An Entertaining Film, But Make sure you have used the Loo! (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (DVD))

Member Name: allyb24

Product:	Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (DVD)
Date:	30/08/09 (20 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Family freindly but still fun and actionpacked

Disadvantages: LONG and bad gender representation

As a bit of a comic-book geek, I was looking forward to the action packed, exciting, sequel to the 2007 Transformers film. Although I enjoyed the film, it didn't provide the 'WOW' factor of the first and some parts angered me to a large degree.


I must warn now that this review contains some spoilers.


A brief plot summary (this may not be the exact order in which events occur it's just how I remember it);
The Decepticon's return to earth in the attempt of taking our hero, Sam (Shia La Beouf) hostage in what happens to be his first year of college. Before he leaves for college, Sam discovers a fragment of the illusive 'Cube' inside his Hoodie that he was wearing when battling the Decepticon's last time, this causing initial havoc provoking all his household equipment to 'transform' into deadly robots as well as alerting the Decepticon's to its whereabouts. However this is quickly resolved by encasing the fragment in s special tube and giving it to his girlfriend, Mikaela (Megan Fox).
When Sam's car (Autobot Bumblebee) mysteriously appears at his first college party, one has to suspect the worst. His girlfriend is also simultaneously being harassed by a small autobot initially disguised as a remote control car who is rooting through her stuff trying to find the missing fragment. It becomes clear very early on that the Cube has had great effect on Sam's mental breakup as he has a sort of fit in his first ever class in which he disproves one of sciences most trusted theories in less than a minute. When the Hottie of the college also shows undivided attention to Sam it is also clear that something is very very wrong, especially when she grows a metal tail and tries to dissect him! During this... intimate moment, Mikaela comes in clutching the now tamed Decepticon and they leave in Bumblebee along with Sam's Alien obsessed roommate Leo (Ramon Rodriguez) who tags along for the ride. They find themselves on the quest to stop the Decepticon's destroying earth. The Decepticon's have access to a huge machine called the Sun Harvester that drains the energy of the sun to create the fuel needed by the transformers. The group find themselves accidently reviving Jetfire, a Huge Decepticon, however this is the biggest stroke of luck the group have had so far! He informs them that only a Prime can destroy The Fallen (the Leader of the Decepticon's) however, sadly Optimus, The last remaining Prime was killed tragically in an earlier battle saving Sam. Luckily for them, the symbols from the key in Sam's head reveal the way to revive Optimus and thus they appear in Egypt on the quest to find the Matrix key and revive Optimus. A Lengthy Battle ensues hereafter in Egypt while the group fight to save the earth as well as their friends and the Sun Harvester is stopped. The Decepticon's are banished and the Autobot's return to America to fight along side the Human Race once again.


As I have said, that might not be all the right details its just how I remember it so you have a rough idea what I'm talking about later. Now for my review;


I will start with the good points


I enjoyed the action sequences and fighting that the film provided as well as the edge-of-the-seat filmic experience. I liked the moments of pure tension, for example when Jetfire is initially woken and the audience see's the Decepticon symbol. I also liked the more emotional side to this film. I never thought I would be close to tears after witnessing a giant fictional robot collapse in slow motion, but I did! Although it was a very typical American blockbuster, it did keep you guessing about whether Optimus was really dead or not for just long enough before bringing you back into the little cinema bubble that is Hollywood! I also enjoyed the initial introduction of the fragment of the cube as the humorous transformation of all the ordinary household appliances into small animatronics had the whole cinema giggling under their breath.


Now for the disappointments;


MEGAN FOX! She was nothing but wallpaper throughout the entire film and her 'acting' merely consisted of pouting and the occasional hair flick. A prime example of this is our first introduction to the illustrious minx, draped over a motorbike wearing the tiniest shorts known to man, oiled up, and doing something she clearly would never have done in real life. I just found it a frustrating watch, seeing a good film ruined by very clear gender bias. Another example of this obvious sexism is at the college. Not one of the people there would have looked out of place at a Nuts magazine convention! They were all plasticity and very unrepresentative. But that's gender rant over! I also felt that the film was a little long and the battle scene in the desert seemed to be prolonged over a far too extended period of time. This may have been because I was desperate for the loo but didn't want to go in case I missed a vital development. On a filmic note, the amount of 'long camera spins' did my head in. When the couple kissed before Sam left for college the camera span round them for so long that I felt dizzy and slightly sick by the time the next scene started. And this trend continued throughout the film, with dizzying short rotating round various essential land marks.


However, overall, I really enjoyed this film, despite its annoying representation of gender and small plot holes. I felt that it satisfied the criteria of a family friendly action film and provided an entertaining few hours. I would recommend this film to anyone who has a good few hours to spare and who was looking for something not so in depth so that they can just sit back and watch without having to think about it to much.

Summary: I would see it again, and it was enjoyable, if a little sexist!