Linda Hamilton is the best thing about 'Terminator: Dark Fate'

Terminator: Dark Fate isn't a great movie, but it is a fun one, which is all we can ask for at this point with this franchise. After two action classics written and directed by James Cameron the series has faltered. Terminator 3 was entertaining enough, if ridiculously silly. Terminator: Salvation was largely forgettable and the most recent installment Terminator: Genisys was just bad and confusing.

Director Tim Miller has decided to disregard these sequels and pick up where Terminator 2 left off, albeit 18 years later. He more or less approximates the propulsive pace of the original films and he wisely resurrects the undeniably coolest character in the franchise -- Sarah Connor -- played to perfection again by the wonderful Linda Hamilton.

In fact, Hamilton is so charismatic here that she pretty much steals the movie right from under its nominal leads -- which includes Mackenzie Davis as an enhanced humanoid in the nominal Reese role. Davis is compelling in the action scenes, where she faces down essentially a Latino version of Robert Patrick (an effective Gabriel Luna), but she doesn't really register as a character.

I'd much rather have watched a movie about Hamilton hunting terminators, her flinty badass-ness goes a long way especially when the action gets bogged down in CGI histrionics.

And the movie does a wonderful job of plausibly working Arnold Schwarzenegger back into the action. In his 70s now, he's not remotely believable as a physical force but he hasn't lost a step comedically and without spoiling it, the movie actually finds some new shades for his rugged old cyborg to play.

There's a sentimental even sappy tone to this movie at times, which is surprising coming from the director of the Deadpool movies. It seems like everyone involved is aware that this probably has to be Schwarzenegger's last go round in his most iconic role.

And while Dark Fate won't be making any critical top ten lists -- it's a fitting end to this franchise if it ends up being the last one. I always felt like there could be more to this universe, but now I'm not so sure. All attempts to set plot points in the future post apocalyptic world have failed and the series has never come up with characters more interesting that Sarah Connor and the T-1000.

It's a little disappointing that Miller and Cameron (who's making a heralded return to the series as a producer) couldn't find something more original or even timely to say with this new film. With each sequel we're meant to believe there have been more and more terminators sent to kill from the future, at the end of the day has it been dozens?

The thing to savor here is that this movie is centered on women characters (it even passes the Bechdel test) and it re-introduces Linda Hamilton back into the mainstream where she belongs.