A new trailer has been released for Terminator Dark Fate. This new trailer, which can be found below, plays to the nostalgia of the first two movies with recognizable elements from those movies such as new footage of the returning stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton, along with footage of the movies future war scenes, Sarah Connor reciting the franchises catchphrase and finally with echoes of Brad Fiedel's iconic score.
While this trailer may be a better effort than the previously released teaser trailer in terms of style, editing, and atmosphere there is no escaping the feeling that we've seen it all before. Not only will Terminator: Dark Fate use the same format as four of its five predecessors it will recycle elements and narratives from the last three movies of the franchise, movies of which this new movie claims to be disregarding.
The major issue with all Terminator movies post Terminator 2: Judgment Day is that the second movie was so iconic and is held in such high regard that any sequel will forever be in its shadow. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Terminator: Genisys and the forthcoming Terminator: Dark Fate have each emulated T2 but have/will fail to live up to the legacy of the second movie, whereas Terminator: Salvation broke format it failed to deliver the movie fans wanted, one that was reminiscent of the "Future War" scenes from the first two movies.
Another issue facing Terminator: Dark Fate is that it is the second consecutive movie that is attempting to reset the franchise. Terminator: Genisys' attempts to rewrite the Terminator franchises history failed, as to will Terminator: Dark Fate's attempt. The reason for this inevitable failure is simple; The events depicted in the Terminator movies, as with all movies that use time travel exist within a loop; what has been will be, and what will be has been. The original movie, 1984's The Terminator is a perfect example of this. Another reason Terminator: Dark Fate's attempt to rewrite history will fail is that, while aesthetically Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Terminator: Salvation failed to live up to T2's legacy, on a narrative level these two movies actually addressed and fixed narrative faux pas' evident in the first two movies. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Terminator: Salvation may not have lived up to T2, but they did continue the story rather than attempt to rewrite or subvert it.
If the plot leaks are true and John Connor dies in Terminator: Dark Fate's opening moments and Skynet is no longer the antagonist how is it possible for Kyle Reese to travel back from 2029 to save Sarah Connor from termination in 1984. The future from Which Reese came from is the future that must exist for the entire narrative to work. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Terminator: Salvation understood this, whereas Terminator: Genisys and Terminator: Dark Fate do not.
What the Terminator franchise needs and what the Terminator fans want is a movie set in the harrowing future war that addresses the deviations created in its history by repeated incursions using time travel. Sadly, with its recycled narrative and its nostalgically driven reliance on the franchises tired format Terminator: Dark Fate is not that movie.
