More recently, he came back to do Terminator: Dark Fate. Yes I am reviewing that movie in this long review blog. I am going the distance with Terminator. One of the coolest concepts in history. Terminator franchise has a lot of ups and downs. I will be revealing my exact thoughts that isn't inspired or based on the opinions of others.
1. The Terminator (1984)
Keep in mind, some low budget movies are actually better than a lot of big budget movies. The Terminator is still among one of the leading examples of this. Personally, I am usually more impressed by low budget movies like this that blows me away. The Terminator follows Kyle Reese, a soldier from the future to protect Sarah Connor from an terminator.
An machine's take on an cyborg that's planned to assassinating Sarah. It was amazing Cameron even gotten Arnold Schwarzenegger in this movie. This movie does come off like an horror movie. Especially a few moments that can be found disturbing. In fact, the scene where he's killing cops was recreated in Maniac Cop 2.
The actor Michael Biehn later appears in Cameron's Aliens movie. Most of the main actors got really notice by this movie. It combines syfy with time travel with action. It might be difficult for someone to imagine an super AI from the future wants you dead. In this case being Skynet who goal is to wipe out humanity.
Arnold gives an amazing performance as this savage terminator. There is a particular Dragon Ball character that references his appearance from this movie named Major Metallitron. The Terminator is a movie that surprisingly works for it's time. There's some great story telling with well put together action sequences.
Even the special effects are absolutely amazing too. This movie always left a major impression on myself. Easily one of the greatest 80s action movies I ever seen. The Terminator quickly became one of the most popular syfy action movies ever made. Usually very high up on most people's list either this or our next movie is their number 1 Terminator movie.
2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day isn't just an candidate for one of the greatest movie sequels of all time. It also one of the greatest syfy action movies ever made. Also one of the greatest early 90s movies in existence. This movie was absolutely amazing in general. I actually got no real criticism towards it. Everything works incredibly well here.
Two opposing different terminator models are sent back for different missions. Arnold returns as a good terminator to protect John Connor while T-1000 was sent there to kill him. T-1000 always been one of my favorite terminator models. Robert Patrick nails the character perfectly. Terminator 2 is everything you would want in a sequel.
This is my favorite Terminator movie for so many reasons. A lot of things from this movie is still greatly inspiring people. This was also the highest point the Terminator franchise was popularity before it started to go down. Linda Hamilton returns from The Terminator to reprise her role as Sarah Connor.
I will say this terminator Arnold plays is one of my favorite characters in the franchise. He is brutally honest but he's still learning about how people does things. He isn't just a cold metal killer prior to his reprogramming. You will see an surprising side to his character. Edward Furlong gives an amazing performance as John Connor.
Terminator 2 is a true piece of art. Easily one of the greatest movies I have ever. There's a solid story that kept getting interesting as it plays out. The action sequences are also well written. The special effects in my opinion are used the best in the entire franchise here. They really out done themselves with this movie.
3. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is the first installment with James Cameron. Well, it's still a good movie but there's a major problem here. Why does this sound familiar two different terminator models are sent from the future with different goals. One of them was sent to protect Katherine Brewster while T-X was sent there to kill her.
If you guess Terminator 2: Judgment Day, then you are right. The story sorta plays off the same story told somewhat differently. In Terminator 2, they were able to prevent judgment day from happening. But here it is going to happen no matter what they do. In a way, I get why this sudden direction. But it also makes you wonder if they had better ideas than this.
Terminator 3's T-X has a female model for a change but her terminator is virtually both T-800 or T-850 models with their skin being liquid metal that's almost like that of an T-1000. Honestly, she does have some key differences but she sorta blends into those models. Arnold returns as another terminator that has a rather odd personality.
This model already learned about stuff relating to humans including how to save them. This is an unusual trait terminator models has. Also this was a superior model than the previous ones Arnold portrayed. He's sense of humor is kinda dark. The action sequence are mostly good to a point. But I also liked we get to see an AI becoming an threat to humanity later in the movie.
I felt this movie had one of the weakest casts among all the movies honestly. Even the guy playing as John Connor isn't very good at the role no offend man. I do like some interesting possibilities from T-X got introduced like hacking other machines. I also liked how T-X got destroyed late in the movie. I strongly felt a different story would've made this movie a bit better but there are worse than this.
4. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008-2009)
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is a Fox show that lasted two seasons. This acts as it's own Terminator 3 that was going strong for awhile. At some point during season 2, it started to go down notably. They even ended this on the worst possible spot for a cliff hanger. John Connor gets sent to the future where he was about to meet his father.
Yes I know spoilers sorry but not a lot of people seen this show. Obviously both John & Sarah got different actors from those of the movies. I felt the actor playing John was a great joke. Especially after I seen his performance in A Nightmare on Elm Street remake. I will say Lena Headey does a great job being Sarah in this show.
It is a notably different take on the character while in a way staying true to Hamilton's portrayal. There's a lot of terminators that shows up in this show. Including Cameron not to be confused with James Cameron who created Terminator franchise is a female terminator. This show does play on a few possible ways Skynet can jump start.
One of them very late in this show happens. I felt they do stay true to the concept for the most part. A few select episodes like false memories Cameron had from the person's skin it's wearing episode stupid. I will say this show had a great cast including members of the resistance. Which does include Derek Reese aka Kyle's brother.
They do put a lot of work into everything. There is some great usage of special effects. Some later twists you will be surprise doesn't play out how you imagine it would. Like the big twist relating to T-1001 model terminator. I liked we get to see what it's like to be a constant target of Skynet whose on the run.
