2019 Terminator: Dark Fate

[GeneralZod]

I’m not reading the spoilers, but it sounds like it’s better than expected so that’s a win in my book. I’m fine with it being a 7/10. Expecting more than that is futile in this day and age. Any film rated higher than a 7 or 8 should be considered a fluke with what’s being made now.

There’s always going to be fans that will hate any new Terminator film. The main problem is that we live in a time where a film has to be 100% how someone wants it or it gets blasted. If the “wrong” person is in it then the movie must be shit. If the movie doesn’t follow the exact plot line that’s in someone’s head then it must be shit. If there’s a song in it they don’t like then it must be shit. Never mind actually watching the movie and judging for yourself. Never mind just watching the film for pure entertainment. Unfortunately, every film has to be a masterpiece or it’s a failure to some people.

 

[Darth Maul]

Sometimes a movie is actually just shit though. The Predator was atrocious. There isn’t even a word in the English language... or any language, to describe just how fucking badly I hate that film. It’s the single worst movie I have ever seen. It’s worse than any B movie I’ve struggled to sit through.

While I think it’s highly unlikely any Terminator film could be that bad, it’s still possible. It happened to the Predator franchise. Even most of the Alien films have been “decent.”

 

[GeneralZod]

Sometimes a movie is actually just s*** though. The Predator was atrocious. There isn’t even a word in the English language... or any language, to describe just how f****** badly I hate that film. It’s the single worst movie I have ever seen. It’s worse than any B movie I’ve struggled to sit through.

While I think it’s highly unlikely any Terminator film could be that bad, it’s still possible. It happened to the Predator franchise. Even most of the Alien films have been “decent.”

some films absolutely are shit. I don’t think any sane person could give The Predator a 7/10. The new Ghostbusters was shit so same deal. I’m just tired of every single movie being shit on just because it doesn’t fulfill some fan’s ridiculously high expectations. Lots of people with screenplays in their head—though they’ll never actually write one and put themselves out there for rejection—around calling something garbage because it doesn’t check all of their boxes then they desperately try to ruin it for everyone else. It’s like they take it personally that someone likes something that someone else thinks they shouldn’t. Who gives a shit? Some movies still have some decent bits that make up for the garbage, but the entire movie is blasted as shit—most of the time for petty bullshit.

 

[Darth Maul]

That’s the nature of the beast. I like plenty of films that people have labeled as complete shit. I know good films when I see them and I know the bad. I can’t believe I own Transformers The Last Knight though. I need to be hung from the tallest building for ever thinking that was a good idea.

 

[GeneralZod]

I guess I should specify that it’s more annoying when a pic pops up during the filming of a movie and the entire internet gets on their soapbox to condemn the movie. Or when a trailer premieres and people latch onto one thing and declare the entire movie shit just because they aren’t happy with that one thing. Like with the endoskeleton in this one. People are ranting and raving about it not being a clunky chrome T-800. The same thing happened with the Genesys one. I love the original, but I also like seeing updated models because I think Skynet would continue to improve its weapons and technology. Even the women in this are getting shit on—like the Terminator franchise has never had strong women in it. It’s a staple of the first two films, but this movie has a Mexican girl and a skinny blonde with a bad haircut so the entire film sucks? Come on. Look at Linda Hamilton’s hair in T1. How much did that matter to the film as a whole.

 

[Snake Plissken]

The endo being ultra chrome is a false memory. I think it’s due to the endo in the fire in the T2 intro. I was guilty of it myself at one point. Look at it in T1 and T2 war scene and while it catches light, it’s not a mirror like people think. It’s just polished steel.

 

[EVILFACE]

As a collectible it looks better chromed. It brings out the details. Just look back at the original HT one. It looks terrible in silver.

 

[GeneralZod]

It’s never been chrome. That’s why it drives me nuts when people flip out about a statue or figure of an endoskeleton not being a goddamn mirror. It was never that way in the first place. Yes, it’s metallic but not like a disco ball.

 

[Snake Plissken]

It just needs to have a cold look to it. The 1/4 did it well regardless of the other inaccuracies.

 

[GeneralZod]

As a collectible it looks better chromed. It brings out the details. Just look back at the original HT one. It looks terrible in silver.

it does look cool, but I don’t know how people can nitpick everything down to the millimeter for accuracy then bitch that it’s not chrome. I saw the chromed new 1:1 endoskelton from Chronicle at SDCC and it was ridiculous. I couldn’t even get a decent pic of it without crazy glare everywhere. I have the first 1:1 endoskeleton from Genesys and they did it a metallic silver paint. It looks perfect.

 

[EVILFACE]

True. I believe they are supposed to be made from titanium. And I don't think machines would spend the effort in polishing one to a mirror finish.

But as a collectible on the shelf, it looks good chrome or shiny.

Now yea a large 1:1 would look better closer to the actual intended look. But smaller scale.

