Terminator: Dark Fate

More than two decades have passed since Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) prevented Judgment Day, changed the future, and re-wrote the fate of the human race. But now it seems that a darker fate looms and Sarah must make alliances with new friends —and an old enemy—to change history once again.

Terminator: Dark Fate picks up directly where Terminator 2: Judgement Day left off, and while many fans welcomed the decision to retcon the franchise not everyone was happy with the road that Dark Fate chose to travel.

Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes) is living a simple life in Mexico City with her brother and father when a highly advanced and deadly new Terminator—a Rev-9—arrives from the future to 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 Connor.

While the theme is familiar—and the action sequences breathtaking— where Dark Fate really wins out is in giving us three fully realised, independent, ass-kicking heroines for the price of one. These ladies don’t need saving and [Spoiler] their ‘value’ to the future isn’t just as potential mothers. 

Naturally, the usual misogynist trolls were quick to share their hatred of the film, especially after the first images of three female characters were released. How much those fanboy tantrums impacted on the box office, it’s hard to tell. But, when combined with a huge budget and time-eating creative fights between Tim Miller (Deadpool) and James Cameron, the fact is that Dark fate didn’t make nearly enough money to green light the planned sequels. Sadly, when you spend this much money on a project, you really have to make it big at the box office.

With Dark Fate now out on DVD, blu-ray and VOD, however, it’s time for the fans to reassess and get to know this film without all the hype, expectations, and bitching. And it is worth getting to know. 

Dark Fate has got style and ‘80s action-movie magic in spades. Yes, there’s perhaps a little too much navel-gazing and back-flashing but Hamilton and Davis rock every scene. 

Ignore the nay-sayers. This is without doubt the trilogy-ending film that Terminator and T2 deserved.