Dragonlord's 2015 Movie Guide

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Box Office Report:

Disney Could Lose $140 Million on TOMORROWLAND Flop

If ever there was a studio that could withstand a serious stumble, it's Disney, home of Lucasfilm, Marvel, Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. And stumble it has with Tomorrowland, the Brad Bird-directed fantasy adventure. Sources say the film will lose $120 million to $140 million by the time it finishes its global rollout, becoming Disney's first major financial misfire since The Lone Ranger prompted a $190 mil*lion write-down two summers ago.

It's also the third big-budget original tentpole of 2015 to bomb after Jupiter Ascending and Seventh Son, highlighting the risky nature of nine-figure filmmaking at a time when relatively lower-budget hits such as Spy and Pitch Perfect 2 are causing studios to look closely at the costs of creating franchises.

Tomorrowland, which cost $180 million to produce plus a marketing spend of $150 million or more, had everything going for it: a hot filmmaker in Bird, 57 (Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol), and a global star in George Clooney, 54. But it debuted to weak reviews (was it for kids or adults?) and a soft $42.7 million during the long Memorial Day weekend. As of June 8, the film had earned $76.4 million domestically and $93.5 million overseas for a global total of $169.9 million. It might not gross much more than $200 million, far from enough to cover Disney's costs.

"There's a reason you're seeing more sequels, prequels and known properties because you never know how films like Tomorrowland or Jupiter Ascending are going to turn out," says an analyst. Despite the flop, few fault Disney for taking a chance on a director like Bird. Says a rival executive, "When a guy like that comes to you with an original idea, and Clooney is part of the package, you'll take the swing."


Disney Could Lose $140 Million on Brad Bird's Sci-fi Adventure Tomorrowland Flop

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

June 9, 2015

Dragonlord's Review of JURASSIC WORLD (No Spoilers)

Bottom Line: The Indominus Rex and the Raptors shine through but it's the uninteresting human characters, cringey dialogue and recycled ideas that bedim the film.

Synopsis: Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park, Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. After 10 years of operation and visitor rates declining, in order to fulfill a corporate mandate, a new attraction is created to re-spark visitor's interest, which backfires horribly.

Review: Director Colin Trevorrow steps in to revive a dormant franchise which pays homage to the original Jurassic Park while subsequently ignoring the two sequels that followed it. Trevorrow foregoes the sense of wonder and science (can't blame him though since it's already been done) and instead focuses more on the action adventure aspects. There's plenty of meta references and nostalgic nods to the original film. Unfortunately, the dull human characters are the weakest part of the film.

Chris Pratt was adequate as the leading man Owen Grady, a former Navy guy and the park's Raptor trainer. Though he plays the character a bit more serious than his Star-Lord role in GotG, there's just a sense of staleness to Pratt's performance that makes me question his newfound leading man status. Josh Brolin almost got Pratt's role and the True Grit actor's solemnity and gruffness would have been a better fit for this film. It also doesn't help that Pratt had a really awkward scene with Bryce Dallas Howard early on with the most cringeworthy dialogue.

The other main characters are a bust. Howard plays the park operations manager and becomes intolerable as the film progressed. Kept on thinking Charlize Theron would have nailed the role perfectly. The two brothers played by Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson are too uninteresting to follow. Judy Greer, who plays their mother, should have been with the two on their adventures. They also showed multiple unnecessary scenes of the older brother staring at girls on the park but it just comes across as creepy.

The human characters might have been a failure but fortunately the Indominus Rex shines through. A hybrid from dinosaur and animal gene mixing, the Indominus Rex is a terrific, unstoppable villain that provides a great deal of scary moments. The execution for the "domesticated" Raptors concept was well done and believable. Though it's been shown in the trailers, Pratt riding with the Raptors to battle was still badass. The CGI effects are superb and the exhilarating third act is a monster mash mayhem heaven.

Preliminary Rating: 6.5/10

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

JURASSIC WORLD

Release Date: June 12 (Wide Release)

Genre: Sci-Fi Action Adventure

Director: Colin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed)

Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D'Onofrio, Judy Greer, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Irrfan Khan, BD Wong, Katie McGrath, Andy Buckley, Lauren Lapkus, Omar Sy, Brian Tee, Jake Johnson

Synopsis: Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park, Isla Nublar, off of Central America's Pacific coast, now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. This new park is owned by the Masrani Global Corporation. Owen (Chris Pratt), a member of the park's on-site staff, conducts behavioral research on the Velociraptors. At the corporation's request, the park's geneticists create a genetically-modified hybrid dinosaur to boost visitor attendance, but it soon runs wild on the island.




