Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) - Review

This movie easily became my favorite one in the Terminator series. It even beat T2, but maybe that's because I've watched it too many times. We'll see how I feel in a year, because god knows I will watch this one until I hate it.

It's set after Terminator and T2, in a separate timeline from the movies that followed. This movie has well rounded characters, and some fresh ideas even with the reoccurring plot lines in this series. Mackenzie Davis and Natalia Reyes are both new actresses to me, and I was pleasantly surprised by their talent, but this movie also had the return of Arnold Schwarzenegger and of course, Linda Hamilton, which adds a nostalgic aspect. Arnold might have appeared in other Terminator movies, but we haven't seen Linda since 1991and her return is everything you want it to be, and more.

This movie is great for anyone who's shown interest in the past Terminator movies, or anyone who likes dystopian, action packed movies.

DO NOT CONTINUE READING IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE

SPOILERS AHEAD

Dark Fate is set apart from the other Terminator movies by Grace being sent back to save Dani, but not as a terminator. She's human, just augmented. Upgraded. Being sent back in time was intended to be a suicide mission all along, and her body was not made to last. She said "you only have 2 minutes to kill a terminator" after she failed to do so, her next plan was to get meds, and bring Dani to safety. And while she was an upgraded human, she was a downgrade in terms of strength. She wasn't as invincible as, say, Arnold Schwarzeneggerr's terminator, but she was still up against one that was more advanced than in the past. He had the whole liquid metal thing going on, but he could also split into two bodies and access all the information online he needed to track them down, take over drones, whatever. The fight should have been impossible, but still, they won.

The return of Sarah Connor was every bit as good as it could have been. She had a badass entrance where she came in and took control of the show, but somehow remained mysterious and closed off - until eventually, her past catches up to her. Her soft moments were really touching, and her anger, sadly justified. The queen is back, and she now has friends.

Grace and Dani's relationship was so pure, I don't know if they were implying Grace as being in love with her or not, but either way, their was mutual love between them. It's revealed that Dani saved Grace in the future, and Grace is doing the same in return. And this is what made this movie so appealing to me, we have a human terminator. She is strong, she came back in time to carry out a mission, but she has emotions. She cares. She would die for Dani, but not because she was told to. She wants to. And she knows what's at stake if she doesn't.

But it wasn't just her that cared. Arnold's terminator returned, and he developed what he called the equivalent of a conscience. He can't love like a human does, but he understands the importance of love, and purpose. While brief, we saw enough of him with his family to know that they mattered to him. He found purpose in caring for them, in protecting them, even as a machine. It made me feel better about the human condition. And in a world of subjectivity, I loved having my beliefs confirmed in a movie. That meaning is what we are here for.

I teared up when Arnold's terminator said "for John" as he died. Until then, I forgot that's what he ended his texts with. "For John" he said to Sarah while sending her a location for a terminator that she could kill. Somehow, this machine understood her, her anger, and her loss. She told Grace that she drinks and kills terminators. What would she have if not terminator hunting? Would she have found peace, or would drinking have taken over her life? I'd say the latter. The terminator killed John, but these texts he sent essentially saved Sarah too.

So, the characters in these movies were spot on. They were well rounded, and they all had stories and character devlopment, even the new ones. Just that was enough for me to fall in love with this movie, but the plot was well done too. It reminded me a little of Star Wars, where they made the next trilogy, and then the next one, all start off similar: a poor kid on a sand planet. They recycled the concept. In The Phantom Menace they pulled it off, but in The Force Awakens it got a little, boring. But Terminator has quite a few movies now, and it sort of bounces everywhere. Past, future, different timelines. I don't think they did much planning ahead, so when there's a new movie coming out, I expect some similarities. But this one pulled it off. I can forgive the fact they let Sarah Connor change the past only for a similar future to still take place. I can even forgive them for coming back to save a new "John" like they did in T2. Because while they are recycled, the movie doesn't ignore it. They comment on the new future being similar to the old one, and Sarah mentions the parallel between Dani and her, saying she must carry the future savior in her womb to have terminators sent back to hunt and protect her like this. These aren't new concepts, and the characters recognize that. It makes it so the parallels aren't boring. Instead, they are a way to relate.

When Dani's future is revealed, and Sarah looks at Dani and say "she's John" and not "John's mother," it only makes the movie that much more powerful.

The writers did a good job with this one. Genisys was fun to see in theater but I didn't walk out with the same intensity that Dark Fate hit me with. It didn't empower, impress or touch me the same way Dark Fate did.

I give this movie a 10/10 and recommend you go see it.
Preferably after you've watched Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement day!