I'll happily admit that Michael Bay's first Transformers
film was as close to popcorn-epic perfection as I've ever seen. It's
up there with some of Spielberg's best efforts. It had a perfect mix of
comedy, heart, action and nostalgia in one tight two hour
package.
The subsequent sequels, including Transformers : Dark Of The Moon show merely glimpses of that original sparkle.
Transformers : Dark of the Moon once again features Sam Witwicky (a less dorky looking Shia LaBeouf) taking
his first tenuous steps into adulthood while remaining a reluctant
human ally of Optimus Prime.
The film centres around the space race
between the U.S.S.R. and the USA, in which The Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the Moon,
and race against the Decepticons to reach it and learn its secrets,
which could turn the tide in the Transformers' final battle.
We
all know Michael Bay has a tendency for "More is More" approach to film making, to be honest -
it's often his best and worst quality, but when it starts getting in the way of
the film itself you have got problems.
While the story works far better this time around (although, steals heavily from Doctor Who : The End Of Time), as does most of the actio, the biggest problem here is the inclusion of Victoria Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whitele.
Sure,
there is a level of disbelief audience members are required have during
a movie about giant alien robots. There was a level of disbelief expected when
Megan Fox decided to shack up with LaBeouf's Witwicky... but they'd
been through a lot. We, as an audience, could - just - justify it.
But
all of that goes out the window with the pout heavy Huntington-Whitele. A
simple case of "Love at first sight"?
Hmmm. Maybe not. But who can
really argue with short skirts and upskirt shots?
There is also the case of Bay destroying jokes with extravagance. We find Witwicky struggling with the
fact he has "Saved the world twice - but no one knowing it" and having
to find work as a "lowly mailboy".
This is a wonderful bit of
writing, which would be intensified if Witwicky had to give up the
colourful life of Autobots for a cubicle in a grey office. Yet - this
simple joke is lost thanks to Bay's use of office sets which looks like
an modern art gallery.
Who
am I kidding, Transformers movies are still fun to watch.
If only an hour was
shaved off the running time, we might have turned off the DVD player wanting more
instead of heading to the kitchen glad the ordeal is finally over. DVD Special Features
The DVD copy we recieved had no extras on it. Seems odd, surely a movie that made $1.1B worldwide (more than either previous Transformers movie) they might have lashed out for some bonus features.
Seems not. Conclusion:
Movie 60% Extras: N/A
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