This show does have some potential but after it started to go down. Which could've been cause by low ratings, spending too much money from the network or a combination of the two. Maybe a slight chance to help give way to the upcoming Terminator movie, Terminator Salvation. What we do know is this attempt at doing their own Terminator 3 may end up as a mixed experience.
At least, there's parts of it you could enjoy for hours. Also knowing which episodes to skip makes doing that even more fun. I would even say it was a solid show up to that point. So clearly I got a lot respect for it. This comes so close of being what Terminator 3 should've been but fails to hit that mark.
5. Terminator Salvation (2009)
Terminator Salvation mostly takes place in the future. Marcus is an unusual machine that could save humanity or crush em. Surprisingly, he ends up being the most human among even the resistance. He was a great addition to this movie. Otherwise, I got some problems with it. I was fine, Schwarzennegger could've physically be in this movie being the only Terminator movie without him.
At the same time, I had a mixed reaction to a younger Arnold looking terminator late in the movie. They do deal with several types of machines in this movie. I do like we get to see how this war goes on in the future. We seen see so little of it that you could only imagine the rest in your mind. Sadly that movie doesn't do that concept justice.
Christian Bale just wasn't a good choice to being John Connor. I actually felt the guy from Terminator 3 was a better John Connor. They do make a small reference to Terminator 2 with a particular song by Guns N' Roses. The special effects are among the worst in this franchise. The story itself was kinda alright.
I do like Kyle Reese at the end of it goes into the past that triggers the event of The Terminator. But he seem younger than the guy who played the character in The Terminator. I know that's a smallish issue but it just rubs me the wrong way. Honestly, this could've been redemption waiting to happen. Instead we got a movie that tried so hard to be different to suddenly becomes forgettable.
Terminator Salvation is leads below Terminator 3 by far. I am still disappointed in it. I do like the new look for classic terminator models. Marcus ends up being the very spice this movie needs but even that goes to waste. John nearly dies so he gave up his second life to saving his. In a way, I get it since he was the very thing keeping the humans fighting against the machines.
But also they loss their strongest ally against them in the process. This guy could've destroyed most of Skynet just by hacking it directly. He plays off as an unwanted chosen one in this story. His story alone was redemption. It is kinda sad, I didn't actually care about anyone else. Honestly, the cast just wasn't well selected for this movie.
6. Terminator Genisys (2015)
Oh man Terminator Genisys pretty much gives a new meaning to rebooting an franchise. It goes out of it's way to preventing the event of Terminator right off the bat. Sadly, John Connor got transformed into a different terminator model that's now working against humanity. In a sense, I get where Skynet was coming from.
It really tried to defeat John Connor in multiple time lines. Out of the clear blue came up with an plan to turning it's greatest enemy into it's greatest ally. Unfortunately, that concept is simply not welcomed by anyone. What's the point of making this movie then? A new beginning perhaps or maybe that they wanted to say screw the essential stuff altogether.
I will say Arnold returns as one of my favorite characters more commonly known as Pops. In this time line, he was a terminator that acts like a father figure to Sarah. Thus, she ends up having more combat experience than she originally had. Also that smile lol, if you seen the scene you already know what I'm talking about.
This movie took a concept originally done from the show. But Pops had to stay in that time period forced to continue a long time while waiting for Sarah and Kyle to return. This movie introduces aging to terminator models which I do like. I wasn't a fan of some of the cast members. This movie sorta blends the events of the first two Terminator movies together.
Thus I don't see much originality in it. Sadly, the special effects are alright. Although, the action sequences are better than the last couple of movies. Terminator Genisys having Skynet acting like an arrogance being was kinda stupid. It even goes out of it's way to disguise itself as a human to getting dangerously close to John.
In order, to transform him directly into a terminator. A method described by Arnold to be the moment it made contact with him actually killed Connor. Are you kidding me? The guy who would save humanity dies this way? The story itself is also forgettable at best. There isn't much really going for it truthfully.
7. Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
Hell yes Terminator: Dark Fate is finally Terminator 3 I waited a long time to see. After a few attempts to rebooting the franchise. James Cameron decides to come back with a surprisingly original story. I will be mentioning some major story spoilers. So if you haven't seen this movie. Please go watch it first before reading my review.
A few years following the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, a terminator finally assassinated John Connor. Edward Furlong with a new actor was mixed in a way, he was able to accurately portray his character from back there. The same method was actually used in Terminator Salvation for the Arnold terminator model.
Linda Hamilton comes back with a force. She actually works out a lot just for this role. Arnold returns as the very terminator that killed John. But his story like Marcus from Salvation was about redemption. I felt his story played in full circle better. By the way, this model has a human name that so happens to be Carl.
He ends up being the most human like terminator Schwarzenegger has ever done. This movie is a new beginning since Skynet was prevented with John terminated. The new super AI is named called Legion. The new main character is the new leader of the resistance. One of her future soldiers that got enhancements traveled to the past to make sure she survives.
Sarah Connor is an absolute bad ass in this movie. There is also some clever humor parts in this as well. I also liked Rev-9 that's essentially two co existing terminator models working together. In other words, this thing can separate itself to attack the same target from multiple angles. This thing ends up being more like T-X & T-1000 on steroids I'm not kidding.
The actual story this time around is actually well written. Yes I know no surprise because the creator wrote it. But still it's refreshing from the last couple of movies. I would say this was probably my favorite Arnold terminator character ever. The way this movie plays out is surprisingly great. Some of the finest action sequences in the franchise too.
Terminator: Dark Fate is worthy to being called Terminator 3 or Terminator 1 Take 2 or whatever title you believe it deserves. I'm not related to that Honest Trailer guy lol. Finally a refreshing take on such an unique concept given the justice it truly deserves. I would say this is the third best Terminator movie by far.
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