Grade: C- (out of respect to the nostalgia of Transformers... otherwise, I'd give it a D)
The action in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Transformers 2) is awesome and the effects are insane! In typical Michael Bay fashion the cameras whirl around the film's subjects as if trying to induce nausea within audience members (to be honest I actually really like that!), the action and dramatic moments are slowed down (as if, with slow motion, trying to do for dramatic moments what John Woo does for intense action sequences), the explosions are huge and reality seems to be suspended. Unfortunately for this film much of the writing, plot lines and dramatic sequences are ridiculous, at best.
Some major issues with Transformers 2:
(1) The vulgarity and language is significantly elevated (and completely disproportionate to the first movie)... even the Autobots cuss all the time as if they have no other means of communication (so much for "higher intelligence").
(2) The sexual references, innuendo and scenes of sensuality are highly forced, awkward and largely out of place. It's almost as if Bay, the producers and the writers didn't trust the audience to be smart enough to follow the plot without out-of-place sex jokes and humping dogs and robots.
(3) There are several fact-checking issues with this film - some can be overlooked, but some are so bad that they actually make certain parts of the movie laughable (when they don't intend it to be funny). See the yahoo article on the film's major discrepancies.
(4) Women are objectified (as if used solely for their sexual allure for hormone-driven males). One (Allison) is willing to do anything just to hop on top of Sam (Shia's character) and have sex with him (there is a weak reason, but even that doesn't justify the objectification of the "girl"... nor does it make sense in the "Transformers" world, but I can't go into that without spoiling part of the story). Mikaela (Megan Fox) is dressed in just enough to not show everything as she narrowly escapes the Decepticons attacks, but little enough (to include being slumped over a motorcycle in tiny shorts) to entice Sam, other characters (to include one robot who can't control himself and humps her leg) and male viewers. These are just a few examples of the many, many common issues with the objectification of women (seriously, when are directors going to grow up a bit?).
(5) As is the case with many movies and television shows today, the parents are culturally-clueless, intellectual buffoons who "unknowingly" consume marijuana brownies (apparently sold at college bake sales), talk about sex (without consequences) with their teenage son, encourage sleeping around (while trashing monogamy - Sam actually has to defend his decision to remain monogamous with girlfriend Mikaela against his parents!) and are completely inept in every way (thus, the reason the teenage son must save his parents and the world). The only positive part of the parents in this movie is their apparently strong relationship together as husband and wife (their son goes off to college and they are anxious about more time together) and with their son, Sam.
As is the case with the first movie, Bay does try to focus on the power of sacrifice, but ultimately that message falls through the cracks left by the movie's glaring inconsistencies and Bay's unwillingness to sacrifice his own juvenile whims for the sake of a truly great movie. This movie had a lot of promise, but lost itself in trying to be something it never should have been. Now, instead of looking forward to owning this sequel on DVD (which, sadly, I will not be purchasing now), I now can only look forward to Transformers 3 in the hopes that it can redeem this franchise.
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Some major issues with Transformers 2:
(1) The vulgarity and language is significantly elevated (and completely disproportionate to the first movie)... even the Autobots cuss all the time as if they have no other means of communication (so much for "higher intelligence").
(2) The sexual references, innuendo and scenes of sensuality are highly forced, awkward and largely out of place. It's almost as if Bay, the producers and the writers didn't trust the audience to be smart enough to follow the plot without out-of-place sex jokes and humping dogs and robots.
(3) There are several fact-checking issues with this film - some can be overlooked, but some are so bad that they actually make certain parts of the movie laughable (when they don't intend it to be funny). See the yahoo article on the film's major discrepancies.
(4) Women are objectified (as if used solely for their sexual allure for hormone-driven males). One (Allison) is willing to do anything just to hop on top of Sam (Shia's character) and have sex with him (there is a weak reason, but even that doesn't justify the objectification of the "girl"... nor does it make sense in the "Transformers" world, but I can't go into that without spoiling part of the story). Mikaela (Megan Fox) is dressed in just enough to not show everything as she narrowly escapes the Decepticons attacks, but little enough (to include being slumped over a motorcycle in tiny shorts) to entice Sam, other characters (to include one robot who can't control himself and humps her leg) and male viewers. These are just a few examples of the many, many common issues with the objectification of women (seriously, when are directors going to grow up a bit?).
(5) As is the case with many movies and television shows today, the parents are culturally-clueless, intellectual buffoons who "unknowingly" consume marijuana brownies (apparently sold at college bake sales), talk about sex (without consequences) with their teenage son, encourage sleeping around (while trashing monogamy - Sam actually has to defend his decision to remain monogamous with girlfriend Mikaela against his parents!) and are completely inept in every way (thus, the reason the teenage son must save his parents and the world). The only positive part of the parents in this movie is their apparently strong relationship together as husband and wife (their son goes off to college and they are anxious about more time together) and with their son, Sam.
As is the case with the first movie, Bay does try to focus on the power of sacrifice, but ultimately that message falls through the cracks left by the movie's glaring inconsistencies and Bay's unwillingness to sacrifice his own juvenile whims for the sake of a truly great movie. This movie had a lot of promise, but lost itself in trying to be something it never should have been. Now, instead of looking forward to owning this sequel on DVD (which, sadly, I will not be purchasing now), I now can only look forward to Transformers 3 in the hopes that it can redeem this franchise.
Want to join the conversation? Click here to comment or ask a question!
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