Tuesday, 7 July 2015

Film Review: "Terminator Genisys" (2015).




"... The timeline John sent you to no longer exists. Everything's changed... and we can stop Judgement Day." This is the new mission set for Terminator Genisys. This science fiction action film directed by Alan Taylor and written by Laeta Kalogridisand Patrick Lussier, based on the characters created by James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd. It is the fifth installment in the Terminator series, and acts as a retcon that alters the original story's timeline. John Connor sends Kyle Reese back in time to protect Sarah Connor, but when he arrives in 1984, nothing is as he expected it to be.

While Terminator Salvation (2009) was initially intended to begin a new trilogy, production on a fifth film was put on pause as a result of legal issues and the Chapter 11bankruptcy filing by The Halcyon Company. By late September 2009, the rights to the franchise were once again up for sale as The Halcyon Company tried to emerge from bankruptcy. Late the following month, Halcyon announced it would auction off the rights to future Terminator material and was seeking $60 million to $70 million. On February 8, 2010, an auction was held for the Terminator rights. After studios Sony Pictures and Lions Gate Entertainment bid separately, Pacificor, the hedge fund that pushed Halcyon into bankruptcy, made a deal for $29.5 million. In May 2010, Pacificor hired an agency to sell off the rights to the franchise. By August 2010, a new Terminator film was being developed at Universal with Arnold Schwarzenegger returning in the title role, Justin Lin directing, and Chris Morgan as screenwriter. By May 2011, Megan Ellison and her production company Annapurna Pictures had won the rights at auction to make at least two more Terminator films, including Terminator 5. Now titled Terminator: Genesis, the film was to be produced by Megan and David Ellison of Skydance Productions. Laeta Kalorgridis and Patrick Lussier were commissioned to write the screenplay. But the film was left without a director as Justin Lin, who was originally in discussions to direct, chose to direct Fast & Furious 6 instead. By June 27, 2013, Paramount had pushed the film's release date back from June 26, 2015, to July 1, 2015. By September 2013, Alan Taylor was in talks to direct the film, after Ang Lee, Rian Johnson and Denis Villeneuve had been considered. During an interview, James Cameron, admitted that he had been asked to be involved in the film by Megan Ellison. Cameron later had held several meetings with David Ellison, where they discussed Schwarzenegger's role and how to stay true to the original T-800 character. After having watched the film's prerelease screening, Cameron unequivocally voiced his support for Terminator Genisys, characterizing it "as being extremely respectful of the first two movies" and counting it as the official third film in the franchise.

The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, reprising his role as the eponymous character, along with Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, Lee Byung-hun, J. K. Simmons and Matt Smith. Despite the cast giving their all and their own interpretations of the iconic characters, they felt stale and out of sync. Schwarzenegger was the only one who played the role without any problems.

Although Terminator Genisys never reaches the heights of the first two movies, it is a welcome addition to the Terminator franchise than the atrocious Terminator: Rise of the Machines (2003) and Terminator Salvation. However, the film feels thats it's essentially one long convoluted time-traveling plot, punctuated by mindless fights and action with comic, campy and simplistic dialogue.

Simon says Terminator Genisys receives:



Also, see my review for Thor: The Dark World.

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