Dragonlord's Review: The Indominus Rex and the Raptors shine through but it's the uninteresting human characters, cringey dialogue and recycled ideas that bedim the film. 6.5/10


Rotten Tomatoes: 70% Approval Rating (138 out of 196 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Jurassic World can't match the original for sheer inventiveness and impact, but it works in its own right as an entertaining -- and visually dazzling -- popcorn thriller.
___________________





ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL

Release Date: June 12 (Limited Release)

Genre: Drama

Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (The Town That Dreaded Sundown )

Cast: Thomas Mann, Olivia Cooke, RJ Cyler, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Jon Bernthal and Molly Shannon

Synopsis: Winner of the 2015 Sundance Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is the story of Greg Gaines (Thomas Mann), an awkward high school senior whose mom forces him to spend time with Rachel - a girl in his class (Olivia Cooke) with whom he hasn't spoken to since kindergarten - who was just diagnosed with cancer.




Rotten Tomatoes: 83% Approval Rating (53 out of 64 critics like it)

Critics Consensus: Beautifully scripted and perfectly cast, Me & Earl & the Dying Girl is a coming-of-age movie with uncommon charm and insight.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Friday Box Office:

JURASSIC WORLD Unstoppable Friday for $181M-$200M Debut

There's nothing prehistoric about Universal's Jurassic World. Jurassic World devoured everything in its path at the Friday box office for a projected North American opening of $181 million-$200 million

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Weekend Box Office

JURASSIC WORLD Breaks Record with $209M Opening Weekend

Obliterating all expectations, Universal's Jurassic World roared to a record $209 million-plus debut in North America, the biggest of all time and rescuing the action-adventure franchise from the brink of extinction 22 years after Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park first hit theaters. Globally, Jurassic World also posted the biggest weekend debut of all time with $516 million-plus.

The $150 million tentpole, bestowed with an A CinemaScore, proves that dinosaurs are every bit as potent as superheroes: Jurassic World bests the $207.4 million launch of The Avengers in May 2012. On Sunday, Jurassic World's estimated weekend was $204.6 million, but the number was revised upwards when traffic was bigger than expected for the day, even with competition from the NBA championship game.

Globally, the movie posted the largest weekend bow in history, eclipsing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 ($483.2 million) and becoming the first film to ever cross $500 million in one weekend, thanks to an international haul of $307.2 million from 66 markets, the second-biggest foreign opening after Deathly Hallows 2 ($314 million).


Box Office: 'Jurassic World' Stomps to Biggest U.S. Debut Ever With $209M-Plus

 

[Jon Stark]

Saw the film tonight. Didn't live up to the hype but still had some spectacular, awe inspiration moments. The beta dude with the JR shirt provided lulz. Pratt was a true alpha and played the human apex well. 7.5/10

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Box Office Report:

JURASSIC WORLD Nabs Biggest Nonholiday Monday Ever

Jurassic World continued its rampage at the box office on Monday, biting off $25.6 million to score the biggest nonholiday Monday of all time in North America.

From Universal and Legendary, the $150 million tentpole devoured the previous record set in 2008 by The Dark Knight ($24.5 million). Jurassic World's take was also the third-highest-grossing Monday of all time behind Spider-Man 2 ($27.8), which opened over July Fourth weekend in 2004, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which grossed $26.8 million on Memorial Day proper in 2008.

Jurassic World, starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, has now earned a stunning $234.4 million domestically in its first four days and north of $550 million worldwide in less than a week.

The movie, opening 22 years after Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park hit theaters, scored the biggest global launch off all time over the weekend with $524.1 million, including $208.8 million domestically, which bumped The Avengers ($207.4 million) to No. 2 in terms of history's best weekend start.


Box Office: 'Jurassic World' Nabs Biggest Nonholiday Monday Ever With $25.6 Million

 

[pinkybrief]

gawd I want to threw up every time those two kids showed up in jurassic world.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

INSIDE OUT

Release Date: June 19 (Wide Release)

Genre: Animated Fantasy Comedy Drama

Director: Pete Docter (Up, Monsters, Inc.)

