Transformers
Transformers Revenge Of The Fallen
Transformers -
Overview
Positives
Negatives
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Brief Review
Transformers is a loud, adrenaline-fueled mess of carnage and action loosely held together by a weak plot and something about a rubix cube. The biggest problem with Transformers, aside from the blatant product placement scattered throughout, is this is a visual treat that doesn't have much more going for it. Unfortunatgely doesn't live up to expectations but with big action sequences, its just enough to disguise how awful the rest of the film is.
Full Review
Transformers was a phenomenon loved by millions of people the world over in the mid 80s and through the 90s. The toys flew off the shelves and the cartoon series was a huge hit as well, emphasising how popular the brand has become. Its no surprise then that the series got snapped up in 2006 by Michael Bay to make it appealing to a new audience and hoping to reignite the series.
In an effort to make the film accessible for all ages, the story suffers hugely here in favour of massive action sequences. The story revolves around Sam Witwicky, a bumbling teenager whos thrust into an uninspiring cliché consisting of "I want the girl, but I can't get the girl cos I'm not cool enough". It causes more irritation than anything else and will only be appealing to teenagers and the younger market.
Sam Witwicky holds the key to the secret of the Autobots and Decepticons, two alien races that can transform from robots into modern technology, that soon reveal their intentions. The Autobots are here to defend the humans but the Decepticons are here to raise hell and reveal the secret to unlocking their power. It's a weak plot and a disappointing one too as if the story was as strong as the action sequences are, this film could have been a winner.
As it stands, the film is a visual masterpiece with a dumb protagonist in which it almost feels like a comedy than an action film. The jokes aren't funny (at least I didn't think so) and the blatant product placement is irritating, in your face and unneccessary. It doesn't help that for a large portion of this film, the Transformers are nowhere to be seen and the film plays out by bouncing between being an idiotic teen romcom spoof and a suspenseful drama.
However, its not all bad as the action sequences are spot on. The camera shakes a bit and at split seconds its difficult to tell what's going on but on the whole the film is held together by strong set pieces and some truly awe-inspiring battles. This is about the only thing this mess of a film has going for it and boy does it deliver it in style. At 2 and a half hours, its good that the action is in bucket loads as it does take the focus away from the dreadful plot.
The acting isn't up to scratch here and none of the actors really stand out. The personalities of the Transformers are way too one dimensional for my liking, apart from Optimus Prime who is good here, and the two leads, Sam Witwicky, played by Shia LeBeouf and Mikaela Banes, played by Megan Fox, are very wooden and really didn't stick out as anything special. A more rounded character for Sam would have been nice and the film could have almost been improved without Megan Fox involved.
Overall then, and Transformers is a visual treat with loud and hectic action sequences throughout most of the film. The breathtaking pace means when the action isn't on screen, the dreadful plot is on show for everyone to see. The weak story is only worsened by poor stereotypes acted badly and a lack of character for the Transformers themselves. Unfortunately, this reboot for the series is exactly what it didn't need. Worth watching for the action but that's about it.