Released June 24, 2009
Sequels are tricky like Penn and Teller. For a film to match what was achieved during the original or rise above the often lofty expectations can be like finding the white whale or beating breaking DiMaggio’s hitting streak. I watched James Cameron’s Termanator and Termanator 2: Judgement Day earlier in this week and became enthralled with the idea that Transformers and Transormers 2 director Michael Bay (Bad Boys I and II, Pearl Harbor, The Rock) could do what Cameron did. Cameron needed seven years to make Termenator 2 which made people praise the sequel like never before. Walking in the footprints of god-like director Francis Ford Coppola (Godfather I and II) who also only needed two years to make what many call “The greatest sequel of all time” –Many aka They, Bay did not delay the super hyped Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. Two summers ago Bay’s Transformers bulldozed Hollywood with its unseen special effects and young star power.
Transformers originated in the mid 1980s as an animated TV series aimed towards kids all over the world. In 1986 the animated Transformers movie was released which nourished fans and featured the voices of stars like Orson Wells, Leonard Nimoy, and Robert Stack. Yes, I left Judd Nelson out on my list of “stars” in the film. The fact that it took twenty years for another major motion picture to be released about the noble and evil alien/robots from space is remarkable. Transformers fan base is bigger than the Joaquin “El Chopo” Guzman’s bankroll. From baby boomers to kids whose births were announced via text message, everyone wants to see change. Whether it’s a car, jet, helicopter, motorcycle, boom box, or a shiny eighteen wheeler, we see the transformation from familiar to foreign.
I sat in a crowded IMAX theatre in Torreon, Mexico and observed the children who were going to fall asleep, and the girlfriends who were humoring their man. The mass advertizing was a success and the people came. From the start of the film’s destruction of Shanghai our attention was in Bay’s hands. It was so crowded that I could feel the excitement from the surrounding seats. As a crane turned super unicycle destroyed the ten year old Pudong cityscape and battled with U.S. elite military unit, the “ooohhs” and “ahhhhhs” were only drowned out by the THX sound. Old characters Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox) and Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) are revisited along with fan favorite Autobot Bumble Bee (Mark Ryan). The writers do an impeccable job of keeping the same diversity within the Transformers genre. I recall a friend of mine last year ignorantly griping about the comedic elements in Bay’s first Transformers. My friend also does not remember the 80’s and how everything including television shows like Transformers and G.I. Joe needed funny characters and jokes. The writers of Transformers 2 do a better job creating humor than in the 2007 film. More comedic characters like Jolt (Anthony Anderson) and his twin Skids (Tom Kenny) along with funny scenes (mom eating pot brownies, and dogs/decepticons humping, fraternity party) keep viewers laughing between gasps. There are no awkward Jar Jar Binks (Star Wars Episode 1) characters or unbelievable plot twists (Weekend at Bernie’s II).
The plot of Transformers 2 is just as far-fetched and open ended as the 2007 film, however the writing was superior. One of my favorite actors John Turturro (Do the Right Thing, Mo’ Betta Blues, Miller’s Crossing, The Big Lebowski , The Bronx is Burning) was able to continue his role as Agent Simmons who is a hilarious caricature of a federal agent. He starts by working at his mother’s deli in Brooklyn, and ends by being one of the films heroes in Egypt. Whether the action took place in Asia or Africa the Autobots and Decepticons war destroys skyscrapers, forests, bridges, submarines, landmarks and aircraft carriers on a grand scale. Michael Bay and his team of writers do a great job bringing everything to the screen. Jaw-dropping lucid special effects that has never been seen, Megan Fox in naughty positions and tight outfits, Optimus Prime getting dirty and whooping ass while talking trash make Transformers 2: Rise of the Fallen a must see. Like The Simpsons there are jokes your children will not understand, but the violence is unrealistic and there is little blood. Parents bring your kids! Kids bring your parents!
3.75 out of 4 (needed more Megan Fox time)
(Review by Thomas Demerath)
1 comments:
Sorry but I had to write a rebuttal of your review for Transformers 2: Rise of the Fallen. First off to put this movie in a category with Godfather II as a great sequel is ridiculous. I know you're not saying it's as good as GF2, only that it's a strong sequel. I got that, but saying Transformers 2 is a great sequel isn't saying much since the first movie all but stunk. I also love the repeated mentions of writers. Which is funny because it didn't really seem like this movie had a script. It was just cool fight scene pause for a bit to keep the budget from getting out control then another cool fight scene again. On top of that Shia Lebouf is possibly one of the worst actors out these days. If you put him in paper bag and told him to act his way out he'd eventually suffocate, that's how bad he is. I will agree with you on a few points however. Megan Fox is super hot and definitely needed more screen time, a lot more screen time. And the special effects were amazing. So if people don't care about plot or lots of Transformer cameos without really showing us much variety then this is definitely a good movie, but if you expect more from a film, even a Michael Bay film then like me you'll be disappointed.
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