Cast: Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader, Phyllis Smith, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan, John Ratzenberger, Kaitlyn Dias, Lewis Black, Paris Van Dyke and Lori Alan

Synopsis: Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it's no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions - Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith). The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley's mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters. Although Joy, Riley's main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school.

[YT]WIDYqBMFzfg[/YT]


Rotten Tomatoes: 99% Approval Rating (141 out of 143 critics like it)

Consensus: Inventive, gorgeously animated, and powerfully moving, Inside Out is another outstanding addition to the Pixar library of modern animated classics.
___________________





DOPE

Release Date: June 19 (Wide Release)

Genre: Comedy Drama

Director: Rick Famuyiwa (Talk to Me, Brown Sugar)

Cast: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Blake Anderson, Zoe Kravitz, A$AP Rocky, Chanel Iman, and Quincy Brown

Synopsis: A critical hit and audience favorite out of the Sundance Film Festival, in Dope, Malcolm (Shameik Moore) is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles while juggling college applications, academic interviews, and the SAT. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself.

[YT]L41xwM8tIRQ[/YT]


Rotten Tomatoes: 88% Approval Rating (61 out of 69 critics like it)

Consensus: Featuring a starmaking performance from Shameik Moore and a refreshingly original point of view from writer-director Rick Famuyiwa, Dope is smart, insightful entertainment.

 

[Tebowned]

Surprised at "Dope" getting good reviews. I guess the trailer was for young kids, that's what I take it as, and the movie is much better.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

INFINITELY POLAR BEAR

Release Date: June 19 (Limited Release)

Genre: Drama Comedy

Director: Maya Forbes (feature film directorial debut)

Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Keir Dullea, and Imogene Wolodarsky

Synopsis: Maya Forbes autobiographically inflected Infinitely Polar Bear stars Mark Ruffalo as Cameron, a man who suffers from bipolar disorder. After a breakdown forces him to leave his family and move into a halfway house, he attempts to rebuild a relationship with his two daughters, and win back the trust of his wife Maggie (Zoe Saldana). When Maggie decides to go to business school in New York, they decide that he will move back in and take care of the day-to-day care for the kids. Due to his mercurial nature, this leads to a series of quirky, funny, and sometimes frightening episodes.

[YT]d1pCQS1H2Z0[/YT]


Rotten Tomatoes: 80% Approval Rating (37 out of 46 critics like it)

Consensus: Infinitely Polar Bear handles its thorny themes with a somewhat troublesomely light touch, but Mark Ruffalo's complex performance keeps the drama solidly grounded.
___________________





THE OVERNIGHT

Release Date: June 19 (Limited Release)

Genre: Sex Comedy

Director: Patrick Brice (feature film directorial debut)

Cast: Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman, and Judith Godr

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Box Office Report

JURASSIC WORLD Climbs to $300M Domestically in Record Time

Jurassic World is tearing through box office records faster than a velociraptor tears through the jungle when its caught a scent. With Thursday's earnings, the Universal and Legendary film had chomped its way to a massive $296.2 million domestically. It will reach the $300 million mark Friday, taking a total of eight days to hit that milestone in a new record. The record was previously held by Marvel's The Avengers, which took nine days in 2012.

Jurassic World, starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, already broke records during its opening weekend when it earned $208.8 million to surpass The Avengers' $207.4 million record from 2012. It also scored the biggest global debut of all time last weekend with $524.4 million, and became the fastest film to hit $250 million domestically, a feat it accomplished in five days.

It's possible that the dinosaur adventure film could break another record this weekend. If Universal's tentpole earns more than $103.1 million domestically this weekend, it will take The Avengers' record for biggest second weekend. But Jurassic World has stiff competition, as Pixar releases its critically hailed return-to-form Inside Out this weekend as well.


Box Office Milestone: 'Jurassic World' Climbs to $300M Domestically in Record Time

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Critics' Reviews for Pixar's INSIDE OUT

Rotten Tomatoes: 98% Approval Rating (180 out of 184 critics like it)

Consensus: Inventive, gorgeously animated, and powerfully moving, Inside Out is another outstanding addition to the Pixar library of modern animated classics.

