TERMINATOR: DARK FATE

Release Date: Malaysia, 24 Oct 2019

Genre: Science Fiction / Action

Running Length: 2:08

Cast: Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mackenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes, Gabriel Luna

Director: Tim Miller

Screenplay: David S. Goyer & Justin Rhodes and Billy Ray, based on a story by James Cameron & Charles H. Eglee & Josh Friedman & David S. Goyer & Justin Rhodes

From an entertainment standpoint, TERMINATOR: DARK FATE is an improvement over the recent sequels but it still can't match the level of the first two entries in the series. In fact, the series should have just ended at T2.

This movie is somewhat a remake of T1 and T2 by taking what worked in that two entries and smashed it together in this one to serve a new generation of audience. Yeah, there is a bold move in Dark Fate which happens right at the beginning but other than that, it's actually more or less a T1 and T2 mashup. 

Action junkies would enjoy this entry but I disliked it. The action sequences here are the Fast & Furious type where it defies physics and it goes up to eleven as the movie progresses: loud, CGI-packed action and just numbing. There was hardly any tension. 

Performance wise, Arnold still steals the show everytime he is on screen. He is the king of one-liners. The filmmakers introduced emotions into Arnold's Terminator here and he does it with surprising effectiveness without coming across awkward and forced. Linda's Sarah Connor is fine here. She looks great for her age but I just can't help but be distracted by how much her face has aged. Perhaps it's a reflection of how much I have aged too >.<

As for the younger actors, Mackenzie's Grace is a standout while the rest of the cast were serviceable.

All in all, they should just stop making more Terminator movies. 

RATING: 6/10   

DEADPOOL (2016)

Genre: Action / Comedy
Running Length: 1:48
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, T.J. Miller, Stefan Kapicic, Brianna Hildebrand, Leslie Uggams, Gina Carano
Director: Tim Miller
Screenplay: Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, based on characters created by Rob Liefeld & Fabian Nicieza

Firstly, let me get a few things out of the way. The DEADPOOL shown in Malaysian cinemas is an inferior version; it's censored artistically and as a result, it's distracting. Secondly, I'm not a fan of this anti-hero because from what I understand, this movie was made for the fans. What this means is that if you like the first 10 mins of the film, you will have a blast with the remaining time. If you don't like what you see in the beginning, Deadpool our main guy would not grow on you overtime. You'll just get more of the same.

Deadpool is definitely a different kind of superhero (or anti-hero) movie from the Marvel studio. Right from the start in the opening credit sequence, you know the movie is going to poke fun at itself and everything else; Liam Neeson, Hugh Jackman, IKEA, other superhero movies, Ryan Reynolds himself etc. To a certain extent, it works in small segments but not as an entire feature length. It can get pretty tiresome watching Reynolds spewing away smart-ass one-liners laced with F-bombs and dispatching (killing, maiming, torturing) baddies with absolutely no compunctions (Perhaps that's why the short short promo videos on YouTube leading to the release is so much more fun to watch). Sorry guys, I'm a non-fan.

In terms of story wise, it's actually a love story. Reynolds plays a mercenary named Wade Wilson and when he found out he has terminal cancer, he signs his life over to a shadowy organization with the promise of a cure + superhero abilities, so that he can reconnect with his lover. Unfortunately, in the process, he was horribly scarred and he swears revenge over the evil doctor who made him ugly.

Overall, this movie feels small because it was clearly shot on a tight budget (there's even a joke about this in the film) with only two real action sequences bookending the movie. In summary, the highlights of the movie are Ryan Reynolds and the 80s/90s music selection. The hype is true. Reynolds was born to play this role. As for the song selection, you just can't go wrong with Chicago, Salt-N-Pepa and "Wham!"

Rating: 6/10