Terminator: Dark Fate

THE GIST: Sarah Connor, the Terminator T-800 who killed her son John, and Grace, an augmented human fighter from the future, team up to stop an ultra-advanced Terminator REV-9 from killing an ordinary Mexican girl.

Terminator: Dark Fate is the latest attempt to revive this once glorious franchise and in my opinion it's a winner.

The return of both Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger promises sparks, and they certainly deliver on that promise. Furthermore, they're flanked by one of the coolest fighters in an action movie I've ever seen, and the fact that it's a female character only adds to the cool factor. I really hope Mackenzie Davis will be integrated into future Terminator movies.

The villain is played with extreme gusto by  Gabriel Luna, another revelation, with clear references to Terminator II: Judgment Day's Robert Patrick's T-1000, arguably the coolest Terminator ever.

Natalia Reyes plays Dani Ramos, future leader of the resistance, and it's really nice to see so many strong roles being played by women. It really speaks to the changing times and shows how women can easily and effectively play badass roles traditionally reserved for men.

THE BOTTOM LINE: I've watched every Terminator movie ever made, and while some have been misses, this one is definitely a winner. The story fits perfectly in the canon and is well fleshed out. The casting is spot on as well. Definitely recommended.

Grade: 8