Review: Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

So, it's been a minute, hasn't it?? I've been away doing some cool work out in Vancouver that left me with little time to entertain you with my sub-par reviews. But like I said... "I'd be back!" (*cue cymbal crash*) Ok, right, lame joke, I get it....

Dark Fate is the newest instalment in this everlasting franchise. One might be surprised why they continue beating the dead horse of this series as each of the recent sequels have been underwhelming and not entirely successful. But, like the T-800 itself, I guess the Terminator series really is that hard to kill. But with Dark Fate I must say there was hope! The new sequel marked the return of creator, James Cameron, as producer and co-writer, as well as the return of original stars, Arnie and Linda Hamilton. As such, this one would seemingly be a return to the source formula that made the two originals such resounding classics.

Unfortunately, a saviour to the series Dark Fate was not...

To be honest, I have seen a number of quite positive reviews for the film and I genuinely don't understand if they watched the same film that I did. This is not me just bashing the film pessimistically because, going into the film, I really hoped that I would like it. However, Dark Fate is rather uninteresting, its action a bit repetitive, and no one really to latch onto or root for. The newcomer actors to the series I did not find particularly strong or compelling in any way and, though it was obviously fun to see Arnie and Linda back at it, there was no real charm in their return. I get that the point of a killer robot is that it is unemotional and deadpan, however, I found Gabriel Luna completely boring to watch as the newest T-800 variation. There was something magnetic about Arnie's original portrayal (maybe it was the combo of the ridiculousness and the accent - and I mean that only in a good way) that subsequent actors and films have been unable to replicate, which is why I personally think that recent sequels have largely failed.

There is one facet of the film that I especially did not like and this will contain SPOILERS for anyone who has yet to see Dark Fate and still wants to. Now I am all for films and stories having social context and relevance - and I think that when done right they can elevate a film to new levels. However, they need to be done tastefully and somewhat subtly. The first half of Dark Fate takes place in and around Mexico and there a lot of elements that relate to the current geo-political climate between the US and Mexico, going so far as to have a scene that takes place at a border internment camp in Texas where Mexicans who have illegally tried to enter the US are detained. Now, this is all an important topic for conversation and to shed light on, but for it to be shoehorned into a Terminator film in the way that it is, is more than a little awkward. The analogy between, or relevance of, the US-Mexico conflict and robots taking over mankind is pretty strange and if you do try to make a connection you are likely to go down a pretty tenuous and equally awkward rabbit-hole. The social message of the Terminator series is pretty straightforward: it is about the rapid and potentially-dangerous evolution of technology. Unless absolutely relevant, the series doesn't need more than that. It is suspense and action about an unkillable killing machine! There is no need to force a major subplot about sensitive geo-politics... Okay, rant over.

If you are a diehard fan of the series, then you may find some things to like in Dark Fate. However, if you were hoping for a return to form for a series that once appealed to all action/suspense films alike then this one likely won't do it for you. It's a shame that Arnie and Linda couldn't say farewell to these beloved characters on a high note, because it's hard to see another sequel coming any time soon after this dud.