Terminator Genisys - Discussion and Grading Thread (Spoilers)

[nx1701g]

After a few years the Terminator is back and ready for battle once again...

Terminator Genisys Official Description:
The year is 2029. John Connor, leader of the resistance continues the war against the machines. At the L.A. offensive, John's fears of the unknown future begin to emerge when he learns that SkyNet will attack him from both fronts: past and future. Emilia Clarke stars as Sarah Connor with Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator, Jason Clarke as John Connor, and Jai Courtney as Kyle Reese.

I didn't see the Discussion and Grading thread in the first five pages so I thought I'd post it sort of another blast from the past. I hosted the Discussion Threads for The Sarah Connor Chronicles years ago.

Spoilers are ahead so be warned.

 

[JD]

I'm trying to remain cautiously optimistic about this one. The trailers and stuff have looked cool, but I'm still not entirely sure what to make of the whole John is a Cyborg Terminator thing.

 

[marillion]

Well, I look at it like I did with T2... I had zero idea going in that the Terminator was a good guy in the sequel... And After the reveal, it took me a while to get used to it... But I did...

This time, however, I feel they played this card already with Sam Worthington's character in Salvation... And that was met with a mighty "MEH"...

I'm just trying to understand the reasoning behind revealing it now before the movie opens... I guess they figured it would never stay under wraps.. OR that there are larger issues at stake in the film...

Either way, I'm pretty impressed with the CGI Arnold and how they have recreated some scenes... Looking at how good the young terminator looks REALLY makes me wish Disney hadn't shelved Tron 3... sigh...

 

[Tosk]

I'm just trying to understand the reasoning behind revealing it now before the movie opens...

The way T2 did? "Arnie is the good guy" was everywhere before the film came out.

 

[JD]

Well, I look at it like I did with T2... I had zero idea going in that the Terminator was a good guy in the sequel... And After the reveal, it took me a while to get used to it... But I did...

This time, however, I feel they played this card already with Sam Worthington's character in Salvation... And that was met with a mighty "MEH"...

I'm just trying to understand the reasoning behind revealing it now before the movie opens... I guess they figured it would never stay under wraps.. OR that there are larger issues at stake in the film...

Either way, I'm pretty impressed with the CGI Arnold and how they have recreated some scenes... Looking at how good the young terminator looks REALLY makes me wish Disney hadn't shelved Tron 3... sigh...

Yeah, almost everybody seems really confused that they would show the big reveal so early. I'm thinking they're hoping that the fact that it is such a huge WTF change will make people want to see the movie, but I fear that the fact that it is such a huge change from the earlier entries in the series will just turn people off.

I have to admit, it has kind of worked with me. I am curious to see exactly where they are going with all of that.

 

[Admiral2]

I intend to see it no matter what's revealed. I just want to see how they pull off Old Ahnuld vs. Young Ahnuld.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Most of the trailers and TV spots I've seen end on the shot of Ahnuld saying "I'll be back" and then jumping out of the helicopter and faceplanting into the rotors of the helicopter that's following them. They clearly seem to think that's an iconic shot, which worries me because it just makes me laugh.

I'm sure that the fact that he's saying "I'll be back" in the scene for the 800th time is important too because how else would we know it's a Terminator movie unless they said the same few catchphrases over and over again?

 

[Robert Maxwell]

It looks like a really bad excuse for fanwank but I'll probably watch it when it comes to Netflix or whatever (or if some friend I feel sorry for really wants to see it in the theater.)

I had low expectations for Salvation and even that disappointed me!

 

[Mach5]

According to the early reviews, it's a disaster.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/terminator_genisys/

 

[JD]

Ouch. I'm not going to totally right it off yet though, because there are a lot of movies a lot of people don't like that I do.
I know I did like Alan Taylor's last movie, Thor: The Dark World, a lot more than most people.

 

[Aldo]

^^^Just for perspective though, Thor: The Dark World has a 65% Tomatometer score, putting it at Fresh.

I'm undecided if I'll see this. It looks as bad as everyone says it is, but at the same time I kind of want to see it for myself to see just how bad it is (and hey, you never know, I could end up enjoying it).

