Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) – at Cathay Cineleisure. I’ll say just this: if you want to get through a Michael Bay movie, you have to accept some things – that the film is going to be packed with seamlessly computer generated imagery, there’s going to be lots of explosions, camera quick-cuts, and too many indulgent moments that the director is just plain showing off.
To be honest, I didn’t think Transformers 2 was that bad, especially if you consider that the review of the film in The Straits’ Times Life section today rated it half a star out of 5 stars. There’s stuff that jaded sci-fi and fantasy film fans won’t have seen too often before, or at least not as well done as it’s here.
Like the Island of an aircraft carrier exploding and then nearly splitting in two right in the middle. There was a similar scene in The Sum of All Fears from a few years ago, but Bay’s version is far more stunning visually. Or a Decepticon with huge wheels rolling down a highway.
The action scenes are kinetic too. Human weaponery and equipment are largely sidestepped in this sequel except for the last major battle involving a navy cruiser with a railgun. For much of the movie’s action sequences, it’s Autobots and Decepticons going mano-a-mano, two-on-one, three-on-one – just about every combination of a robot gang bang you can think of.
The cast of human characters are really supplements in the Transformers films. Most of the leading cast return. Shia LaBeouf returns as Sam and is as fun to watch as he did before, though the whole subplot of him being imbued with alien powers is just silly. Megan Fox still plays Mikaela and has even less to do in this film but still gets a lot of screen time. Outside wearing low-cuts and displaying her bod, she contributes nothing to the film. It’s fun though to see Sam and her running, jumping, avoiding, explosions to the point she’s covered in dirt and grime – but her lipstick coverage is still flawless. John Turturro rounds up the trio returning as ex-Agent Simmons, and he gets the film’s best lines.
Unfortunately, a couple of actors who were merely annoying in the first film are just outright gyrating in the second film now. I’m referring specifically to Sam’s parents played by Kevin Dunn and Julie White. Just awful. Their inane dialog about the irrelevant – I’m guessing in a vain attempt to add context and character development – will feel like hot pokers stabbed through your ear holes.
This time round too there’s another irritating human fly in the form of Sam’s roommate Leo, played by Ramón Rodríguez. The guy over acts, is given stupid lines, and has no significant role in the story but he shows up a lot in the film.
There’re a lot more Transformers bots in the sequel too: all the ‘bots who survived the first film return, and are joined by a huge cast of new bots. However, it’s crazily difficult to tell at any point during a fight scene what is going on – when all the Decepticons and several of the Autobots all look alike, and that the camera seems to be controlled by crazed chimpanzees on steroids. Only Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and the two new twins Mudflap and Skids are distinguishable and only by virtue of the colors of their armor.
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On the overall, one just has to accept Bay for what he can do, and what he just can’t. Given a huge budget, he can make visually stunning stuff. You just have to accept that it’s not deep, and just not especially memorable.
What I find especially apt about Michael Bay’s directing the Transformers movies is that there’s not been a single Michael Bay film I’ve seen that I didn’t feel like transforming into a bird to fly away. I expect a similar impulse this afternoon when I take my son to see Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. I’d prefer it if the effects in Mr. Bay’s films were less visual and more sleep-inducing!
Well bud – The Rock wasn’t that bad.:)