Black Moon Rising - 2/5

This movie is a misguided attempt at a cool action thriller. It relies moderately on its sense of style, which is distinctly outdated, and some of the brief, darker elements of the plot don’t do the lighthearted tone any favors. Both Tommy Lee Jones and Linda Hamilton are unfortunately miscast here. While both are great in their own respective rights, neither has the raw charisma to carry the plodding narrative despite their best efforts.

Content warning: brief female nudity

Closest comparison: It’s like Enemy of the State by way of Blind Fury.

Setting: Espionage
Plot: Heist
Tone: Action

Terminator: Dark Fate - 3/5

There’s good news and bad news. The good news is this is the third best Terminator film to date. The bad news is it’s still pretty disposable. The action setpieces are big and iconic, the new terminator is well-conceived, and the returning combination of Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger is worth the price of admission alone. On the flipside, the acting is pretty bad in a few key places, the CGI is sometimes cringe-level rubbery, and the actions scenes each have several moments of dark lighting shaky cam that make them very hard to read. James Cameron’s presence is palpable, but it would have been a much better film if he’d directed it. If you’re a fan of the series this movie is a must-see, but beyond that it’s a pretty stock action flick.

Closest comparison: The Terminator franchise goes the route of The Fast and The Furious.

Setting: Sci-fi Action
Plot: Protect-the-girl Action
Tone: Sci-fi Action