“I’ll be back” is as famous, as it is infamous. In one hand, it is one of the most recognizable movie quotes of all time. In the other, it’s become the satirical representation of a franchise that keeps producing cheesy sequels. Terminator 2 was ground breaking. Often regarded as one of the best sequels ever made. It was made in 1991, almost 30 years ago. There have been three Terminator movies since then. Spoiler alert, they were all bad. Terminator: Dark Fate is probably the last shot this franchise has, and it delivers for the most part.

The first thing you need to know about Terminator: Dark Fate is how it corrects the Terminator ship. It does so by choosing to completely ignore all the movies after T2. Dark Fate is a direct sequel to Terminator 2 and completely erases Terminator 3 : Rise of the Machines, Terminator Salvation and Terminator Genisys. This is a bold move, but it created legroom for the writers to work with. It could have been a horrible mistake to try and engineer an excuse for this in the narrative. A convoluted plot that would “explain” why the other movies didn’t happen. Terminator Genisys tried this and we saw how that worked out. Wiping the slate clean is jarring, but the end result creates a movie that isn’t weighed down by decisions of the past. Especially when nothing in the last 30 years was worth preserving.

Dark Fate takes places 20+ years after the events of T2. The efforts of T2 to change the future and prevent Judgement Day were successful. Skynet does not exist and the human race avoided extinction by machines. Dani Ramos ( Natalia Reyes ) is a machine factory worker in Mexico City. Her life is suddenly and violently turned upside down when a Terminator ( Gabriel Luna ) sent from 2042 tries to kill her. It is thwarted by Grace ( Mackenzie Davis ), a cyber-nectically enhanced solider sent from the same future to protect her. Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger reprise their classic roles as Sarah Conner and T-800 respectfully. Aiding Grace in the task of protecting of Dani from the new and fearsome Terminator.

If this all sounds familiar, it is. It’s very obvious that Dark Fate is using the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” playbook. Replicating this playbook may have been enough on it’s own, but it fortunately updates a couple plays for 2019. The core team is a trio of female leads. Mackenzie Davis excels as the cyborg Grace. Her screen presence and physicality were top notch. Dani, the “new” Sarah Conner, is as confused as anybody thrust in a life or death situation should be. However, she has numerous moments where her charisma and courage get put on display. She is constantly trying to rationalize and take control of the situation. Last and not least, the return of Sarah Conner is the best part of the film. Arnold is the symbol of the franchise but Linda Hamiliton’s Sarah Conner is the heart and soul. She is the series’ only character that has an actual character arc. She was a timid waitress in the original Terminator, a scrappy fighter in T2, and now an old battle veteran. Killing Terminators for a living.

Where Dark Fate shines is the action set pieces. The core of this is mostly in the Terminator itself. Every terminator has to be more intimidating than the last one. Dark Fate delivers with this new mix between the classic Terminator and the liquid metal from Terminator 2. The Rev-9 has a sleek metal skeleton with a liquid metal shell. It can use the liquid metal shell to assume different disguises and create different weapons. It can also purge the liquid metal shell and let it assume a humanoid form on its own, allowing this terminator to multi-task.

Where Dark Fate falls apart is the narrative is too safe. A reoccurring downside with “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. This problem is further exasperated by the franchises determination to use old quotes and/or imagery. It might be hard to not roll your eyes at some of the one-liners or call backs.

As I mentioned earlier, the movie takes place in Mexico City. At some point the characters need to get into the US. Which almost demands that an arduous border crossing scene has to come with it. Which cannot be a coincidence in today’s climate. In T2, the terminator was disguised as a cop in Los Angeles. That wasn’t a coincidence either. So I suppose a border crossing agent on the Texas/Mexico border is in the same realm. Still felt a little too on the nose, but that’s probably just me. It might have just been the obvious allegory to make but that doesnt mean it works. The setting just didn’t gel or support the narrative as a whole.

All things consider, Dark Fate is still a decent movie. It was never going to be better than T2. It makes up for the last three terminator movies but that was never a high bar.