Is it the Return of a Legend or the Destruction of Memories? 'Terminator: Dark Fate' Closes the Lid on the Series

A Familiar Yet Unfamiliar Conclusion: The Illusion of Having Seen It

As a movie enthusiast, especially regarding the Terminator series, which is called the bible of the SF action genre, I prided myself on having watched every installment. However, strangely enough, Terminator: Dark Fate, the latest entry in the series, felt oddly unfamiliar to me. The appearance of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton in the poster was incredibly familiar, yet it was a bizarre experience where the specific content of the movie did not form a picture in my head. Perhaps the fatigue given by the numerous sequels that have poured out over the years and the repetitive consumption of similar images created the illusion that I had already seen it even though I hadn't. It was only after watching it by chance on a cable channel that I realized this movie was the true final chapter of the series that I had missed or perhaps ignored.

The Burden of Sequels Left Behind by the Legendary T1 and T2

The Terminator series, especially the first and second films directed by James Cameron himself, were truly revolutions. The dystopian view of the future, which was unimaginable at the time, and the visual shock of the liquid metal robot (T-1000) enthralled audiences worldwide. However, the problem arose after that. The sequels left in the place where the legend departed all challenged the stronghold of the previous works, but consequently, they remained at the level of "self-replication" and only brought disappointment. The obvious time travel, repetitive chase scenes, and forced settings were enough to gnaw away at the reputation of the series. Personally, Terminator Salvation, where Christian Bale played John Connor and heavily portrayed the horrors of the future war, left the most impression on me. The attempt to seriously explore the dystopian worldview outside the existing time travel framework failed at the box office, leading to the cancellation of sequels, which is a regretful point even when I think about it now.

The Return of the 'Original' James Cameron: Making Fans' Hearts Beat Again

While the series was drifting like that, Terminator: Dark Fate focused the attention of fans worldwide from the production stage. This was because James Cameron, the creator of the series, returned as a producer. He denied all the contents from the 3rd to the 5th film (Genisys), which he did not direct, and declared that this movie was the true legitimate sequel to Terminator 2. The master's declaration that "I will finish the worldview I created" was no different from performing CPR on a dying series. With Tim Miller, who showed sensuous and stylish action direction through Deadpool, joining as director, the expectation that he would add a trendy sense to the old series reached its peak.

Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger: A Touching Yet Poignant Reunion

What excited fans more than anything was the return of "Sarah Connor," Linda Hamilton. Terminator without her was like a steamed bun without red bean paste, so her return as a white-haired warrior holding a bazooka was a thrill in itself. The reunion with the eternal Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger was also a symbolic event. However, it is also true that concern coexisted with expectation. I worried whether the two actors, who could not go against the flow of time, could show action as destructive as before, and whether the fighting spirit of the veterans would be seen as pitiable. In fact, their appearance in the movie was still strong, but on the other hand, the frailty that accepted the flowing time with their whole bodies was smeared, evoking strange emotions.

Anxiety Hidden in Expectation: Why I Didn't Head to the Theater

Despite such a seemingly perfect board being laid out, why didn't I visit the theater at the time of release? Looking back, it was due to the boredom given by "familiarity." Even if James Cameron returned and the original members united, I could predict that eventually, a robot from the future would try to kill someone again, and an old robot would protect them in a repetitive game of tag. No matter how much CG technology developed and the director changed, the skepticism was great that it would be difficult to escape the limitations of the inherent story structure of the Terminator series. And unfortunately, that premonition was proven by the result of the movie's box office failure.

A Movie Encountered by Chance: Shocking Opening and Altered Future

The movie I encountered late through cable TV confused me with an unexpected development from the beginning. As soon as the movie starts, it kills off "John Connor," the core of the series and the savior of humanity, in vain. This was a shocking setting where the future that Sarah Connor, John Connor, and the T-800 protected with their lives in the previous work Terminator 2 was denied from the root. Even in a world without John Connor, Judgment Day could not be avoided, and the setting that a new AI called "Legion" instead of "Skynet" threatens humanity was a drastic change that could divide existing fans. The fact that another form of dystopia arrived even though Sarah Connor prevented Judgment Day reminded us once again of the pessimistic theme of the series that fate cannot be changed.

New Savior and Guardian: Reflecting the Changes of the Times

In the place where John Connor disappeared, a new hope for humanity, "Dani" (Natalia Reyes), appears, and a guardian from the future, "Grace" (Mackenzie Davis), appears to protect her. An interesting point is that Grace is not a complete machine but an "augmented human" whose body has been modified. The setting that she feels human pain and emotions instead of mechanical coldness and gains temporary explosive power through drug administration was a point differentiated from existing Terminators. Also, breaking away from the male hero narrative, the fact that it brought the solidarity of three women—grandmother (Sarah), mother-figure guardian (Grace), and daughter-figure leader (Dani)—to the fore seemed to be an attempt reflecting the changes of the times.

Humanization of T-800 and the Upgraded Villain Rev-9

The setting of the T-800 played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, aka "Carl," was also interesting. The setting that a machine that completed its mission permeates into human society after losing its purpose, forms a family, learns human emotions, and grows old was the part that threw the most philosophical question in the series. On the other hand, the main villain of this installment, "Rev-9," shows off technology where liquid metal and solid endoskeleton separate to fight like a two-person team. However, speaking coldly, this was a character that only had technological progress but lacked novelty, not deviating much from the horror given by the T-1000 of Terminator 2 or the functional diversity shown by the T-X of Terminator 3.

Ultimately Repeated History: A Flashy But Hollow Finale

The movie provides ceaseless action and flashy sights, but consequently, it fails to give a clear answer to the question, "So what is new?" Sarah Connor's appearance was welcome, but her anger felt consumptive, and the new characters lacked charisma to fill John Connor's vacancy. Above all, despite the title that James Cameron produced it, the movie was close to a "remake" following the narrative structure of Terminator 2. Audiences were no longer enthusiastic about the same pattern of chase scenes, and this led to a global box office disaster. The fact that the ambitiously planned new trilogy project was scrapped with this one movie proves the public's cold evaluation.

Goodbye, Terminator... It is Time to Let Go

Terminator: Dark Fate ended facing the "dark fate" of the series, just like its title. However, in a sense, it faithfully performed its role as a "full stop" that definitely ends the series. It is significant in that we could see the two legends, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton, on one screen for the last time, and that it finished the narrative of Skynet, which had been dragged on sluggishly, in one way or another. Now, the Terminator series seems to go into a long sleep. Unless a completely new way of rebooting that we cannot imagine comes out in the distant future, our memories with the T-800's thumbs-up seem to end here. Although it showed a bitter back because it couldn't leave when people were applauding, I send a final farewell to the legendary series that dominated an era.