6.26.2009

Film Review: Revenge of the Fallen

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
7.7 of 10
Director: Michael Bay
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox






I was a toy fanatic when I was a kid, and even up to now. I had huge numbers of action figures and vehicles from different toy lines such as M.A.S.K and G.I. Joe. But, here's the thing, I never owned a single toy robot from Transformers. I guess you can say that I'm not a big fan of the franchise like most of the 80's kids do. So when they "rolled out" the live action film back in 2007, I wasn't really that psyched. I did, however, find the movie entertaining. It's really hard not to enjoy it with the fast flashy cars, big robots blowing up things, a greased up Megan Fox, and a plot so easy you don't have to think.

Now, two years after the first live action movie, Michael Bay and his crew returns to give us Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, another surefire summer blockbuster film. The movie, as a sequel, in which it has to one up the first film's offering, pretty much delivered. It featured faster flashier cars, bigger robots making bigger explosions, a greasier Megan Fox, and an even more mind dumbing plot.

Megan Fox, outdoing her infamous "engine shot" in the first Transformers movie.

The eye candy in this film is unbelievably sweet. It's too sweet, in fact, that your eyes will hurt after you're done watching it. The new robots here are just pretty amazing, especially on the Decepticon's side. We get to see Demolishor, the huge excavator at the start of the film, and the Constructicons, both of which were very intimidating. Then there's the venerable Jetfire, revisioned as an SR-71 Blackbird instead of a white and red copy of Starscream, who's got to be the best character in the film. Megan Fox also out did her "engine shot" on the first film with a very sexy -but a bit awkward- bike shot.

However, most of the problem that plagued the first film were also present here. The story, especially, is as weak and superficial as the first. There's just no theme running underneath those flashy cars and hot chicks. If there is a theme, then it's either telling us that kitchen appliances are evil or it's just simply buried under the loud explosions. The plot holes were also big. So big not even Unicron can patch up with his full body. The action scenes were also as dizzying and confusing as it was in the first movie. The robot fights, especially, were shot up close so you don't know who's hitting who.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a fun and entertaining film. It's not the kind of movie that will inspire you, I admit. But it's the kind of movie that will mark your Summer this year. If, however, you didn't find any ounce of fun in this film. Then you're either a bent man, a straight woman, at Erikson's 8th Stage, or just way too intelligent.

Film Review: Wolverine
Comapre & Contrast: Watchmen
Film Review: Body of Lies
Film Review: The Dark Knight
Transformers: All about the eye candy

1 comments:

gillboard said...

my opinion in these kinds of films... you need to turn your brains off to truly enjoy it...