Terminator Genisys Movie Poster Image

Terminator Genisys

age 14+
(i)

 

Good idea devolves into repetitive action, tons of violence.
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  • Review Date: July 1, 2015
  • Rated: PG-13
  • Genre: Science Fiction
  • Release Year: 2015
  • Running Time: 125 minutes

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What parents need to know

Positive messages

Briefly brings up the idea of freedom of choice; it's something that everyone wants, but what should you do with it once you have it? What's the best way to use your future?

Positive role models

Sarah Connor is a strong, feisty, and resourceful female character -- yet she lives a very solitary life, unable to trust anyone or connect with anyone except a robot. And, although she insists she doesn't need a boyfriend, the movie gives her one anyway.

Violence

Nearly constant sci-fi violence. Shooting with both laser guns and regular guns. Some blood shown. Terminators are shot, smashed, dropped, caught in explosions, and destroyed by acid. Vehicle chases and crashes. Explosions, destruction, and images of nuclear destruction, with millions blown away in a single blast. Stabbing with "liquid metal" blade-arms. Some scary scenes/jump-shocks/chases/pursuits.

Sex

Male and female characters time travel naked, but there's no graphic nudity (only torsos and legs shown). Brief innuendo and titillation.

Language

One use of "f--k," and a few uses of "s--t." Also "a--hole," "goddamn," "bite me," and "Jesus" (as an exclamation).

Consumerism

Nike shoes shown more than once. Pepsi machine shown.

Drinking, drugs, & smoking

Brief references to "cold beer" and "moonshine."

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Terminator Genisys is the fifth movie in the blockbuster sci-fi/action series, with Arnold Schwarzenegger back in his star-making role. The sci-fi/fantasy violence is intense and nearly constant, with tons of shooting (both regular guns and laser ones), fighting, perilous chases, big crashes, and explosions -- but very little blood or death. Both male and female characters time travel naked, but no sensitive body parts are shown (just torsos, legs, etc.). Language is sporadic but includes one "f--k" and a few uses of "s--t" and "a--hole." This is the first in a planned trilogy, and teen sci-fi nuts will be eager to line up for it.

What's the story?

On the future night that John Connor (Jason Clarke) and his followers launch an assault on Skynet, they're too late, and the first Terminator is sent back to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor. So John sends Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to protect her, but he unexpectedly arrives in an alternate timeline, where a tough, resourceful Sarah (Emilia Clarke) already has a guardian, a reprogrammed Terminator she calls "Pops" (Arnold Schwarzenegger). Armed with new memories from the time shift, Reese realizes that their next destination is San Francisco in 2017, where an operating system known as "Genisys" is about to launch. If they can stop that, they can prevent all the trouble from ever occurring. Unfortunately, Genisys has its own protector.

Is it any good?

QUALITY

The fifth movie in the Terminator series does well by ignoring the third and fourth installments, but after starting with a good idea, it devolves into a rather typical, monotonous shoot-and-smash fest. Far too much screen time is spent watching terminators shot at, bashed, dropped, and blown up ... only to reform again, with the whole cycle starting over. This might be fine if we hadn't seen it all before in the earlier films. And then everything comes down to a ticking counter, signaling the end of the world, that must be stopped.

Though Sarah Connor is a strong, resourceful woman, and all of the characters are appealing in a surface way (partly because of their familiarity from the earlier movies), they have little emotional draw other than the "business" they engage in between action scenes. Director Alan Taylor (Thor: The Dark World) keeps things looking good, but ultimately the entire movie feels more like a business transaction than it does an attempt to tell a solid story.

Families can talk about...

  • Families can talk about Terminator Genisys' violence. How did it affect you? Was it exciting? Exhausting? Gruesome? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • How does the movie handle the fact that the characters must time travel naked? Does the nudity seem sexual in any way? Do the characters present unrealistic male or female body types?

  • How does it feel that the movie essentially ignores the series' third and fourth installments?

