Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

[The Yattering]

Sigh. I am an out and out Transformers fanatic. I collect the toys, I read the comics; I watch the various cartoons. I am unabashed in this hobby; it is an abiding enthusiasm, and one that has caused neither me nor anyone else any particular inconvenience (other than the incidence of having my home packed strewn with action figures ).

The first Transformers live action movie filled me with dread until I actually went to see it. Every element was wrong; it's a plotless, ill directed, shrieking, characterless mess of a movie, BUT...I found it enormous fun. It is a movie that does not require engagement of any kind; that acknowledges its own fundamental absurdity and simply says: fuck it, I'll run with it.

And now we have a sequel. Bigger! Badder! Blastier! With More Robots!!!!!!!!!
And it's something I feel far more ambiguous about. The faults of the first movie haven't been addressed here; if anything, they've been compounded to the Nth degree. It is a screaming, educationally sub-normal eight year old with A.D.H.D after too many red Skittles. It is in many, many respects a truly horrible movie, and representative of a great deal that is wrong with modern cinema.

It can also be enormous fun IF one is in the right frame of mind. This is crucial; this is not a movie to watch if one is feeling deep, intellectually acute, philosophical or otherwise capable of engagement. If you apply critical pressure, it falls to tiny little pieces and is blown away on the breeze. BUT, if one is feeling in need of something extremely light and loud; something that makes your bowels and tooth fillings resonate in their settings, then it can be entertaining.

As for faults, they truly are too numerous to list. Redundant plot strands, characters that go nowhere, ropey, expositional dialogue, awfully drawn characters, peurile humour, a lack of plot, contradictions and so on and so forth.

See it in the right frame of mind, and it'll distract. see it in the wrong frame of mind, and it'll distress. That's about as much as one can say for it.

 

[sandcastledisco]

um... personally I thought it was boring and the ending was drawn out and the actual "end" happened so fast it was ridiculious. also for a kids movie its really... inapporopriate,
Oh not to mention the two robots talking in "ebonics" that dont read, which i found really messy.

 

[On The Edge]

I loved it..though the graphics were great too..wasn't much of a fan before..but really enjoyed it..

 

[ndapper321]

ahh how can u guyz say that... it was one of the best movies ever!!!

 

[rnailsone]

Im a BIG Transformers fan too... but im sad to say that the movie sucked to me I didnt like it at all I was very disappointed.

 

[therealm1]

As I told a friend who asked if she should see it, I don't regret spending money on the ticket and sitting through the movie; HOWEVER, I wouldn't suggest anyone go to see this movie unless all you want is more fights and more explosions.

I went into Transformers 2 excited because I genuinely enjoyed the first movie. Yeah, it had some of its own faults, but a chance to see the Autobots at it again was enough to get me into a movie theater.

There are several things wrong with the movie.

1) The Humor: I don't understand why the level of humor needed to be changed from the first movie. The first movie felt like it had just the right amount of humor at the right times without throwing it in the audience's faces. In Revenge of the Fallen, humor is taken to a new level and comes across very juvenile. The dog humping, the pot-influenced mom, the twins, and the "balls" are just a few examples. Those moments at humor never came across as naturally funny and often times reminded those jokes were not kid-friendly.

2) Useless characters: The twins and Sam's roommate, Leo, are the biggest offenders in this movie. They add nothing of value to the entire plot. Leo's sole contribution is that he knows Simmons, which if you rewrite the movie to have Sam or Michaela somehow run into Simmons again, Leo is unnecessary. Sadly, several Autobots and Decepticons also fall into this category because they are merely used as pawns to move the plot along. In particular, Bumblebee, Sam's protector, is reduced to playing referee to the twins. The progress made with Bumblebee regaining his voice is taken away and essentially Bumblebee is told to grow up and let Sam go. No real resolution with the Sam/Bumblebee angle.

3) Suspension of Belief: When it comes to geography and plausibility, the movie asks its viewers to just "go with the flow." The movie has our characters moving all across the globe, whether going to college, on the run, in "DC," or in Egypt looking for the Matrix. At times you sit and question how the group can travel the Sahara in less than a day when in reality, that would never happen. When it comes to plausibility, the biggest issue lies with the "cover up" of the events from the last movie. So you're telling me the government was able to tell millions of people that the city brawl at the end of the first movie DIDN'T happen? That the Autobots that crash landed on Earth were figments of people's imagination? Seriously?

The movie's biggest saving grace and why I'm not demanding my money back is the increased battle presence of Optimus Prime. The forest scene with Optimus is by far the best fight scene in all of the movie, regardless of the outcome. For fans looking for more of Optimus, this movie delivers.

However, the movie again begins to fall apart after the forest scene and just drags until the end. The final battle scene is ridiculous in how long it takes to get Sam from one desert sand dune to where Optimus is. I honestly started to fall asleep because it seemed as if Sam would NEVER get to Optimus. However, once he does, the movie is basically over. The final blow comes quick and then cue Linkin Park and the random sunset kiss.

So I was definitely frustrated with the movie because I expected at least the same kind of movie as the first one or something better because it is a sequel. I felt like I was given less than what the first movie provided.

I know there are people who are incredibly critical of Michael Bay's work. I'm not necessarily one of those critics although I agree with most of their sentiment. I did enjoy Bad Boys & Bad Boys II, even if I would never call them amazing pieces of cinematography. Having said all of that, here's a link to a supposed storyboards on behalf of Michael Bay to write "Great Gatsby." It's HILARIOUS.

http://www.cracked.com/blog/?p=10289

 

[gourami]

The important question is, how fine was Shia Labeouf?

 

[sandcastledisco]

The important question is, how fine was Shia Labeouf?

a 7/10

now megan fox is a 12

 

[therealm1]

a 7/10

now megan fox is a 12

Definitely. I didn't get the craze about her prior to the sequel (I thought she was OK in the first one) but the sex appeal is ramped up in this one but she doesn't come across as slutty. Basically she doesn't look like she should be acting in a porn flick but does look incredibly hot in this movie.

As far as Shia goes... eh. He looks like he always does.

 

[metalmickey]

really? i think hes super cute - like really hot in a way you don't have to think about

like, the male equivalenty of that chick from Freaks and Geeks

as far as the movie goes....I had a good time, and thats all i expected from it

 

[zingerz]

Okay, so the fallen have technology beyond humans, but as a child and girlfriend run around the desert for 30 mins meanwhile explosions surround them, and yet these robots with superior technology can't seem to capture 2 humans.
BUT THEN!! they decide to capture the parnents as hostages and fail horridly either killing /capturing the kid/girl AND the parnets....
THEN... the fight between the big bad guy... and optimus is like 30 sec??? after 30 mins of retardation of running around the desert like chickens with their heads cut off??? PLAUSIBLE

 

[rayek]

I thought the movie was okay... nothing outstanding... but it kept me entertained for a while.

You just need to switch your brain off and enjoy the ride.