The Terminator franchise has always been a breeding ground for narrative innovation. Robots, time travel, war, artificial intelligence — there are no boundaries as to what kind of storytelling can be applied to this material, which is probably why the franchise has remained alive (sentient?) for so long. Forty years, six movies, a television series, countless video games, comic books, and a theme park event later, and the well has yet to run dry, nor has the appetite for more stories in this world. That said, it’s about time we finally move away from the Connor family.
Enter Terminator Zero, an anime series that moves beyond the core Terminator storyline, occasionally to great effect. Anime is a perfect fit for the franchise’s imagery, especially when we consider that early entries in the genre were undoubtedly influential upon James Cameron’s original film. Animation also allows for an expansion of imagination. The action doesn’t require stunt performers, safety protocols, or an adherence to physics, just a team of artists who can bring the story to life. This freedom also allows, in the best case, for writers to think beyond the limitations of reality, allowing for more expansive and surreal storytelling.
All of this considered, Terminator Zero has the potential to be a game changer, and in a handful of ways, it is. Visually, it’s absolutely stunning. Yet the story itself doesn’t quite reach the heights that it could. There are elements where the writers show ambition, but at the end of the day this fast-paced series offers little more beyond what we’ve already seen.
Told over the course of eight 25-30 minute episodes, Terminator Zero struggles to justify its length. It isn’t until episode five that the story finds an innovative angle. Until then it’s just a chopped up version of what we already know: A robot has been sent back in time to 1997 in an effort to stop a history altering human element. Simultaneously, a human soldier has also been sent back to protect said human element. Motorcycles, guns, robots half-covered in charred flesh — you know the drill.
In this case the present day (1997)hero is a man named Malcolm Lee. He’s a scientist of sorts, and he spends his days working on a mysterious project, one which could potentially prevent the disastrous activation of SkyNet, an event he knows about from a spate of vivid dreams, and that we know about from decades of Terminator stories. He’s so obsessed with his work that, despite being a widower, he doesn’t pay much attention to his children. To that end he has hired a nanny named Misaka, who is beloved by all three Lee youngsters.
And then a Terminator shows up.
As previously indicated, the front half of the series feels like well-worn material, and it isn’t until the later episodes that the story finds its energy. As Judgment Day approaches, and the nature of Malcolm’s work grows clearer, Zero finds a handful of new avenues through which to expand the mythology. From here, it’s a breathless dash to the finish line that is sure to please any fan of the series (or of Ghost in the Shell).
The episodic nature doesn’t always suit the material, and it left me wondering if this whole story could have been told over the course of two feature length specials. The way that it is cut up highlights how much of the series feels like filler. It also provides for a handful of forced cliffhangers that fail to increase the tension as intended, and don’t pay off in any meaningful way. It’s Weeds syndrome all over again (huuuuuuge cliffhanger that is brushed aside with a minor stroke of the pen within seconds of the next episode’s opening). The stakes that seem to want to be there simply aren’t, and it hurts the characterizations overall — the apocalypse shouldn’t feel so weightless.
But if we are to boil off the fat and get this series down to its bare bones (it’s endoskeleton, perhaps?), there are plenty of exciting elements that successfully counteract a lot of the issues I’ve spoken about.
First and foremost, the Terminator formula is one that simply works, no matter how you slice it. This shit is straight up fun to think about, and it always results in killer action sequences, of which there are plenty. Secondly, the script sneaks in a fair number of surprises in the closing stretch. The aforementioned freedom provided to the writers by the nature of the material is capitalized on quite well in this department.
Finally, the visuals are stunning. The classic Terminator imagery is there, but there’s little about this version that borrows from Cameron’s house style. It feels like an original anime first, and a Terminator sequel second. I’d frequently find myself lost in the imagery only to be shaken back to a reality (ha!) when a T-800 marches into frame. To put it simply, Terminator Zero looks cool as hell. Despite working to avoid the tone/feel of the preceding franchise (a smart and respectable move), there are a handful of playful references to what came before. There’s a “come with me if you want to live.” There’s a terminator who dons the image of a motorcycle cop, complete with helmet. There are even a few times where the percussive melody of Brad Fiedel’s iconic score are integrated into the diegetic soundscape. Again, cool as hell.
Overall, Terminator Zero is a successful and welcome addition to the Terminator canon, but it’s one not lacking in missed opportunities. Hardcore fans of the IP will certainly be pleased, while casual viewers might find their minds wandering a bit. I’m happy to be in the former category, crossing my fingers in hopes of a second season. I get the sense that season one, for all its faults, is a strong foundation upon which to really go wild.
Terminator Zero is now available on Netflix in original Japanese with English subtitles (how I watched it) as well as with a star-studded English dub featuring Rosario Dawson, Timothy Olyphant, Ann Dowd, and Sonoya Mizuno.
Click here to watch.
