Terminator: The Threequels

Terminator: Reviews of the Threequels

If you have followed along with my timeline theories (if not, it begins here), then you are already aware how high in regard I hold The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. I know they have some flaws, but the timeline is easily comprehended and they are a very enjoyable experience in any case. The remaining four films, which I am referring to as "threequels" for simplicity, have a more obvious mix of good and bad. So, I have endeavored to review them with a formula of three good points and three bad points. The goal is not to build up or tear down, though my overall feelings may be revealed subtly. They are listed in no particular order, only good (+) first and bad (-) after. Since it is common across the board, a terminator is a good point for each film. Additional reasoning will accompany each point, but the overall concept for each terminator is much like how the T-1000 compares to the T-800, in my opinion. The honorable mention was not planned, but here we are. I may review The Sarah Connor Chronicles using the same method, perhaps by season, and probably along with the future "bonus" timeline theory post.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

+T-X: Its mimetic polyalloy and endoskeleton combine ability to mimic others with internal structure providing stability and durability. Its advanced technology includes nanotech to control other machines and encasing multiple "future" weapons in its polyalloy (which again, I theorize simulates the bio-electric field required to time travel). The female outer sheath creates different dynamics not previously seen. (Honorable mention to the T-1s with their early version of terminator technology)

+Cyberdyne Research Systems: It is logical and even expected that Cyberdyne Systems, a company on the cutting edge of technology, would have offsite data backups, and that the government would acquire this research, particularly in the instability that likely followed the destruction of their only facility, or at least their flagship.

+Judgment Day: Dark as it is, the conclusion is that "Judgment Day is inevitable," just as the T-850 said. This is reasonable for the story told.

-Uneven Humor: While there is very little in The Terminator, the humor in T2 is just enough to balance out the grimness that a killer robot is chasing a ten year old. T3, however, leans into it too heavily or maybe it just falls flat. Examples include the two variants of "I'll be back," instead of simply saying it, and the entire T-850 arrival sequence in the club including, "Talk to the hand." The tone is overall lighter throughout, also.

-No Sarah Connor: I do not feel any need to elaborate on the absence of Sarah, and particularly Linda Hamilton in the role.

-Poor Research or Unnecessary Retcon: There are two timeline errors: that John was 13 when T2 occurred and that it was over ten years ago. In T2, John is ten and it occurred nine years prior.

Terminator: Salvation (2009)

+Marcus Wright: The hybrid concept is interesting: beginnings with noble purpose, does not know what he is, and chooses humanity and John's life in the end. (Honorable mention to seeing the T-600 in action)

+Future War Setting: The war with the machines had never been shown except in bits and pieces. It is refreshing to not have the basic plot formula.

+Kyle Reese: With similarity to Michael Biehn both physically and in mannerism, the late Anton Yelchin portrays a young Kyle well.

-Repurposed Dialog: A couple of instances like, "I'll be back" and "Come with me if you want to live," are fine by themselves. I am not sure if I recall every extra instance, but there are at least two more, "What day is it? What year?" and "Get out!" "We are all dead!" is enough like Sarah's "You're already dead! Everybody!..." rant on tape in T2 to count, in my opinion. Most of it is out of place in this film.

-Incomplete Story: It would have been interesting to see how the machines' defeat played out. I wish I could say this is the only time a trilogy of these films had a false start.

-Recasting John & Kate Connor: Besides the obvious physical dissimilarity between just Nick Stahl and Christian Bale, I am still to this day not sure how I feel about Bale in the part. He does a great job in other roles and all, but it's lacking for such an important character. Claire Danes and Bryce Dallas Howard have enough physical resemblance and approach to the character, but Howard was only four years older than Danes at times of portrayal, and fourteen years of harsh conditions have passed in universe which does not present at all. I want to know more about the character responsible for getting Kate her skin care products.

