Terminator Dark Fate (2019) Review

In Mexico City, a young woman named Dani Ramos becomes the latest target of a cyborg assassin, Rev 9, from the future, sent by 'Legion.'

Director Tim Miller (Deadpool) delivers a solid Terminator outing, correcting Genisys and working as a sequel to Terminator 2. However, the opening scene, featuring Endoskeleton Terminators that are wiped out due to the events in T2, shows a young John and Sarah Connor (Sarah better CGI-rendered) before the story suddenly shifts to the present day. Miller occasionally flashes forward to a possible or inevitable future (it’s never clarified in Dark Fate if it can be prevented, as in T2). These snippets introduce a Salvation-like future with fast-moving, tentacled Terminators and the creation of a technologically augmented super-soldier.

Loken aside, the casting is stronger than in Terminator 3 (particularly avoiding the miscasting of Danes and Stahl). But don’t get too excited, as it lacks the grit or grounded practical feel of The Terminator, nor the substance and style of the second. Frankly, there’s too much CGI, which takes center stage and pulls you out of the action. That said, as a CGI-driven modern action film, younger viewers may find it more appealing. However, films like Halloween (2018) and the Mexican-themed Rambo: Last Blood have a slight edge over Miller’s loud, big outing, as those films focus more on character development, not just effects.

Emotionally, the film belongs to its cybernetically enhanced soldier, Grace, brilliantly played by Mackenzie Davis, and Linda Hamilton, who returns as Sarah Connor. Both actors have great chemistry. Hamilton shines here, and Miller keeps the film refreshingly female-oriented.

Gabriel Luna's advanced Terminator model, whose skin and skeleton can function as two separate bodies, is an interesting concept, but his incognito infiltration ability is wasted as he blatantly goes on outlandish killing sprees in plain sight.

Schwarzenegger oozes screen presence as a Terminator, but he never feels entirely comfortable in this film, leaving very little impact. It’s a pity he didn’t appear in the flesh in Salvation, and it’s hard to believe that Connor would ever have accepted his character's help. His 101 model has some good lines and a generous amount of screen time, but many elements are rehashed from T2, with others echoing the underrated Salvation. Dani Ramos (played by Natalia Reyes) is the new Sarah Connor, with a welcome twist on the story.

Miller and the writers thankfully keep the plot coherent compared to the previous installment, but they never really explore the time travel intricacies. Also, Kyle or Ginger never get a mention from Sarah’s lips, which feels like a missed opportunity, given her subtler scenes with both leads.

Overall, with less CGI, and a tweak to 101’s origin and connection it could have been easier to swallow. Nevertheless, it’s an enjoyable Terminator film. Maybe coming from an analog age, it’s just not my Terminator film.