 

[Mr. Adventure]

I saw the clip of the two Arnies meeting and I think they should've spent some $$$ on a CG Bill Paxton as well. Just not the same without him after all these years.

 

[nx1701g]

I saw the clip of the two Arnies meeting and I think they should've spent some $$$ on a CG Bill Paxton as well. Just not the same without him after all these years.

I agree with that. I saw those scenes the other day and it's really distracting.

As for the John Connor/T-3000. Arnold was in an interview and he said that John Connor is different than people expect in this movie. I don't know if he's referencing the Terminator aspect, or something else. He did say that the Terminator and John work together in this film at one point, and are jealous of each other.

It was a weird interview...

 

[JD]

^^^Just for perspective though, Thor: The Dark World has a 65% Tomatometer score, putting it at Fresh.

I'm undecided if I'll see this. It looks as bad as everyone says it is, but at the same time I kind of want to see it for myself to see just how bad it is (and hey, you never know, I could end up enjoying it).

I didn't realize TDW did get those good of reviews. That does me make think a bit more.

 

[Aragorn]

As for the John Connor/T-3000. Arnold was in an interview and he said that John Connor is different than people expect in this movie. I don't know if he's referencing the Terminator aspect, or something else. He did say that the Terminator and John work together in this film at one point, and are jealous of each other.

It was a weird interview...

There was one interview where the lady asked Arnold about John Connor and he responded by talking about Kyle Reese. Is that maybe the one you're thinking of?

 

[Timby]

Well, I look at it like I did with T2... I had zero idea going in that the Terminator was a good guy in the sequel... And After the reveal, it took me a while to get used to it... But I did...

This time, however, I feel they played this card already with Sam Worthington's character in Salvation... And that was met with a mighty "MEH"...

I'm just trying to understand the reasoning behind revealing it now before the movie opens... I guess they figured it would never stay under wraps.. OR that there are larger issues at stake in the film...

Either way, I'm pretty impressed with the CGI Arnold and how they have recreated some scenes... Looking at how good the young terminator looks REALLY makes me wish Disney hadn't shelved Tron 3... sigh...

Yeah, almost everybody seems really confused that they would show the big reveal so early. I'm thinking they're hoping that the fact that it is such a huge WTF change will make people want to see the movie

That's pretty much precisely what happened. A few months ago, test screenings of early cuts went over about as well as a wet fart in the middle of church, and Paramount told its chosen trailer firm (studios basically give a whole bunch of footage to a group of companies which make trailers, and then they pick the one they like the most, and pay for that one) to blow the twist in a new piece in the hope that the "what the fuck" factor would get butts into seats. Paramount and Skydance are praying for a huge opening weekend because pre-production has already started on the next two films in their Genisys trilogy.

 

[Nightowl1701]

I've heard there's ANOTHER huge plot twist late in the film, and the Connor-as-Terminator reveal early was (in part) a red herring to hide that other plot twist. Supposedly having to do with Matt Smith's character "Alex" (who's signed for all three Genisys films), and why he's been very conspicuously absent from all promotional material and interviews so far - to the point where people are asking "Is Matt in this film or not?!?"

 

[nx1701g]

As for the John Connor/T-3000. Arnold was in an interview and he said that John Connor is different than people expect in this movie. I don't know if he's referencing the Terminator aspect, or something else. He did say that the Terminator and John work together in this film at one point, and are jealous of each other.

It was a weird interview...

There was one interview where the lady asked Arnold about John Connor and he responded by talking about Kyle Reese. Is that maybe the one you're thinking of?

It's possible I may've merged the characters. I was half reading the article. There is a secondary plot twist toward the end though.

 

[JD]

I've been wondering about that. I figured he must have something to do with some kind of a big surprise or something because he's only been in one or two promo pics, and nothing else.

 

[nx1701g]

I've been wondering about that. I figured he must have something to do with some kind of a big surprise or something because he's only been in one or two promo pics, and nothing else.

The rumors I've heard about him are:

1. He is Skynet itself
2. He is a Human/Machine Hybrid
3. He is playing the adult Tim (best friend in Terminator 2)

Then again it could be none of the above...