Terminator: Genisys (2015)

+T-3000: The idea of a nearly complete replacement of organic material with that of machine is intriguing, and should have been explored further. I say nearly because I believe the outer sheath retains its organic property so it can time travel, which is then destroyed in conflicts when encountering its enemies in 2017. (Honorable mention to the T-5000 as the embodiment of Skynet with ability to infect humans)

+Boldness to Soft Reboot: More than likely what began as a story device to explain a nearly seventy-year-old T-800, it translates into a gutsy move to alter primarily the original two films' continuity. Great care must be used to handle this right in any franchise and it started off fairly strong, at least.

+New Points of View: Showing the original time travel event from the future, not to mention the one from 1984 to 2017, does not necessitate an entire movie, but neat nonetheless. Also, James Cameron's desire to have both T-800 and T-1000 in the first film finally came to fruition, in a way.

-The Fate of John Connor: The series had already spent way too much time stressing the importance of John, only to have him become the enemy...literally. I guess this quote is appropriate? "You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain." -Harvey Dent

-Recasting Sarah Connor & Kyle Reese: Again, lack of physical resemblance aside, neither of these recasts work for me. Emilia Clarke edges out Jai Courtney, only because she carries herself well like Linda Hamilton, albeit differently, and Courtney is bland as Kyle. It is a actor/character mismatch, so it is nothing against either actor. Clarke is the second best thing about Solo, behind only Donald Glover's Lando Calrissian. Courtney's only other role I am familiar is Boomerang in the first Suicide Squad, one of its better elements unironically, as well.

-T-800 Ends Up a T-1000: A certain amount of belief must be suspended to enjoy a large percentage of sci-fi movies, and most of us are good as long as they play by their own rules. But, the T-800's wreckage simply falling into a pool of mimetic polyalloy yet to be programmed causing it to instantly become basically a T-1000 is extremely far-fetched and without satisfactory explanation.

Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

+Rev-9: The Rev-9 is somewhat a "best of" in abilities. It is more or less an upgraded T-X, since its outer sheath is mimetic and has an endoskeleton. They also share the ability to manipulate other machines, the Rev-9 being more sophisticated with the ability to hack any system. It shares at least equal ability with the T-1000 to create sharps. Its two main abilities that differentiate it from any onscreen terminator before are its best attributes, though: It can replicate human behavior flawlessly and it can split into two with the endoskeleton seemingly matching a T-800 in power and strength, though clearly weaker apart than whole. (Honorable mention to the Rev-7 as a formidable close-combat soldier unit)

+Sarah Connor: Regardless of the chain of events that got the character there, Hamilton's portrayal of a very bitter Sarah is the high point of the entire film. It is simultaneously sad, darkly humorous and the natural progression for this Sarah.

+Grace: The concept of an augmented human is interesting enough, one wonders why it has not been done before. In design, the concept is similar to Marcus, but presumably Augments are unquestionably trustworthy.

-The Fate of John Connor: For a series of films that uses a quote celebrating free will, it took to the fifth one to break the mold, albeit unsatisfactorily, that John is the fated savior of mankind. His death in the prologue opened the door for a whole new story. Simply transferring everything about him to another individual is a wasted death and missed opportunity at best.

-T-800 Grows a Conscience: Since Cameron considers the theatrical release of T2 to be the definitive version, the scene in the Special Edition in which the T-800 is switched from "read only" to "read/write" mode may be a lot to base anything on. But, that makes more sense. It also makes more sense that a machine would go into standby until a new mission is assigned. John was able to get his T-800 to talk more human and begin to understand human emotion in a couple of days or so, but we are expected to believe that with no master and after a few months of wandering, a programmed killer turns into Mr. Nice Guy?

-Incomplete Story: Not that I was nearly as vested, but a good percentage of the yet to be revealed elements of the story are based in being different, but to a similar result. While delivery of exposition is sometimes ridiculed, it is also very necessary. Questions that could have had more revealed: If Legion is not Skynet, what is it and how did it build terminators? How are humans augmented if they barely have food, or did that change over the years? When was Judgment Day? It is like a few trees are described in detail, but little to nothing about the forest.

New post next week, and it's not about Terminator at all!