Terminator Genisys (12)

THE complexities of time travel is mind boggling enough as it is.

But you will need a flow chart to understand the fractured version of past and future altering events in Terminator Genisys.

The muddled plot about a future war between man and machines sees the events of the original Terminator film revisited.

Genisys sees the humans launch a successful counter-attack led by the Resistance leader John Connor (Jason Clarke).

But, as with James Cameron's 1984 film, the machines have a secret plan and send a 'Terminator' back in time to kill John's mother, Sarah (Emilia Clarke).

That is when things get complicated as one thing after another is thrown at the series' already strained timeline causing the plot to range from bewildering to headache inducing.

There are nice twists on original scenes from the classic film with some scenes recreated shot by shot but it just comes across as fan fiction rather than a polished Hollywood production.

Director Alan Taylor pays fan service with the likes of the T-1000 from Terminator 2 making an appearance but it just makes little to no sense – and that is a good way of summing up the whole film.

Jai Courtney puts in a wooden performance as Kyle Reese, the Resistance soldier sent back to save Sarah, continuing his trend of putting the final nail in the coffin of beloved franchises (see A Good Day to Die Hard).

And there is a major twist that arguably takes the heart out of the whole series.

It is good to see Arnold Schwarzenegger back in his iconic role and the plot just about explains away why the 68-year-old appears as an 'old but not obsolete' Terminator.

In a way it is a film for a time with the theme being about the dangers of our obsession and reliance with technology at our fingertips.

But when a film starts to explain away its convoluted plot in 'nexus points' in the 'time flow' you know you are in trouble.

DAVID MORGAN