New York Daily News - 5/5
Whatever brainstorm led the Pixar folks to

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Weekend Box Office:

Pixar's INSIDE OUT Hits New Record with $91.1 Million Debut

Moviegoing once again prospered in North America this weekend, thanks to the one-two punch of Inside Out and Jurassic World, with domestic box office revenue up more than 66 percent over Father's Day weekend in 2014.

Many had expected Pixar's Inside Out to top out at $65 million, considering the T. Rex-like might of Universal's Jurassic World. But the race was much closer than expected as Inside Out raced to $91.1 million from 3,946 theaters

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Box Office Report:

JURASSIC WORLD Becomes Fastest Film to Reach $1 Billion

Jurassic World truly is the Indominus Rex of the box office. After snatching the U.S. opening box office crown away from The Avengers last weekend, Jurassic World has just beat fellow Universal sequel Furious 7 to become the fastest film to ever hit the $1 billion mark. More details about the Jurassic World billion dollar box office take after the jump.

Universal Pictures announced today that Jurassic World has crossed $1 billion at the box office in just 13 days. The dino adventure is now the 22nd film ever to join the billion-dollar club, and the third this year after Furious 7 and Avengers: Age of Ultron. In addition, Jurassic World now holds the title for highest-grossing second week at the U.S. box office.

Furious 7 set the previous record for reaching $1 billion, 17 days, this past April. Before that, Avatar set the record in 2009 by climbing to $1 billion in 19 days. Avatar‘s record was later tied by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) and The Avengers (2012).

It was never in doubt that Jurassic World would do well at the box office, but its performance has surpassed even the most optimistic predictions. That was true in its first weekend, and it was true in its second. On Sunday Universal estimated a $102 million take for Jurassic World‘s second weekend, but actual numbers showed the film pulled in $106.6 million.


Box Office Milestone: 'Jurassic World' Becomes Fastest Film to Reach $1 Billion

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Box Office Report

FURIOUS 7 Becomes 3rd Highest Grossing Movie of All Time

Box Office Mojo

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

TED 2

Release Date: June 26 (Wide Release)

Genre: Comedy

Director: Seth MacFarlane (Ted, A Million Ways to Die in the West)

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Seth MacFarlane, Amanda Seyfried, Morgan Freeman, Jessica Barth, Richard Schiff, Michael Dorn, Dennis Haysbert, Liam Neeson, John Slattery, Patrick Warburton, Sam Jones, David Hasselhoff

Synopsis: Newlywed couple Ted and Tami-Lynn want to have a baby, but in order to qualify to be a parent, Ted will have to prove he's a person in a court of law.

[YT]eDgUgY8lKlk[/YT]


Rotten Tomatoes: 45% Approval Rating (47 out of 105 critics like it)

Consensus: Ted 2 reunites Mark Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane for another round of sophomoric, scatological humor -- and just as before, your enjoyment will depend on your tolerance for all of the above.
___________________





MAX

Release Date: June 26 (Wide Release)

Genre: Family Drama Adventure

Director: Boaz Yakin (Safe, Remember the Titans)

Cast: Jay Hernandez, Robbie Amell, Luke Kleintank, Mia Xitlali, Owen Harn

Synopsis: A military dog from Afghanistan is adopted by his late handler's grieving family in the U.S., where his close bond with the soldier's brother leads to a life-altering revelation in this family-friendly adventure from MGM and director Boaz Yakin (who penned the screenplay alongside writer Sheldon Lettich).

[YT]4tgxoas-36Y[/YT]


Rotten Tomatoes: 38% Approval Rating (21 out of 56 critics like it)

Consensus: Max has good intentions and tries to hearken back to classic family-friendly features, but its disjointed, manipulative plot overwhelms the efforts of its talented human and canine stars.
___________________





BIG GAME

Release Date: June 26 (Limited Release)

Genre: Action Thriller

Director: Jalmari Helander (Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale)

Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Onni Tommila, Ray Stevenson, Victor Garber, Felicity Hoffman, Jim Broadbent

Synopsis: In the rugged countryside of Finland, a young thirteen-year-old (Onni Tommila) embarks on a traditional quest to prove himself by spending 24 hours alone in the wild, armed with only a bow and arrow. After witnessing a spectacular crash, he discovers the escape pod from Air Force One, containing the President of the United States (Samuel L. Jackson). When they realize a group of kidnappers is hot on their trail with the intention of taking the president, this unlikely duo must escape their hunters as they search for the American Special Forces team sent out to find them.

