The ladies, both young and old return to the forefront and it’s a welcome change to see the women being the ones to kick serious butt again. They also bring back Schwarzenegger in a clever and satisfying way. In an acknowledgement to the current level of paranoia about illegal emigrants in America, they have a set piece based in an internment camp on the US border and it’s not a happy place.

The film features a minimal storyline and maximum action and in-line with previous editions, it takes a large number of skirmishes to finally dispatch the new Terminator, who is more impregnable than ever due to some neat new technologies. The’ve also ramped up the visual spectacle and there is a transport plane crash that defies all logic and reason. It’s just loud, raucous and satisfyingly ridiculous.

Will this effort be enough to kick start the franchise as something new and relevant? Only time will tell but returning to having women in the lead roles is a great start. Let’s hope next time out they expand the science to advance the storyline and do something exceptional with this reimagined paradigm.
Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/foxmoviesaus

Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes) is living a simple life in Mexico City with her brother (Diego Boneta) and father when a highly advanced and deadly new Terminator – a Rev-9 (Gabriel Luna) – travels back through time to hunt and kill her.

Dani’s survival depends on her joining forces with two warriors: Grace (Mackenzie Davis), an enhanced super-soldier from the future, and a battle-hardened Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). As the Rev-9 ruthlessly destroys everything and everyone in its path on the hunt for Dani, the three are led to a T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) from Sarah’s past that may be their last best hope.

Terminator: Dark Fate will be released in Australian cinemas October 31!