Helena Bonham Carter is an unquestionably talented actress. No one has mastered the Victorian/Gothic/romantic/possibly-deranged vibe better than her. But there are still some movies I could never, ever imagine her in. And near the top of that list has to be any of the Terminator films. Does this woman look like a robot to you?
News came earlier this week that Helena is in talks to appear in the fourth installment of the machines vs. humans apocalyptic action series, Terminator Salvation. The restarted franchise will star Christian Bale (yes, Batman) as a grown-up John Connor as he leads the human rebellion against the cyborgs post nuclear holocaust. The Hollywood Reporter says Helena’s role would be “small but pivotal” while the Los Angeles Times reports that she could be the “lead villain.” Bryce Dallas Howard will play John’s wife, Kate. The project is beings directed by McG, the same one-named-wonder behind the Charlie’s Angels films and many a music video. I expect many things to go boom.
Now, we all know Helena can play bad. Her extraordinarily twisted Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange first surfaced in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and will appear again to scare the bejesus out of small children and unsuspecting wizards in subsequent films.
But, could she be a machine? I just can’t see it. Room With a View — yes. Room with a Cyborg — no.
Though, I guess I shouldn’t judge too quickly. I mean, this is an actress who has successfully played a cannibalistic baker, a corpse bride and a talking chimpanzee. So an evil robot really shouldn’t be a problem.
So, what do you think? Is Helena a genius casting pick? Or is a thought worse than biting into one of Mrs. Lovett’s meat pies?
