Terminator Genisys ***

“Old, but not obsolete”, is returning Terminator legend Arnie Schwarzenegger’s punch line throughout the new reboot, Genisys. Clearly one line couldn’t better sum up the latest instalment: it’s by far not obsolete in concept and has a lot of mileage yet, exploring all kinds of societal impacts when machines start outsmarting us.

However, the execution this time feels ‘old’. That’s nothing to do with the Terminator (1984) and Judgement Day (1991) scene re-runs (re-filmed with the new stars) to jog the memory for this plot – and fill in the gaps for any newcomers, it’s just there is no new technological and hence, special effects that really ‘wow’ you in this one. All are well-worn elements from your average sci-fi action flick. And yes, we’ve seen such a time machine – like the one used by Skynet here to send back numerous individuals – before.

In Genisys, Sgt. Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) is sent back to 1984 by human resistance leader John Connor (Jason Clarke) to protect his future mother Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) and mankind. A spanner gets thrown into the time-travel works, causing Reese to return to an alternate 1984 (from the one we know in the original film). He must learn who are his allies and to trust his arch enemy, the Terminator, in the shape of the Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger), Sarah’s lifelong protector, all with the aim of resetting the future.

The plot this time is incredible convoluted that it gets lost in the modern-day special effects – or we get lost as we hope that enlightenment will happen as a matter of course as to what’s going on when. Without giving the game away, the reference to ‘a spanner’ is what warps the timeline. This is about the only truly exciting bit.

Even though we revel in Arnie’s return – the Terminator joker in this, much to our glee, you cannot help but make unfair comparisons as a fan of the series with his co-stars, between Emilia Clarke and Linda Hamilton and Courtney and Michael Biehn, the latter being the originals. To be honest, Game of Thrones star Clarke is as headstrong as Hamilton was – albeit seems a little too young for the part, while Courtney suits the gun-for-hire military bod role. However, overall, they feel generic, and not as edgy as Hamilton became in Judgement Day, or nervous and gritty as Biehn in the 1984 film. Both new stars do a reasonable job in this – and keeping us up with the plot.

All in all, Genisys gives fans nothing new to chew on, just a little more Terminator action and Arnie worshipping. It certainly sets itself up for the follow-on, with there always being ‘a leftover’ that could threaten mankind, regardless of how many man-made/machine parts get sent through the time machine.

3/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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