So once again, the producers have decided to make another installment in a franchise that has only had two successful films. The other films that were made before this year's new one didn't repeat the success that was expected. And story-wise, there was a lot of grumbling about the last films.
This year's Terminator update builds seamlessly on the first two films and hopes to repeat at least some of the success of the 1984 and 1991 films.
Terminator: Dark Destiny has a good enough backstory to repeat the success, but unfortunately even Cameron's presence to direct Tim Miller (Deadpool) couldn't make a story that engaged me and, more importantly, wasn't similar to the story we've seen a few films before it.
After the second installment, the destruction of humanity didn't happen, John Connor survived, and the third (sixth) works with that, bringing the famous action mother back to stardom. Also returning is the star of all the Terminator films, Arnold Schwarzenegger, for whom this is another successful return to the films of his youth, he has no cameo this time but is a fully worthwhile character you will either identify with or hate.
Linda Hamilton is back where we last saw her in a quality film and is the only really quality character the whole film stands on. The famous Austrian is rather laughable, as he retired as the Terminator and many (22) years have passed during the time he met John Conor in the second installment.
The story's main character, Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes), is only third among the top two stars, by a wide margin, and her "protector" Grace (Mackenzie Davis) is a close last. Not to mention the new Terminator (Gabriel Luna), who is perhaps the worst Terminator antagonist the filmmakers could have dreamed up.
The story is a variation of the first and second episodes, with the important part of the story being not Skynet, but another threat, this time cyber. There's a forced emancipation involved, and Arnold Schwarzenegger is no longer the youngster to play his Teminator part as he did, at least, in 2003.
Tim Miller's direction doesn't bring anything new to remember for years to come, and I mustn't forget the writers, among whom David S. Goyer stands out, having already "laid down" several franchises (Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, Blade: Trinity...).
But I must also mention the technical side of things, everything is perfect (CGI, rejuvenation of the actors), as befits a proper A-film, and the CGI creators have managed to create the most perfect youth of a given actor since Captain Marvel.
I think Terminator's attempts at a reboot were bad. While this film is a direct follow-up to the 1991 film, it falls short in quality. It is, in my opinion, even worse than Terminator Salvation, which brought us the future of Terminators and humans after a nuclear war. Unfortunately, it's only fifth in quality, so I'd quite like to see either Cameron himself return to direct or the producers no longer try to return to the familiar waters of a dark future.
Original release of this article October 25, 2019 – Kritiky.cz
