Sarah Connor’s Return Wrestles With An Uneven Storyline In Terminator: Dark Fate
There are few films in our generation that have genuinely earned the title of “groundbreaking’, but in the realm of sci-fi/action films, few could argue that Terminator 2: Judgment Day was not worthy of the title. The film gave us not only one of pop culture’s most influential female protagonists with Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor, but it also employed cutting edge visual effects wizardry that is as effective now as it was over 25 years ago. Needless to say, the bar was set exceedingly high for subsequent films in the franchise. And now, much like last year’s Halloween, a new Terminator film seeks to course correct the franchise, and move forward in a new direction. Terminator: Dark Fate sees Dani, a factory work living a simple life as a factory worker in Mexico, until she’s thrown into conflict with a highly advanced cyborg from the future, a mysterious soldier sent from the future to protect her, and an aged warrior for whom all of this is frustratingly familiar.
Naturally news of Linda Hamilton returning to the Terminator franchise after last appearing in T2 was going to lead to some divisive responses from fans. Many were certainly excited, especially given how ageist Hollywood can tend to be towards women of a certain age taking center stage in an action film. Others saw it as a hollow gimmick. For what it’s worth, Hamilton’s Sarah Connor is as badass as she was in T2, with the last three decades to master the art of giving zero fucks. Watching her performance, I’m reminded how sparingly we’ve seen her in film and television in the time between this film and T2, and how her absence has unwittingly hurt the franchise, because I was absolutely captivated by her in this film. There’s a quiet rage and bitterness to her character that feels real. This certainly comes into play when Sarah encounters Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “Carl”, a terminator who has been living as a human for the last 20 years. I was equally impressed with what the film does with this character, as other films like Genisys and Rise of the Machines carelessly tried to make him the butt of far too many jokes, in between the myriad of action scenes. While there is some humor in Terminator: Dark Fate, it’s never at the expense of the character. Carl’s existence forces Sarah to question everything she’s been through, and everything she’s done in the time in between, re-contextualizing Hamilton and Schwarzenegger’s dynamic in a fairly inventive fashion.
Joining the veterans of the franchise, McKenzie Davis most certainly holds her own as Grace, who has been sent back to protect Dani. She manages to stand toe-to-toe with Hamilton in several scenes, presenting herself as a character who couldn’t care less about much of what Sarah is telling her, and in most cases, with good reason. Some revelations about her character feel a bit contrived, but there is still a tenacity and wit to her that gives her a good deal of dimension and depth. As Dani, Natalia Reyes’ performance is just as strong, as she has to sell audiences on a wide range of emotions as the situation calls for it. Things move rather quickly in Terminator: Dark Fate, and as Dani, Reyes has to spend much of the film reacting to everything that’s happening. As the film progresses, we see a necessary change in the character, which factors heavily into the overall story. As for the latest terminator, there are not enough words to express how much I enjoyed Gabriel Luna’s character, the Rev-9. Reminiscent of Kristanna Loken’s character from Terminator 3, this terminator is a combination of a virtually indestructible endoskeleton and a shape-shifting tar-like substance, which can operate independently from one another, giving it a serious tactical advantage. What’s different about the Rev-9 is how expertly it mimics human behavior, and makes necessary changes based on the region he’s in or the professional he’s impersonating. Luna does a fantastic job of making the Rev-9 legitimately menacing, but there is also the impression that this machine ENJOYS killing. There is this devilish glee that he’s exhibiting that heightens the tension in multiple scenes, and it only builds throughout the film overall.
What may unfortunately be a sticking point for Terminator: Dark Fate, however, is the story, which makes a rather bold decision that leads to the film taking a Star Wars The Force Awakens route, re-contextualizing several elements of Cameron’s first two Terminator films. On the one hand, I can see the rationale behind this direction, as the film takes a much needed look at the idea of some futures being inevitable, no matter what changes one makes. The franchise has always had a tenuous relationship with the concept of time travel, paradoxes, and looping timelines, and part of me was onboard to see how this is explored in the film. However, there are still a wealth of questions that admittedly still require answers that the film unfortunately can’t begin to provide.
Terminator: Dark Fate does manage to craft its fair share of dynamic and engaging action scenes, and Tim Miller’s own background in visual effects certain comes across in the frantic car chase scenes, as well as the many fights between Grace and the Rev-9. Admittedly, the climactic battle has moments where it drags and may have stood to be a few minutes shorter, but there is an impact and brutality in every punch, kick, swing, and slash, as the heroes go toe-to-toe with a seemingly unbeatable opponent.
It is a shame that Terminator: Dark Fate doesn’t have a stronger story, because the performances and action are strong elements worthy of praise. Linda Hamilton is exceptional as an older, jaded Sarah Connor, and the inclusion of characters like Grace and the Rev-9 keep things interesting. Not since T2 has there been so much effort into making Schwarzenegger’s terminator a fully-realized character, and I was happy with the direction they chose to go with him. The film makes more a than a few decisions that will challenge fans’ expectations, but there is an undeniable conflict between what’s daring and what’s familiar, that doesn’t help make the film as impactful as it could have been.
3 out of 5
