So I saw Transformers 2 yesterday…the rest of it is under a cut to avoid spoilers
So I saw Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen yesterday. I didn’t think it was so horrible, not horrible enough to warrant Ebert’s merciless review of it.
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I realized this movie pays homage to the original animated Transformers Movie in a way that the first Bay version didn’t. There are several lines and scenes that seem ripped directly from the animated film. Optimus Prime’s death while fighting Megatron, Megatron’s return to base and beating up Starscream… I wish he’d blown him to bits instead of just beating him with his detached arm. The whole idea of the Matrix of Leadership is the core of the original animated movie, and Ironhide griping about being too old for this crap is another similarity to the original film but that’s where the comparisons stopped for me.
Visually, parts of the movie are stunning and must have take the digital cinematic team months to complete. The desert fight scenes are breathtaking, but there are scenes that look too cartoony for my taste. There’s a scene where a probe enters Spike’s brain via his nose and wriggles around for a bit before exiting; this looks very cartoonish either due to bad shading or this two minute sequence not getting as much attention to detail as the big battle scenes.
As for the two racist robots… or so I’m told by every media outlet that has covered the film and this new controversy. I didn’t see it, and before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, I didn’t see it because those same two robots could have been played for the dumb hick stereotype (ala Cletus on the Simpsons) with the same voices, facial expressions and looks. I thought it was stupid, but the whole movie was stupid blow em up fun for me. I didn’t go to the film looking for Oscar caliber performances, I didn’t expect much in the way of a plot and was surprised that there was a plot.
To summarize for anyone who isn’t planning on seeing it or will wait till DVD: Some time has passed since the Autobots joined up with the military and are working with them to wipe out the last of the Decepticons on Earth. The last of the Original Primes who turned evil has resurrected Megatron via the last bit of the Cube that was destroyed in the last movie. This Prime is the First Decepticon, and he’s seeking the Matrix to restart a machine that will use Earths sun for more Energon. If he succeeds, no more Earth. For some reason, there’s a side love story between Spike and his girlfriend from the first movie and him going off to college.
I think that movies should be entertaining, not necessarily social or political statements. Sometimes a movie is just a movie and that’s all I wanted when I sat down in the theatre yesterday. Overall, it was a decent movie for $5.50 and I’ll probably get a copy when its on sale for $10 at Target.
