'Terminator Genisys' Movie Review

In a summer of rehashed franchises, I quite enjoyed Jurassic World (it isn’t a great movie, but it’s a damn lot of fun), and Mad Max: Fury Road is one of best, most eyebrow-scorching action films in years. If you were hoping that Terminator Genisys, the fifth installment in the killer-robots-from-the-future saga, was going to fall somewhere in this realm, you will be disappointed. Lazy storytelling, messy CGI, and bland action combine to form a movie that the most natural reaction to is a slump-shouldered sigh and a muttered, “I wish that was better.” Intended to launch a new trilogy, it doesn’t bring enough, or any, new ideas to the table to warrant more.

Watch Arnold Fight Arnold In This 'Terminator Genisys' Clip

This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for. We’ve heard that Terminator Genisys rewrites the franchise timeline, and that one scene features Arnold Schwarzenegger’s older, grizzled T-800 throwing down with his original 1984 self. There have been glimpses, and we don’t get to see much in this new clip, but we get the beginning, and that’s enough to pique my interest. Check it out after the jump.

'Terminator: Genisys' Trailer Shows Off Major Renovations To The Franchise

Since word one, we’ve heard that Terminator: Genisys will tinker with the franchise timeline. We’ve seen bits and pieces of this in the various TV spots and trailers, but this latest gives you your best taste of exactly how big these changes are going to be.

This 'Terminator: Genisys' Trailer Shows Off Its Oscar Winner

While the earlier promotion for Terminator:Genisys has primarily focused on reintroducing the new versions of characters you know and love—Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke), John Connor (Jason Clarke), Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney), the T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger)—this latest short U.K. trailer takes a different approach. They fly the “we’ve got an Oscar-winner in our movie” flag high, spending a fair amount of the minute-long run time showing off J.K. Simmons. Which is never a bad move.

This 'Terminator: Genisys' Trailer Chucks Arnold Schwarzenegger Out Of A Helicopter

The new, ridiculously named Terminator: Genisys has been a mixed bag. Some pieces sound rad, others make you roll your eyes. And this first trailer is that in a nutshell. There are elements that look totally great, and some that make you wish this didn’t happen. I’ll shut up for now and let you watch it for yourself. We can talk more about it down below.