[YT]fxGQz367T8g[/YT]


Rotten Tomatoes: 71% Approval Rating (45 out of 63 critics like it)

Consensus: Big Game's enthusiastic throwback vibe will appeal to fans of low-budget '80s action movies, but co-writer/director Jalmari Helander adds a level of smarts and skill that make it more than just an homage.
___________________





ESCOBAR: PARADISE LOST

Release Date: June 26 (Limited Release)

Genre: Drama Romance Thriller

Director: Andrea Di Stefano (feature film directorial debut)

Cast: Benicio Del Toro, Josh Hutcherson, Claudia Traisac, Brady Corbet, Carlos Bardem

Synopsis: For Pablo Escobar (Benicio Del Toro), family is everything. When young surfer Nick (Josh Hutcherson) falls for Escobar's niece, he finds his life on the line when he's pulled into the dangerous world of the family business.

[YT]d6BvWEfryoc[/YT]


Rotten Tomatoes: 53% Approval Rating (20 out of 38 critics like it)

Consensus: Its focus drifts frustratingly away from the titular druglord, but Escobar: Paradise Lost remains a mildly diverting drama, thanks largely to Benicio del Toro's glowering performance.
___________________





BATKID BEGINS

Release Date: June 26 (Limited Release)

Genre: Documentary

Director: Dana Nachman

Cast: Scott Miles, Ama Daetz, Nick J. Scott, Natalie Scott, Scott Clayton

Synopsis: On one day, in one city, the world comes together to grant one 5-year-old cancer patient his wish. The documentary "Batkid Begins" looks at the "why" of this flash phenomenon. Why did the intense outpouring of spontaneous support for a child reverberate around the world and become one of the biggest "good news stories" ever? The film explores what happens when an event goes unintentionally viral, and reveals surprising truths about what happens when a nerve is touched in our digital society. Will Make-A-Wish fulfill its mission to help Miles reclaim his childhood after battling disease for more than half his short life? In the end, the film leaves audiences to decide; did Miles need the world for inspiration? Or did the world need Miles?

[YT]0i8AMhVDXSA[/YT]


Rotten Tomatoes: 77% Approval Rating (20 out of 26 critics like it)

Consensus: Sweet and unabashedly sentimental, Batkid Begins is an uplifting look at a selfless act that brought a city together.

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Friday Box Office:

Seth MacFarlane's TED 2 Eyes Disappointing $34 Million Debut

Seth MacFarlane's raunchy R-rated Ted 2 isn't generating the laughs everyone expected. The $68 million comedy, reuniting MacFarlane with Mark Wahlberg, eked out a third-place finish Friday, grossing $13.2 million from 3,442 locations for a projected $34 million debut in North America, well behind the $54 million launch of Ted in summer 2012.

That leaves the race for No. 1 between holdovers Jurassic World and Inside Out. The two box-office champs are in a close contest, with both projected to gross in the $49-$50 million range.

Ted 2, about the adventures of a raunchy bear and his sidekick (MacFarlane voices the bear) was tracking to open in the mid- to high-$40 million range, but bad reviews and a B+ CinemaScore are likely hurting it (the first earned an A-). Media Rights Capital produced and financed the movie, with Universal handling distribution duties.

The original Ted was a box-office sensation, grossing $549.4 million to become one of the top R-rated comedies of all time.


'Ted 2' Eyes Disappointing $34M Debut; 'Inside Out' and 'Jurassic World' Vie for No. 1

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Weekend Box Office:

JURASSIC WORLD Hits $500M Domestically; TED 2 Disappoints

Seth MacFarlane's raunchy R-rated Ted 2 could have used some fuzzy-wuzziness at the North American box office this weekend. The $68 million comedy eked out a third-place finish, grossing a disappointing $32.9 million. That's nearly 40 percent behind the $54.4 million launch of Ted in summer 2012. Overseas, the comedy opened to $20.3 million.

