New and rebooted warriors, same old ‘Terminator’

EMILIA Clarke, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jai Courtney (right) plan to save the world from tyrannical machines.

The more “Terminator” changes, the more it stays the same. The fifth of the movie series, “Terminator: Genisys,” may be a reboot-sequel that the sci-fi-action franchise needs—a fresh time puzzle, younger actors, and new characters—but the element that remains constant is Arnold Schwarzenegger’s time-traveling mega-cyborg, now noticeably older.

But it makes sense; there’s a plausible explanation for this now semi-wizened man-machine, dispatched from the future by the technological tyrant and exterminator of humankind, Skynet.

Schwarzenegger, who first played the T-800 in 1984, reprises his stoic, trigger-happy role for the nth time. He appears as a sprier version of himself as well, thanks to CGI wizardry, his two Terminators duking it out while the fate of humanity hangs in the balance—as usual.

“Terminator: Genisys,” directed by “Thor: The Dark World’s” Alan Taylor, resets established film continuity by changing Sarah Connor, mother of future liberator John. Previously played by Linda Hamilton, Sarah is now portrayed by “Game of Thrones” actress Emilia Clarke, spunky and battle-honed but nowhere near as embittered and independent as the former, as a result of tangled timelines.

Unusual family

Kyle Reese, originally played by Michael Biehn, is now played by Jai Courtney, his character’s purpose also altered because of the major change. His mentor and—unbeknownst to him—his son John, now played by Jason Clarke, sends him to the past. But, as with the first two members of this unusual family, John isn’t quite the way Kyle remembers him.

Emilia Clarke, interestingly, is the third Sarah Connor; her “Thrones” costar Lena Headey played the action heroine in 2008’s “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.” Comparisons to Hamilton are inevitable—however, Clarke isn’t playing the waitress-turned-warrior anymore, but a different character, whose training regimen didn’t result in defined biceps and an extremely paranoid mindset. This “new” Sarah lacks that burden, growing instead in another, considerably less-tormented direction. It’s not as compelling as the original, but it’s an acceptable iteration.

Repurposing characters

Kyle and John’s story was clearly detailed in 2009’s “Terminator: Salvation,” which focused on the machine-ruled future reality. The bond gets explored more this time, given the “repurposing” of characters. Courtney is given a sizable portion of the film, and interacts well with both Clarkes. And Schwarzenegger? Same old Arnie, expressionless most of the time, of course, but attempting to behave in a more human-like manner, like in the second film, 1991’s “Judgment Day.”

Intriguingly, new figures are added to the mix, like Skynet’s infiltrator/representative, played by erstwhile “Doctor Who” actor Matt Smith. Also in a supporting role is JK Simmons, who plays a character that witnesses the chaos firsthand.

While it’s got some adequate sequences—including a chopper chase scene, and a few less-explosive fisticuffs—the urgency just isn’t there. Say what you will about James Cameron’s scripts, but the first two “Terminator” parts really made the viewer care for the would-be preys’ safety. “Genisys,” despite its impressive effects and well-choreographed stunts, just doesn’t project a foreboding sense of danger.