Post by Eric T. Jones on Jun 24, 2009 18:06:49 GMT -5
RATING (0 to ****): ***
So how, may you ask, is "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen", the sequel to 2007's surprisingly successful (and surprisingly good) "Transformers"? Overall, entertaining and fun, but still disappointing and doesn't even hold comparison to its predecessor.
To start, the more focused and fun original was an exhilarating experience which was adrenaline-pumping to the point where calling a designated driver was a must. You'll have no such problems with "Revenge of the Fallen", which is far more exhausting and although only a few minutes longer than the original, feels massive and a lot slower.
Not a single robot battle, no matter how many are put into the scene, is as exciting as any of the frequently one-on-one battles of the first film, and the teen comedy bits have gotten significantly raunchier with tons more testicle jokes (I'd make a recommendation for parents not to bring their kids, but they should have learned from the first one. If they're dumb enough to bring them to this sequel, they deserve what they get). And, yes, gratuitous T&A. Although I'm a frequent defender of Bay's films, including the first "Transformers" which placed prominently on my 2007 Underrated list, it's not difficult to see where the critics are coming from on "Revenge of the Fallen".
Okay, let's just cut to the film's biggest problem once we get past the mystery and intrigue: the AutoboTwins. Annoying with more of the "gangsta" attitude from Jazz but horrid to make Jar-Jar Binks cringe, the AutoboTwins are punishment for laughing at any of the film's other comic relief. Your opinion of the picture, no matter if you love it, like it, or despise it, will immediately drop whenever these abominations appear on-screen.
On the complete opposite side, Julie White as Sam's hilariously clueless mom is back... and much to our delight, she eats a brownie. As you also know from the trailers, John Turturro is back as well ("This is Top Secret: Do Not Tell My Mother").
Although Bay packs on the explosions and puts as many robots into the picture as possible, out of the competent action sequences the best one isn't one that would have overloaded ILM's computers and probably took a small fraction of their publicized "140 terabytes of data":
A little scene in Sam's house, and when I say "little", I mean the bots involved. It's not world-devastating, but it's an imaginative, jaw-dropping and above all, hilarious sequence that contradicts the main film's dark tone. If you asked me, I wished they cut down the number of robots and had more spirited scenes like that.
Michael Bay wants to take a big vacation before even thinking about "Transformers 3". Hopefully they won't overstuff it next time... and please kill off the AutoboTwins. Please.
So how, may you ask, is "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen", the sequel to 2007's surprisingly successful (and surprisingly good) "Transformers"? Overall, entertaining and fun, but still disappointing and doesn't even hold comparison to its predecessor.
To start, the more focused and fun original was an exhilarating experience which was adrenaline-pumping to the point where calling a designated driver was a must. You'll have no such problems with "Revenge of the Fallen", which is far more exhausting and although only a few minutes longer than the original, feels massive and a lot slower.
Not a single robot battle, no matter how many are put into the scene, is as exciting as any of the frequently one-on-one battles of the first film, and the teen comedy bits have gotten significantly raunchier with tons more testicle jokes (I'd make a recommendation for parents not to bring their kids, but they should have learned from the first one. If they're dumb enough to bring them to this sequel, they deserve what they get). And, yes, gratuitous T&A. Although I'm a frequent defender of Bay's films, including the first "Transformers" which placed prominently on my 2007 Underrated list, it's not difficult to see where the critics are coming from on "Revenge of the Fallen".
Okay, let's just cut to the film's biggest problem once we get past the mystery and intrigue: the AutoboTwins. Annoying with more of the "gangsta" attitude from Jazz but horrid to make Jar-Jar Binks cringe, the AutoboTwins are punishment for laughing at any of the film's other comic relief. Your opinion of the picture, no matter if you love it, like it, or despise it, will immediately drop whenever these abominations appear on-screen.
On the complete opposite side, Julie White as Sam's hilariously clueless mom is back... and much to our delight, she eats a brownie. As you also know from the trailers, John Turturro is back as well ("This is Top Secret: Do Not Tell My Mother").
Although Bay packs on the explosions and puts as many robots into the picture as possible, out of the competent action sequences the best one isn't one that would have overloaded ILM's computers and probably took a small fraction of their publicized "140 terabytes of data":
A little scene in Sam's house, and when I say "little", I mean the bots involved. It's not world-devastating, but it's an imaginative, jaw-dropping and above all, hilarious sequence that contradicts the main film's dark tone. If you asked me, I wished they cut down the number of robots and had more spirited scenes like that.
Michael Bay wants to take a big vacation before even thinking about "Transformers 3". Hopefully they won't overstuff it next time... and please kill off the AutoboTwins. Please.
