Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) Review

"I'll be back."

-Sarah Connor

An advanced Terminator called a Rev-9 (Gabriel Luna) is sent back in time to kill Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes).  At the same time, Grace (Mackenzie Davis), an augmented human is sent back to protect her, but even she isn't enough to stop the Rev-9.  Luckily someone with experience fighting Terminators is willing to help...Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton).

There will be some spoilers ahead, so I will say that Dark Fate is okay.  It's entertaining enough, but I would say wait for Netflix.  You don't need to spend money on this one.  Regardless; spoilers ahead.  You've been warned.

What Works:

I really enjoyed the first half of this move.  We get some great action sequences and exciting moments.  The sequences at the auto factory and the detention center are really great and the car chase is a lot of fun.  It's the high point of this franchise since Judgment Day.

I also really enjoyed the final battle against the Rev-9.  We get a lot of moving parts, but it's easy to follow.  It's a 4 vs. 1 fight and it's got some fun moments.

Mackenzie Davis is good as Grace and I liked her character.  She's an upgraded human and can at least stand up to the Rev-9, but she's not invincible, which makes the plot more interesting.  She's doing everything she can to protect Dani, but she can't even protect herself some of the time.

Finally, I enjoyed the reveal about what the T-800 known as Carl (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has been up to for 20+ years.  I love that he has a wife and step-son now.  I think it's hilarious and I want Terminator 7 to be about his struggles as a husband and stepfather, while also being a machine.  Don't let me down James Cameron!

What Sucks:

The second half of the movie definitely loses some steam and that's mostly because the focus shifts to Dani, who is character I just couldn't root for.  I found her to be frustrating for most of the movie and she made some very stupid decisions.  When she finally makes a change in character, I didn't buy it.  Reyes' performance isn't very good and ultimately unconvincing.

Unfortunately, Linda Hamilton isn't great either.  All she does throughout the film is make gruff one liners that don't work.  I mostly found her annoying.  She also makes one extremely frustrating decision early on where she allows Dani and Grace to steal her car just so she can say, "I'll be back." It's terrible and doesn't jive with her character.

Speaking of "I'll be back," there are too many nods and references to the good movies in the series.  Quit reminding me of superior movies and make your own movie good!  

Finally, there are points where the CGI just doesn't look very good.  For such a big-budget movie, I expect better from them.

Verdict:

Terminator: Dark Fate is a mostly entertaining film with some solid action sequences and good performances from Davis and Schwarzenegger, but Reyes and Hamilton aren't great, there are too many references, and some bad CGI.  Save your money and wait for Netflix.

 6/10: Okay