  • What's the appeal of time-travel stories? How does traveling through time affect a story's timeline?

Movie details

Theatrical release date:July 1, 2015
DVD release date:November 10, 2015
Cast:Jai Courtney, Emilia Clarke, Arnold Schwarzenegger
Director:Alan Taylor
Studio:Paramount Pictures
Genre:Science Fiction
Topics:Robots
Run time:125 minutes
MPAA rating:PG-13
MPAA explanation:intense sequences of sci-fi violence and gunplay througout, partial nudity and brief strong language

This review of Terminator Genisys was written by

Jeffrey M. Anderson
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are conducted by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

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Teen, 14 years old Written byDisneymovielover77 July 1, 2015
age 12+

Fun And exciting action packed movie

Terminator Geniys is an action packed movie with a few comedic moments and touching moments as well. It's a really good movie and there was plenty of suspense and you are on the edge of your seat the entire time while watching it. Violence- nothing bloody or graphic basically something you would see in a Marvel film. It has to do with time travel. The story has to do with John Connor who wants to send someone back to where there was a Terminator who was sent to kill his mom Sarah Connor. The person who volunteered is Kyle Reese. The T-800 became a dad like figure towards Sarah Connor and he wants to protect her like a father. There was great chemistry between the characters and you can't help but wonder if they're going to survive. There were touching moments in the movie and the actors who were involved did a great job with there characters that they played. Violence includes a few gunshots and explosions ( not bloody or graphic). There was a ton of suspense and you'll be on the edge of your seat the entire time. There was some mild curse words it's mainly the s word. If you have any kids that love action movies then this one is recommended. Know your kid, it depends on if you think your kids are ready to see a movie. It's ok for them to wait a little while. Off for ages 2-9 Pause for 10-11 On for 12+ maybe 11 depending on your kids are used to seeing. Hope this review helped! :)
What other families should know
Great messages
Great role models
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Teen, 16 years old Written byJflores14 July 2, 2015
age 16+

Complicated tale is pretty entertaining and I liked it

This film was an action that actually had a plot that wasn't lost in the sound of gunfire and explosions. This movie was action packed, funny, and interesting. Teens and adults are sure to enjoy this summer flick! CONTENT: VIOLENCE- constant peril. People are shot, stabbed, blown up, thrown off bridges, decapitated, gunned down, and destroyed. Constant violence, mayhem, chaos, and explosions. SEX- some sexual tension, innuendo about mating, a woman changes and she is seen in a bra and a shadow of her nude is shown and leaves little to the imagination. The characters have to transport nude so we see a great deal of skin. Both male and female butts are glimpsed and everything except the most explicit body parts are seen, even a great deal of the side and top of a woman's bare breats. Also an ongoing joke about mating and having sex to save the future. LANGAUGE- lost of uses of goddamn, nearly ten in total. Scattered use of shit, he'll, crap, damn, bitch, and the like. The begining of the movie begins with the line, "f**k you asshole". DRUGS- none MY RATING: PG-13/ for thematic elements, violence, nudity, and strong langauge
What other families should know
Great messages
Too much sex
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Kid, 8 years old July 2, 2015
age 18+

Interesting,thrilling,entertaining sci-fi thriller is insanely violent and brutal.

This movie fallows Kyle Reese a man who is sent back in time to save Sarah Conner but he soon finds out that he does not need to protect her but Sarah and Kyle team up to stop judgement day from happening. They also have a mission to destroy John because he is a terminator and wants to be a part of sky net. This thriller has tons of constant, extremely strong brutal sci-fi violence characters are stabbed, crushed, shot, beaten, thrown, and fall to there death, theres no blood but its extremely brutal. The language isn't constant but its occasional. There is also some scenes of flirting, kissing, and partial nudity. This movie is fun, entertaining, suspenseful, and exciting but theres a bit to many smashed robots. My rating:R for strong sci-fi violence, bloody images, language, and nudity.
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