If you're one of the select few who have managed to avoid the latest spoilers on TERMINATOR: GENISYS, and you're looking to avoid them, two things: For one, word is that the spoilery TERMINATOR trailer is running in front of AVENGERS: AGE OF UlTRON, so be wary! And two, don't read the rest of this article! The newest poster definitely spills those beans, and we'll be discussing it later down. This is your chance to turn away, remain blissfully unaware and try to enjoy the film and its story in the theater where it was meant to be . . . ahem, experienced.
Now then, the newest TERMINATOR: GENISYS poster has arrived (you'll find that at the bottom of the article) and it also gives away the fact that John Connor has become "one with the Terminators." Despite the knowledge that people know the history of the first Terminator film will be altered (a la STAR TREK), there are certain plot points or character motivations that should remain intact. The mythos of John Connor becoming the great military leader is one of the driving and haunting facts about the Terminator franchise. It's what gives the characters their depth. Sarah struggles with her knowledge of the future, and to become the mother that the leader of the human resistance needs. Meanwhile, John lives his whole life carrying this weight on his shoulders, only to rise to the challenge. It's compelling stuff, and GENISYS is looking to take a nice steamy crap on it. It's the equivalent of Spock announcing that he's Khan in STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS.
I'm not going to get into any more spoilers about the film, but they're out there for those who want to read up on it. Suffice it to say that GENISYS absolutely changes the game, and I have a feeling fans will be none too pleased. Of course, I could be wrong and perhaps director Alan Taylor (THOR: THE DARK WORLD) crafted something really interesting and great in GENISYS, but I wouldn't wouldn't bet on it. Nor do I blame him for the story's direction. Rather, I'm more upset at Paramount for even being so bold as to give this much away.
Believe it or not, if we're going by statistics, audiences like to be aware of the story they're going to see before they see it. Maybe marketing had planned the John reveal since the beginning, or maybe they felt their early trailers were too weak to really bring in audiences. Regardless, there's a fine line of showing too little and too much. Being the fans that we are, we watch most of the trailers and TV spots that come are way, but always question if a preview is giving away the best gags or the most exciting action set-pieces. On the other hand, you have films like TOMORROWLAND where no one really knows what the hell is going on. It's a tightrope, for sure. At the end of the day, if the movie is great, does it even matter? It's not like we don't know the story of STAR WARS before watching it for the 100th time. Experiencing a story for the first time is just one aspect to enjoy about a film. It's the greatness of the characters and the execution that keep us coming back.
In the case of GENISYS, I do feel they've gone too far. With ticket prices being what they are, no one wants to feel like they've experienced everything a film has to offer before walking into the theater. What I want to know is what you all think. Do you think Paramount has been too bold with GENISYS? Which films do you feel like have been spoiled for you, and which trailers do you think are doing a film justice?
TERMINATOR: GENISYS will open on July 1, 2015.