If you were to allow yourself to ignore the moronic spelling of the word genesis, I’m pretty sure Terminator 5 would look good on paper. The story is a return to the James Cameron lore and connects to the first two films in a way that allows for us to throw out the lady terminator and the McG/Christian Bale versions. Just pretend that you never spent money on those flicks. Hollywood is calling do-over (again).
Yet while you have the guts of something promising with time travel, the original characters and action sequences involving helicopters and school buses, the Terminator Genisys (right click: Add to Dictionary) is horribly executed. A waste of potential and time. And it is not Arnie’s fault.
I blame Ronna Kress.
It’d be easy to say the film was directed poorly by Alan Taylor, the man that recently brought us another lackluster blockbuster sequel in Thor: The Dark World. That he mishandled a decent opportunity. But while he was given an interesting script, he was not given the proper tools to bring it to life.
Ronna Kress, however, only had to do her job. She’s the casting director and she, in a way that resembles a minor miracle, miscast every major role in the film. Except for Arnie, of course, but he comes with the package.
Since this is connected directly to parts 1 & 2, you have the return of Sarah and John Connor as well as Kyle Reese. Instead of a badass woman that can crack toe to toe with any man, Sarah is a cherubic little girl without an ounce of testosterone courtesy of Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones). Instead of a desperate hero that will do anything to protect said Sarah, Kyle Reese is a moribund blank slate with zero charisma brought to you by Jai Courtney (A Good Day to Die Hard where he played the exact same character). Instead of a commanding leader of future world, John is another moribund blank slate devoid of a single spark of vitality. Jason Clarke did it. And Ronna Kress put these pieces together.
Boo, Ronna Kress. Do your job better. She also did Mad Max: Fury Road so I will refrain from making a tee-shirt stating “Ronna Ruined It”. But I’ll be watching you, Ronna. I’ll be watching.
To be fair, it is not entirely the fault of Miss Kress’. The movie has the bright idea to go back to 1984 when the original took place. Much of the first act mirrors events from the first act of Terminator with a few variables kicked in. The shots and dialogue are the same but with different actors and a CG Arnie that looks exactly like a CG Arnie (they can’t get the eyes right!!!) Taylor pays homage by giving us images and one-liners that you probably know to heart but then the homage doesn’t stop once the movie branches off on its own.
Terminators walking out of a wall of fire. This happens about 5 times. Robot Terminator skeletons brandishing laser cannons. Check. A future where human skulls litter every set piece. Got it in spades. So as the movie tries to be smart and thoughtful, the outcome is clunky and lazy.
I will end with Arnold (as you see I avoid writing his last name as I tend to accidently include a racial slur [right click: Schwarzenegger]. He is the only saving grace here in Genisys. You can sense that he is happy to be back the role that made him THE action hero of the eighties and early nineties. Here he’s allowed to take the “nice” Terminator role to a new level and it works. If only those around him were worthy.
Ronna!!!!!