"I'M old, not obsolete."
I honestly doubt that catchphrase from Terminator Genisys will leave a lasting imprint on Arnold Schwarzenneger's fans, the way "I'm back" and "hasta la vista, baby" did.
The latest reboot of the four-film franchise is not making a big mark in the box office, either. It grossed a little over $27 million during its opening weekend, and that definitely is not a blockbuster figure. (Terminator Salvation rang in a cool $43 million.) The domestic and worldwide gross receipts are also far below projections. It is safe to say that Skydance Productions, who spent $155 million on Terminator Genisys, has a dud in its hands.
Surprisingly, two more Terminator films are in the pipeline, for release in 2017 and 2018. Talk about a big leap of faith.
Terminator Genisys' catchphrase could very well be Arnold's too. He is old, and he is trying hard to prove he is not obsolete, that he is still a big draw. Perhaps he has not joined the band of Hollywood relics, but it's time that he shut down as Terminator. The character has been milked dry. He should accept that it's the fate that awaits all character-driven franchises. Look at Rocky and Rambo.
Genisys is like a robot assembled from parts cannibalized from its predecessors. What comes out is a hybrid with a confused personality.
The movie shuttles back and forth through time to establish its plot: The robotic empire Skynet must preempt its defeat by the John Connor-led Resistance by sending a mechanized assassin back in time to hunt down John's mother, Sarah.
But wait, that's the plot of the original Terminator, right? Well, yes, but a retrofitted version.
Once again, Kyle Reese, John's most trusted lieutenant (and future father), volunteers to go back to 1984 to protect Sarah from the automated killer.
Kyle discovers that Sarah already has her protector, a beat-up, reprogrammed T-800, played by Schwarzenneger. Sarah calls her guardian Pops. The robot looks old, Sarah explains, because its skin, like a human's, also ages.
The three are chased all over town by the shape-shifting T-1000 (reincarnated from Terminator: Judgment Day). They outsmart the practically indestructible T-1000, luring it to an acid bath. But their problems are just beginning.
To stop Skynet's evolution into a global power, the trio teleports to their next stop: San Francisco 2017. Skynet has masqueraded itself as Cyberdyne, a mega-corporation that has developed Genisys, an operating system that links all the world's smart phones, tablets and other wired accessories. If Genisys is launched, it will usher in the domination of the machines.
Aborting the Genisys countdown is easier said than done. The three are now confronted by John Connor himself, who has been reconstituted by Skynet into a top-of-the-line cyborg to protect Genisys.
John tricks Sarah and Kyle into believing they're having a family reunion and that together they will destroy Skynet. But John is soon unmasked and the final battle begins.
The first Terminator was a megahit because Director James Cameron gave it the full package: suspense, action, romance, even a tinge of drama. The sequels built on that package, adding a few more ingredients like humor along the way.
That leaves Terminator Genisys Director Alan Taylor with little room to maneuver, as the result bears out. The visual effects do not excite, the action just hums along and the cast just goes with the flow. Schwarzenneger throws in some funny lines but humor is not his strongest card.
Maybe, it's time we said "hasta la vista" to the Terminator franchise.