expected.