Terminator Genisys brings back our beloved Arnie, but what's new? [Review]
Terminator Genisys, the fifth in the franchise, tries to give the time-travelling series a new angle, but sadly its best bits already appeared in the second instalment, Judgment Day.
The story is decent (if confusing). Under the rule of Skynet, an artificial intelligence system, humans are fugitives. The first T-800 Terminator is sent back to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) before she gives birth to John Connor (Jason Clarke), a future resistance leader.
But another version of T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is already there, protecting Sarah - and she in turn is battle-ready. What's more, John's father, Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney), who has been killed in other story arcs, is alive here, and also shows up.
Clarke and Courtney give decent performances, and Schwarzenegger tugs at the heartstrings as her ageing protector, and creates most of the humour. But John's transition into a machine (not a spoiler!) could have been better explored, and J. K. Simmons' talent is wasted.
The fight scenes mimicking James Cameron's original style are effective, yet the coolest, most chilling part is Lee Byung-hun's portrayal of the liquid metal robot T-1000. Somehow, his sleek hair never falls out of place. Just wish we had more of him.