Jurassic World, one of the biggest box-office sensations in history, grossed $54.2 million in its third outing to hit $500 million, becoming only the fifth film to earn $500 million or more domestically. The others are The Dark Knight ($534.9 million), The Avengers ($623.4 million), Titanic ($658.7 million) and Avatar ($760.5 million). To boot, it's now the top-grossing film of 2015 to date after overtaking Avengers: Age of Ultron ($452.5 million).

Internationally, the dinos also continued their rampage unabated, topping the foreign chart with $82.5 million from 66 markets for an offshore total of $737.5 million and global haul of $1.238 billion, stomping past Iron Man 3 ($1.215 billion) to become the No. 8 title of all time, not accounting for inflation.

Pixar's Inside Out fell a mere 42 percent in its second outing to $52.1 million for an early domestic total of $184.9 million. Overseas, the critically acclaimed film earned $26.4 million as it expanded into a total of 42 markets for a foreign cume of $81.5 million and worldwide tally of $266.4 million.


Box Office: 'Jurassic World' Hits $500M; 'Ted 2' Suffers Bear Market With $32.9M

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

June 30, 2015

Dragonlord's Review of TERMINATOR: GENISYS (No Spoilers)

Bottom Line: A big improvement over the last two films, Terminator: Genisys is surprisingly an entertaining sci-fi action flick for those willing to give it a chance and the 'best' Arnold Schwarzenegger movie in recent years.

Terminator 1 and 2 are undoubtedly two of the best sci-fi action films ever made, and that's why it's so painful to see the franchise languish due to the incompetence of the last two films. Terminator 3 was passable but derivative. Terminator: Salvation finally gave us the future war but squandered its stellar cast with a flat story, poor execution and bad acting by its star.

Six years after the last film, Terminator: Genisys attempts to revive the franchise by going the Star Trek (2009) route and reboot everything with time travel. As the famous Terminator quote goes, "there is no fate but what we make for ourselves" and that holds especially true in this case. The new direction Genisys takes is exciting, unpredictable and much needed, otherwise you'd end up with just another rehashed Terminator 3 plotline.

One of the most fun aspects of Genisys is when it revisits the familiar 1984 movie setting at the beginning and turns it upside down and you don't know what the hell is going on or what's going to happen next. There's a lot of fun wink/homage to the original but with some variations thrown in. The street punks, whom the T-800 first met in the original, are also a welcome sight. One of the coolest moments was when the young T-800 faced off against the aged T-800 in a brief but amusing slobberknocker. Very impressed with the CGI Arnold Schwarzenegger, almost flawless and way, way better than Terminator: Salvation's shoddy attempt.

The explanation they used to rationalize why the T-800 has aged is very clever since it gives them a logical reason to bring in the current 67-year-old Schwarzenegger back as the unstoppable cyborg. There are some cheap laughs thrown in like the creepy smile that I could have done without but for the most part, Arnold as an aged T-800 works and the best part of the film. The fact that his T-800 is old makes the audience root for him more. This is by far Schwarzenegger's best role and movie since he made his acting comeback in 2010.

Though they don't resemble the original actors' faces or build, Emilia Clarke as Sarah Connor and Jai Courtney as Kyle Reese were adequate in their respective roles. Sarah Connor could have been better cast though, someone with a tougher face, say a younger-looking Emily Blunt. Arguably, Courtney is a slight improvement over Michael Biehn in this type of story (I'm a big fan of Biehn but let's face it, he mostly has two modes: scowl and more scowling). There's a favorite scene of mine with Reese and the aged T-800 where they were refilling magazines. It mostly didn't have any dialogue but a lot was said and resolved through their subdued actions.

The final showdown was a bit weak and feels too much like T2 but without the intense pressure and overall epicness. Genisys' faulty time travel aspect gets a pass from me. It would be hypocritical criticizing Genisys for just following the same flawed set of rules the first two films have paved. If only Christian Bale were the one playing John Connor in here instead of Jason Clarke. It would have been hilariously epic in the context of the story and Bale's John Connor overacting would have been a perfect fit.

In closing, I know I'm probably in the minority in liking this movie. This is not like before where I'm shouting "Hey, check out Dredd, Edge of Tomorrow or Mad Max: Fury Road!" This is more like "um, I like the film. Don't burn me." Take that for what it is. If you are flexible enough to accept the changes to the canon, you might also be surprised and enjoy the film.

Rating: 7.5/10