The fifth instalment of the Terminator series is a solid one. John Connor (Jason Clarke), leader of the human resistance in the year 2029, sends his right-hand man Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) and safeguard the future. However, events take an unexpected turn and Reese finds himself in a fractured timeline where the past is unfamiliar, partnering up with an unlikely ally in The Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger), and finding himself on a mission to reset the future and stop omnipresent operating system Genisys before it goes online.
Ultimately, the plot line is not as strong as the first two films in the franchise. That said, the script, characters and blatant throwbacks to the first film will capture long-time fans of the series and comfortably confirm for casual viewers that Genisys is a stronger film than the third and forth titles. Obvious ageing aside, Schwarzenegger is still as robotic as ever, however the plot of this film dictates that he’s had time to develop traits in order to “fit in”, and his attempts to be more human provide plenty of laughs throughout. She mightn’t be as gutsy as Linda Hamilton, but Emilia Clarke puts on a decent performance as the fully trained and aware Sarah Connor, while Jason Clarke is convincing as the strong-minded and determined John Connor.
Even if you’re not head over heels for the Terminator franchise, the abundant action sequences and enjoyable banter between the lead characters should keep you entertained.
