Amph Come with me if you want to live: The Terminator Thread

I know, I know, but someone was going to post it.

 

That is a good thing in my opinion, because the more films they make, the more they screw things up.

 

True, but redemption is always just a sequel away. There's been a level of diminishing returns with the Terminator saga, both financially and artistically, but the legacy of the first two films is secure beyond what a hundred bad sequels can touch, so at this point every new film is just another chance to get it right. We've seen it happen before, and recently. The Fast and The Furious franchise seemed more or less dead before reinventing and reinvigorating itself. And what were the odds there was not only another good Mad Max film to be made, but a great one?

The odds are certainly against a Terminator sequel reaching the heights of the first two, but if they don't make any more, those odds are zero.

 

You make good points. I guess the only thing to do is wait and see. I won't hold my breath for a Terminator movie as good as the first two though, but anything is possible.

 

I don't think Genisys was that bad.

 

Well put, Juke.

 

The only danger is too many lackluster sequels damaging the next sequel's shot at success. People aren't going to give up on Terminator or T2, but it's going to be harder to get people excited to see another Terminator movie if a long string of flops is in the way. Especially when you consider that this was Arnold's big shot at a comeback, playing his most iconic role in a blockbuster franchise -- if this landed with a thud, how much of a shot at success is a sequel going to have with goodwill further diminished? How much better might it have done if people had no negative memories of T3 and Salvation?

Really, at this point, I just feel frustrated that Arnold's having such a hard time getting butts in seats. He's such a fun presence that I'd love to see him make a comeback, but nobody's coming out to see his movies, even though they've been mostly decent to quite good. With the Terminator franchise fizzling, I think his only real option now is to hitch his wagon to a guaranteed sure thing that isn't hanging solely on him. If he wants to get back in a blockbuster, he has to either call up Vin Diesel and demand a part in the next Fast and Furious, or get himself into the MCU. If he can get out there in front of everybody with guaranteed viewership as part of an ensemble, impress, and remind people why he used to be the biggest box office draw in the world, I think that's what he needs to generate audience goodwill and take the stink of underperformance off.

 

Another thing. Money directed at a Terminator sequel is money not spent on another, original film which has at least as much chance of being good and without weighty expectations. Jabbadabbado can get on board with that.

 

a truly astute point professor Diggy

 

Absolutely. With each flop or poorly received entry the chances of the audience giving you another chance greatly diminish, and if Arnold back in the Terminator role after a decade+ away wasn't enough to get people amped...

I used Fury Road as an example earlier. The Mad Max saga had never reached the dizzying commercial heights of the Terminator franchise, but they were successful and well loved. I think it's safe to say that whatever its box office, Beyond Thunderdome didn't exactly leave a great taste in people's mouths (or at the very least hasn't held up very well), and after thirty years it would be easy to assume that the franchise's time had come and gone. But Fury Road was an inspired effort, not merely a cash grab, and the subsequent buzz and word of mouth really helped to lift it. If they could really capture something fresh and exciting (a Huge task for sure) a similar revival isn't out of the question.

Diggy Yeah, but honestly, in this environment do you think the studio is going to use that money for daring and original content or spend it on another "safe" bet like a reboot/remake or adaptation of the next big YA novel? That's like expecting the government to give wasted tax dollars back to the people .

 

My friends and I enjoyed it.

 

The franchise really needs to just be retired for years to come at this point. The entire thing is really tired at this point. If you want to continue it, do so with video games, novels, comics, and other means. Film and television for the Terminator is dead IMHO.

Either reboot the thing or let it die.

 

Oh well. The last really good T film -- the last one that justified its own existence by being entertaining and thought-provoking -- was in 1991. After that the films are rehashed plots, cut-and-paste setpieces, stock characters in a shake-n-bake bag. Granted, I haven't seen Genisys -- but do I need to? I've seen all the trailers and read the reviews. It's time to put this puppy to bed.

 

Reboot the whole thing if we need new films and not with the alternate timeline spin. But wait ten years first.

 

I think the problem with Genisys is that if you choose John as the baddie, then you should keep the twist, add some conflict and struggle in this villain, but we saw none of these, the trailer told us the twist, and John became a boring one-dimensional killer after the process, then why do you use him at all?

 

I for one don't care whether the trailer revealed the twist. It either works in the movie as it plays, or it doesn't. It sounds to me as though it doesn't.

 

I feel bad for Arnold, he is such a great actor.

I think if they want to continue the series, stop the time travel and set the focus on the future battle with Skynet.

 

"I am to acting what Raymond Burr is to pole vaulting." Arnold Schwarzenegger

 

His best performances are in Conan the B and The Terminator, two roles in which his natural charisma and magnetic presence overpowered the need for convincing vocal delivery. But he's also very good in True Lies and Kindergarten Cop, requiring good comic timing, which is an underrated skill. He's certainly not a bad actor by any stretch.