Terminator Genisys

Terminator Genisys is a reboot of the terminator franchise.  Since the terminator universe revolves around people and robots traveling from the future to the present, it is always possible that a time traveler would completely change the story that we have already seen.  Almost.  The movie recycles many familiar elements.  If it wasn't for a few interesting plot twists, one of which I didn't care for, the movie would seem completely redundant.

Matt Smith has a cameo as a personified Skynet.  There is a touch of irony in putting the Doctor Who actor in a movie about time travel.

Overall, it is a decent summer action movie.  It does not rise to the level of Terminator II, which is by far the best of the series, and I am not sure if it even rises to the level of Terminator I.  It is more like Terminator III, which is full of action sequences, but is otherwise mostly forgettable.   The action sequences make the movie feel slightly too long.  

One thing the movie lacks is the intensity that Linda Hamilton brought to the role of Sarah Conner.  It is the actors who really make the movie, and here Arnold Schwarzenegger is great.  However, all the other actors seem lukewarm.

With a 27% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I felt like I was taking a chance on this movie, but I really liked Terminator Salvation (Terminator 4), and it only had a 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

This is suppose to be the first of a new trilogy, although the movie seems to stand alone and I did not see any hint of a follow up.  I missed the post credits scene that lets us know that Skynet survives.  Maybe we will see more of Matt Smith.  I hope so, since he would make a great villain.

This is the first Terminator movie without any nudity, although there are hints of nudity hidden by shadow and special effects.  Since people always had to travel through time naked in the Terminator universe, it seems to me like an integral part of the story.

Rating: * * *