In what’s become a bit of a dystopia/sci-fi formula, the new “Terminator: Genisys” trailer opens with a pan over a gray-scale wasteland while a breathy, sing-song cover of a pop song plays in the background (herein, the Beatles’ “Because”). The apparent premise: The long war between humans and the terminators is drawing to an end, and unless someone can go back in time and prevent the murder of resistance-leader John Connor’s mom, so too will the human race.
As Connor (Jason Clarke) talks about the “marks of the long and terrible war,” some of which are on his scarred-up face. Jai Courtney, working towards replacing Matt Damon as Hollywood’s dirty-blond action star with a heart, volunteers to head back to the seventies (you first buddy). Suitably unsuited – the studio paid for that trainer – Courtney jumps into the time machine, which uses what looks like incredibly deadly, fork-in-a-microwave electric explosions.
The first surprise? Sarah Connor is a badass! She runs over terminators with an armored truck! The second? She’s being watched over by old Arnold Schwarzenegger-Terminator, who killed young Arnold Schwarzenegger-Terminator. In a delightful scene, old Arnold faces young Arnold, who simply stands beaming beatifically at his own pecs.
As always, we’re thrilled to see Arnold back in the movies, and to witness how this movie figures out its time travel shenanigans and how to create a situation in which it’s appropriate for the former Governor to unleash his most lasting soundbite. They manage the trick and that man, who has weathered anabolic steroids, unhappy constituents, and pissed-off Kennedys, makes its all look easy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62E4FJTwSuc