In Terminator Genisys, an older guardian terminator protects humans who will be key players in a future society if Mankind is to win over killer machines. Check out Kidzworld’s Blu-ray review.
By: Lynn Barker
The Mission
In the year 2029, John Connor (Jason Clarke), leader of the human resistance against the machines, is told that the machine collective called Skynet will be fighting final battles in both past and future. He and his protégé Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) have to destroy Skynet’s time machine but the machines have already sent a T-800 cyborg called a terminator back to 1984 to kill John’s mom Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) before he is even born so John sends Kyle to that year to protect her.
Pops the terminator carries a younger SarahCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
Not As Expected
Kyle was told Sarah was a meek and mild waitress but she is a feisty fighter with a friendly terminator she calls “Pops” (Arnold Schwarzenegger) as her guardian. Huh? Sarah already knows about a machine-caused apocalypse called Judgement Day whereas she shouldn’t yet. This is an altered timeline and Kyle must deal with it.
Pops the terminatorCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
A Different Plan
After fighting and killing a more advanced terminator called a T-1000, Sarah tells Kyle that her guardian “Pops” has been with her since 1973 and was sent to protect, not kill her. They have built their own time machine to travel to the 1990’s when they think the end of Mankind (Judgement Day) will occur. Having had visions of himself at age 12 being told that Judgement Day is in 2017, Kyle convinces them to go to that year instead.
Older terminator, Sarah and Kyle make plansCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
Stop Skynet
With the clue from his past that “Genisys (a massive computer operating system) is Skynet”, Kyle and Sarah travel to 2017 to stop the launch of that system that will enable the thinking Skynet machines to take over and murder and enslave Mankind. In this future, John Connor is not the leader of a human resistance but the tool of evil Skynet machines. It’s up to Sarah, Kyle and the old T-800 “Pops” to destroy the computer mainframe at Cyberdyne Systems (the home of Skynet) and thus prevent Judgement Day from ever happening. Can they succeed?
Evil terminator in the future warCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
Terminator Genisys Trailer
Special Extra Features
Warning. If you have not seen the movie, don’t watch the extras first. There are a lot of story spoilers in them.
- Family Dynamics is the Making-Of featurette on this Blu-ray and it’s very thorough and complete with “The Acting Ensemble” containing all the actors in the cast talking about their roles and working with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold himself talks about the whole series of films making his career. The filmmakers reveal why they cast each actor including the last “Dr. Who”, Matt Smith as a baddie. Cool!
Sarah Connor in actionCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
- Infiltration and Termination – Shooting in New Orleans and San Francisco. This is another very complete behind-the-scenes extra in which filmmakers talk about sets, locations and stages, the problems they had shooting on location as well as duplicating concept art. The big Future War battle is dissected and we learn how they shot the young Arnold battles older Arnold scene. Very interesting. Arnold was happy that, for once, a director wasn’t afraid of him!
A battered John ConnorCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
- Upgrades: VFX of Terminator Genisys provides tons of deets on the many, many special visual effects in this film. The Visual Effects Supervisor discusses working on the big future battle and we see step-by-step how they created the young terminator from 1984 to fight older termie played by Arnold now. Motion capture scenes are explored. James Cameron talks about innovating effects in his Terminator 2 film at the dawn of the CGI age. Very good extra.
Pops confronts his younger selfCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
Wrapping Up
The Blu-ray for Terminator Genisys looks and sounds awesome. Extras are very complete except I always love a good blooper/gag reel in which stars flub lines or fall down. It’s funny! Also there is no audio commentary from director or actors which would have been nice.
Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney)Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
As we said when we reviewed the film in theaters, younger audience members might find all the past/future, alternate timeline talk confusing but the movie is action-packed, provides some surprises, has humor, a little romance and some cool new visual effects that really draw you in. Acting is really good in the film. Despite not having a blooper reel or an audio commentary, we go 4 stars for this collectable and giftable Blu-ray/DVD and HD digital film pack.
Terminator Genisys Blu-ray Rating:
Terminator Genisys Blu-ray CoverCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
The Terminator Genisys Blu-ray + DVD is in stores November 10th!
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