I had the great fortune of seeing “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” early tonight, and for free. (Thanks, Ain’t It Cool News!) I was pretty scared. You see, I was at just the right age when Transformers first exploded in 1984. I had the toys, watched the cartoons, collected the first 50 issues of the Marvel comic series, and even saw the 1986 animated movie in its initial theatrical run. I fell in love with the crazy mythology. I didn’t follow terribly closely when Generation 2, Beast Wars, etc. came along, but I read up on things enough to have an idea where it was heading. When Michael Bay’s first TF movie came along, I was totally taken with certain parts of it. The robots themselves were completely captivating. I loved seeing Optimus Prime ride up to the edge of the screen, pause, then transform into a staggeringly tall creature that looked as though he could be real. Flawed though it is, I still love that movie.
Then the sequel came. I’ll never know what Bay was thinking when he sat down with the screenwriters to map out the ‘plot.’ Yikes. Offensive characters, genitalia on robots, overexposure to annoying characters…and worst of all, he ruined Devastator. From a filmmaking perspective, the movie has less narrative than a Looney Tunes short, with far less humor. The action was a noticeable drop in quality from the first movie. The overall package was, for me, one of the most unsatisfying movies ever.
I wonder if someone – Spielberg, perhaps – sat Michael Bay down prior to his beginning work on this movie and had a heart-to-heart with him. I picture somebody just saying, “Look, Mike, you have your strengths, and you have your weaknesses. Your strength is overstylized action. Play that stuff up in this next Transformers, and convert it to 3D. It’ll turn out great.” I wonder that, because the finished product may be Bay’s best movie to date. I’ll minimize spoilers as much as possible, but if you want to avoid them entirely, stop reading now. Now, I tell you!
In “TF: Dark of the Moon,” the stakes are raised, and how! The threat this time looms large, as the Decepticons have found a mega weapon, one which threatens the very future of humanity. The weapon itself has been on our moon for over 50 years. Some of the most clever stuff has to do with how this influenced the development of our space program. The only being who knows how to use said weapon is an Autobot named Sentinel Prime, who also lays on the moon, barely alive. The Autobots, still working in cooperation with the military forces of the world, retrieve Sentinel, as well as the weapon. Sam, meanwhile, has graduated college, and is struggling to find employment. He longs to matter again, and in his mind, the only time that he truly mattered was when he was helping the Autobots.
Without spoiling more of the plot, I’ll just say that the action is bigger and balsier in this movie than in the previous two. The 3D is well worth it! The look of metallic textures in the foreground works beautifully in 3D without becoming a distraction. The effects themselves are so clean and blend so seamlessly that it’s easy to take them for granted. When Chicago is given a dystopian makeover in the film’s hour-long third act, it’s absolutely chilling. In fact, seeing the movie in downtown Chicago made for quite an experience. The onscreen carnage was so realistic that my girlfriend and I were relieved to see that the city was still standing after the screening. The last section of the film evokes an almost Terminator-esque vibe, in a totally good way. It’s a payoff not only for the film, but for the franchise. Certain characters that I have become fond of die, and the threat of the Decepticons enslaving humanity is just real enough to keep the audience engaged.
DOTM brought the focus back to the Autobots and what they represent – honor, loyalty, and freedom.?These virtues are that much more apparent when thrown into stark contrast with the power hungry Decepticons, particularly Megatron, and a particular turncoat Autobot. Optimus and Bumblebee are still the heart and soul of the series for me, with Ironhide not far behind. The human stories were lame by comparison.
On the downside, Bay can’t resist indulging in unfunny, unentertaining, and meaningless scenes such as the ones in this film involving John Turturro’s character. Agent Simmons has nothing to do here, yet here he is. Frances McDormand fares a bit better, but John Malkovich really takes the cake for scenery chewing, scene-stealing actors with pointless roles. Patrick Dempsey plays slightly against type here, coming off as a true douche. McDreamy? More like McJackass! Labouef is the same as ever – at times irritating, but watchable. Don’t let that deter you, though. The robots are the stars here. There could easily be 15-20 minutes less movie here, but when it works, it really works!!! No mental engagement is required here – just a willingness to hop on for a great ride. I felt a bit of that 12 year old vibe again. I hope you do as well.
Geek of All Trades 