Autobots... Avoid! (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (DVD))

Member Name: Gav86

Product:	Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (DVD)
Date:	14/10/09 (23 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Special Effects

Disadvantages: Poor performances, bad jokes, running time, unsuitable for kids despite the rating

Michael Bay has made some movies I enjoy. Bad Boys was a bit of fun, as was the Island. And i quite enjoyed Transformers 1 as a big of light popcorn entertainment. I went into Transformers 2 with an open mind, and left at the end discussing how horrendous it was.

I dont know, maybe horrendous isnt the word. As it is very similar to the first movie. But, even watching that again made me rethink my stance on it.

In this sequel Sam (Shia LeBeouf) heads off to college, leaving Bumblebee and Mikaela (Megan Fox) behind. Its here that a fragment of the Cube from the first movie is stuck in his clothing - how convenient. This is then an excuse to bring the Decepticons back to fire up their Sun Harvester which will destroy everything, so the Autobots must fight them to stop it being activated.
Much of the cast from the first movie is back to play the same roles and the same production team is involved.
The promotional campaign for the movie was fairly massive and got lots of people talking about it, especially on the internet. This meant massive box office revenues - it has passed $400 million in the US alone.

Cue nearly 2 and a half hours of explosions. The film is overly long for what it is. Im a massive movie fan, and can easily sit through a 3 hour epic, but this was just too much. How they could expect the younger audience to sit through this i will never know.
It felt as if Michael Bay just wanted to blow up everything he possibly could. As he is running out of things to blow up, it all moves to Egypt where he has a new county of things to make explode, including the pyramids. It all just seemed a tad unnecessary.

Then theres all the other stuff not suitable for a kids movie. Cakes with drugs? Check. Plenty of swearing? Check. Borderline racism in 2 of the robots? Check.
Again, im a massive movie fan, and this stuff really doesnt bother me personally. But for a movie aimed at younger audiences, it just seemed a bit... out of place.

Megan Fox. The world seems to adore her. Well, in this movie she is just there as something to look at, and they fully admit that. I used to quite like her, but after all of these reports of her antics on and off set, i have very much gone off her and her diva ways.
Some of the jokes in the film are just dire also. Things are either very childish or just fall flat. It felt like they were trying too hard!

There are a couple of positive points however. The special effects are great. ILM have done great things and the CG looks incredible. Although it is sometimes wasted. Im sure the guy who rendered the CG testicles of the pyramid climbing robot wont be adding that to his CV!
The explosions look amazing too - but you would hope so with the number of them!
Shia is also not bad in this. His capabilities are increasing and he pulls of some lines well. Definitely the best acting job in the movie.

Its a franchise with a fantastic opportunity, and the 1st movie showed a bit of promise, but with Michael Bay at the helm, this 2 and a half hour ridiculous-fest should just be ignored.

Very Poor.

Summary: Wont be going out of my way to watch this again.