Transformers Gives Me Food For Thought

A short while ago I wrote a post entitled Death of the Cinema, where I talked about how the movie going experience has been somehwat lost to me recently.  Rising ticket costs and the fact that the sound and picture quality, combined with the fact I have to do at least a forty mile round trip to see a movie from home, have left me devoid of any interest in the medium.

All the more disturbing is that I didn’t have the enthusiasm to want to go and see Star Trek (despite rave reviews from friends), or Terminator: Salvation.  So when Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was getting close to release, I treated it with a great big “meh”.  I was all set to wait for it to come out on Blu-ray and enjoy the experience at home.

Then the movie was released here in the UK, a week before the US to a series of underwhelming reviews.  It got panned, and when the US critics weighed in it wasn’t a prettier picture either.  I effectively had my mind made up for me, I wasn’t that bothered by the movie in the first place and if it really is as bad as people are saying then it must be terrible, right?

We didn’t have much planned yesterday bar a visit to my folks, and I wanted to do something a little different.  There were a couple of times last week I considered “doing a Billy No Mates” and going to see Transformers by myself after work.  But decided against it, by the time I had watched the movie I would be exiting right in the middle of rush hour.  Anybody who knows anything about the Poole and Bournemouth area knows that you really don’t want to be around during work kick-out time.  So I didn’t bother then.

I decided “screw it”, the first movie was incredibly flawed but even though the picture won’t be up to my stupidly anal, moaner high standards, and it would be a little on the pricey side, I enjoy the spectacle of a Michael Bay/Transformers movie and I wanted to see it.  So we did, and I’m glad that we did.

I’m starting to wonder why it is I listen so intently to what people say on internet message boards, because they primarily seem to be populated by people who are determined to hate everything and everyone.  They get some kind of perverse pleasure in spending money to see something, determined that it will suck without even giving it a shot, and positively racing home to, well for want of a better phrase, shit all over it.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is, to my mind anyway, not entirely deserving of the critical drubbing it has garnished.  And let us not kid ourselves here, the general public clearly don’t take much notice of what critics say anyway given it took a record $60 million on its first day of release in the US.

We chose to see the movie at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, that is when it was being shown at the largest screen at the Tower Park Empire Cinemas complex (which, by the way has now almost finished its refit and it looks much better for it, shame the projectors are still the same, moan moan, repeat to fade).  Unsurprisingly as the movie is very much aimed at young boys and their fathers who grew up with Transformers (something that certain critics never seem to grasp, and probably never will.  They are never going to make a movie that is wholly based around the cartoon, it’s been 25 years, please move on) there were a lot of families there, lots of excited boys with their Dads and a number of Mums who were along for the ride.  Astonishingly they all behaved perfectly, a little rowdily to begin with but who cares?  Once the movie started they were silent for the entire duration.

Turning to the movie itself, a few notes about its flaws.  Yes, the movie is too long.  It is decidedly saggy in the middle, just as the first one was.  But this time around it feels a little better paced, rather than having to wait for any action whatsoever this time around it is liberally spaced throughout the entire movie so you are never left waiting for too long.

The story, well yes it is total bobbins but we aren’t watching a remake of Othello now are we?  The wafer thin plot does what it has to and give what it is designed to be, something that holds together the premise of “some really big robots beat the crap out of each other”.

Alright let’s break down the other things about the movie that are bad very quickly so I can get onto the positive stuff.  Yes the dog humping is overdone, once for a cheap laugh would suffice, twice is not necessary.  The cheap humour like Bumblee “peeing” on someone, robot farting, etc?  It’s designed for cheap laughs, and in my screening they got plenty.  From the kids, and the parents alike.  Sorry robot snobs, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of fun even if it is a little daft and crude.  I chuckled, and didn’t feel the need to put on my Autobot t-shirt and hug my boxed G1 Optimus Prime when I got home.
Finally a word on the stereotypes.  Every single character in this movie is a stereotype, even some of the Americans.  All of the Autobots are US cars, there is an Audi R8 Decepticon at the start of the movie and certain other Decepticons are Volvos no doubt indicating that any form of automobile that isn’t built in Detroit is inherantly evil.  Then there are the stereotypical “gang banger” type characters, complete with a gold tooth and snappy dialogue.  I have to agree with the other critics here, those characters are extremely unnecessary and rather offensive.  They really could have used toning down.

I must admit I sneered a little at the picture quality at the start of the movie.  Mentally berating the lack of sharpness and brightness to the image.  Then an inner voice told me to shut up, stop being a joyless prat and enjoy myself.  I listened, and enjoyed.
I had a blast with Revenge of the Fallen, the criticisms above aside.  This is an incredible action movie, and an absolutely astounding technical achievement.

There is so much more action this time around, and it kicks off right from the start.  I lost count of the number of times I found myself mouth agape, just unable to fathom just how ILM create the CG in this movie.  The stand out action sequence for me is in the forest where Optimus Prime takes on three Decepticons, and delivers a throaty “I’ll take you all on!” roar that had the kids jumping and cheering in their seats.

The action is also easier to follow this time.  In the first movie the camera was more focussed from the POV of the human characters, so when we saw the robots it was usually from the “waist” up.  There are plenty of long shots that show the full side characters fighting from a distance, which looks all the more impressive.  Which left me wondering why so many critics claimed they couldn’t tell what was going on because the action is so frenetic.  It’s fast, yes, but it’s not “make you vomit”, shaky cam fast cut nonsense like Quantum of Solace.

Revenge of the Fallen is supposed to be popcorn chomping escapism, designed to sell toys just like the cartoon did 25 years ago.  Yes it has a lot of flaws, but the target audience loved it, I loved it, and even Sally admitted that she enjoyed it when we walked out into the sunshine nearly three hours after we walked into the theatre.

The point I am trying to make with this post is that it is so easy to be swayed by what other people say, to form an opinion without trying something out for yourself first.  I’m not saying everyone should wander around with a permanent grin thinking everything is super great, and shouldn’t be sarcastic or cynical about anything (movie or otherwise).  But I really did enjoy Revenge of the Fallen and would encourage people to see it with an open mind, rather than preconceived notions from what someone else has fed you.  Maybe I will do the Billy No Mates bit and go and see Star Trek as well before it leaves the cinema.

One step at a time…

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Category: Personal, Reviews, Sci-Fi