 

[Darth Maul]

I guess I should specify that it’s more annoying when a pic pops up during the filming of a movie and the entire internet gets on their soapbox to condemn the movie. Or when a trailer premieres and people latch onto one thing and declare the entire movie s*** just because they aren’t happy with that one thing. Like with the endoskeleton in this one. People are ranting and raving about it not being a clunky chrome T-800. The same thing happened with the Genesys one. I love the original, but I also like seeing updated models because I think Skynet would continue to improve its weapons and technology. Even the women in this are getting s*** on—like the Terminator franchise has never had strong women in it. It’s a staple of the first two films, but this movie has a Mexican girl and a skinny blonde with a bad haircut so the entire film sucks? Come on. Look at Linda Hamilton’s hair in T1. How much did that matter to the film as a whole.

It’s not about strong women. It’s about the forced diversity thing that’s been going on the last several years. Is there even a leading male role? Arnold doesn’t count.

The latina girl just seems completely shoehorned and out of place. And the shemale thing is honestly kind of meh, from what I’ve seen. Also really just don’t like that actress. Thanos is more believable than she is, and he’s a damn purple space alien.

 

[GeneralZod]

I’m not trying to convince anyone that this is a good movie. I haven’t seen it yet so I’m only going by what I’m hearing. It’s already been established that there are some people that are desperate for this to be a dumpster fire. I’m reading a lot of stuff that indicates that it may be a decent movie—not the perfect Terminator film that some people wanted, but a decent film nonetheless. Are we at the point where it’s perfection or nothing? If everything else in the film is good, does the lack of a male protagonist (I’m assuming he would have to be white if there was one to make some people happy) mean the entire movie is shit? Is the Terminator franchise ruined if the next John Connor-type character is a Mexican female? What if she were Asian instead? Does it make a difference? Does it have to be John Connor forever?

I get that everyone has their own ideas on what a Terminator film should be. I have my own ideas that I’m not seeing on the big screen, but it’s still possible for me to enjoy what’s out there. There are bits and pieces of every Terminator film that I love and bits and pieces of each film that I’m not a fan of, and I don’t think any of them are as bad as some people out there say they are. They all still entertain me. I think this one will too.

 

[Robocop]

Natalia Reyes isn't even what you could call "the lead". It's very much an ensemble with a lot of the focus on Grace, Sarah and Carl.

 

[Darth Maul]

The fact that John Connor is gone is an atrocity that can’t be forgiven. It’s not even about his sex or his gender. He was THE leader. It’s what all the movies were about. Then, the last two films went and shit all over that whole aspect. If it wasn’t for Pops and Emilia Clarke, I would have snapped the last film in half and buried it in the backyard. The movie grew on me, but it’s still a mess.

 

[RavenEye]

Spoiler: Plot Hole

So are we going to ignore by changing the past John should cease to exist? I knew T3 filled that void that Judgement Day would always happen. But no Connor in Dark Fate means no picture to Reese, means no Reese doing nasty to Sarah, means what is Terminator again?

 

[RIDDICK]

Talked about that in my spoiler post.

Spoiler

It really doesn't work. They need a tougher-looking, older actress for her future self if they're going to do more of these. When she shows up with cornrows and combat fatigues in one of the future war scenes, it's the worst part of the film. Laughable, even.

It cannot be worse than this... can it?

The endo being ultra chrome is a false memory.

It’s never been chrome.

The intent was always for it to look like tarnished chrome, since the very first film. Get The WInston Effect book if you must, can't go against the word of people who actually designed and painted those.

 

[Robocop]

Spoiler: Plot Hole

So are we going to ignore by changing the past John should cease to exist? I knew T3 filled that void that Judgement Day would always happen. But no Connor in Dark Fate means no picture to Reese, means no Reese doing nasty to Sarah, means what is Terminator again?

Spoiler

Film opens with Sarah and teen John chilling on a beach in Guatemala in 1998, a full year or so after Judgment Day was supposed to happen. They stopped Skynet from ever existing in T2 in 1995, meaning Reese will never need to be sent back, etc. That doesn't stop things that have already been sent back from continuing to exist, it's the standard logic of a single timeline that allows for paradoxes we've had since T2.

 

[Puck]

It was okay. Not great, a bit uneven in places, and mostly a retread of the other films it's trying to ignore - but the fact that it still comes out as just okay after all the crap we've gotten, honestly I'll take it even if it's not up to the high standard we all want.

Linda, Arnie and Mackenzie are all excellent and the best parts of the film, Linda especially. I wish Arnie's role was bigger because his parts are actually hilarious and the most interesting. It's a missed opportunity that they didn't focus the entire thing on how the T-800 came to develop a conscience, instead of creating another greatest hits Terminator film to tick the big blockbuster template checkbox.

Unfortunately what takes away from those three is the character of Dani; I absolutely did not buy her as a person that's going to become this resistance leader figure, even with the flash forward parts in the future. And yes, she is seen as the female JC, but she is NOT our JC. It's not the actress's fault, it's how she was written and she just doesn't quite fill the boots.

For me the movie works best when it's focusing on the quieter moments where characters are given time to breathe. When it's trying to be a big blockbuster with all the explosions and CGI stuff, it kind of just feels like we've been here before and a bit safe. The CGI is also clunky with characters being thrown around like rubber balls.

Oh, and Rev-9 is a pretty cool terminator. He's no Robert Patrick of course but he does have charisma. I would buy a Neca figure if they make him.

 

[Darth Maul]

No Terminator has ever come close to the original T-800 or the T-1000. I think it’s impossible to best them at this point, in all honesty.