The summer is still in the midst of its blockbusters being unleashed onto the American public. The latest installment of this series was Transformers, directed by Mr. Armageddon himself: Michael Bay. And I saw it last night.
I’ll get right into it. Transformers was a very fun movie to watch, and I expected that before even getting my ticket. It was full of clichés, a lot of cheesiness, but some of the best special effects I have seen. Industrial Light & Magic (the people who brought you the looks of Star Wars) were responsible for the large robots, and they outdid themselves.
In terms of the storyline, well, dolphins on cocaine could probably come up with a more intellectual plot. However, like I said earlier, I knew what I was getting into. I mean, the movie is based on a line of toy action figures from the 1980s.
The story goes like this: On the distant planet Cybertron, there were the Decepticons and the Autobots. The two races went to war and the Decepticons nearly destroyed the Autobots; those who survived left Cybertron and went elsewhere in the universe. Meanwhile, there is a cube called the All Spark (I think), which gives life to machines (in that crazy Transformer style) and the Decepticons want it to make a whole league of killing machines and take over the universe. Well, the cube landed on earth and now the Decepticons have arrived and so have the remaining Autobots. For the next two hours, we get to watch these two robot teams kill each other and see our tax dollars at work due to the amount of destruction they do on American metropolitan cities.
Michael Bay and the screenwriters probably went to the nearby video store and grabbed their four favorite action flicks because elements of them were quite apparent in the feature film. There’s the main character, Sam, who almost acts as a John Connor type from the Terminator movies. The Decepticons need to get to him for some valuable information and the Autobots know this. One of the Decepticons disguises itself as a police car (Terminator 2 anyone?), then the Autobot guardian angel (disguised as a beat up Camaro) comes in for the attack (all I could think of was Arnold going after the T-1000).
As the plot unfolds, the Department of Defense encounters a Men-in-Black ripoff called Sector 7, that reveal that they have known about the Transformers for the past sixty years and they take the main characters to a secret layout (similar to Independence Day and the Area 51 scene).
As Optimus Prime (the leader of the Autobots) goes into action, it always makes sure that Sam is with him, which requires the robot to constantly grab him and throw him on its shoulder. There are scenes where Sam falls near to his death and Optimus Prime sweeps in and grabs him. I thought they should have had Naomi Watts doing these scenes since she did the same stuff in the recent King Kong.
Also, Optimus Prime gave Sam many words of wisdom (mostly regarding the cube that gave machines life). Such phrases as, “Sam, make the greatest sacrifice happen, put the cube in my chest.” This being said in a very drawn out and dramatic voice. What I heard in my head was that creepy baby alien Kuato from Total Recall saying, “Quade, start the reactor!”
Do not worry though; I am not totally dissing the movie. I am just saying that I was in familiar territory while watching it. At least they weren't ripping off parts of Malibu’s Most Wanted or Dude, Where’s My Car?
It was the special effects that really amazed me. I just wanted to see more of the transformations take place. When the vehicles are going 90 mph on the freeway and you see them convert while still in motion, it was one of the sweetest things to see. I wish the movie could have gone for twenty minutes longer if it meant for more glorious Transformer action. But I am sure each Transformer probably cost $1.2 million to create.
For the superficial, mindless blockbusters that have been released thus far, I give this one a thumbs up.
I’ll get right into it. Transformers was a very fun movie to watch, and I expected that before even getting my ticket. It was full of clichés, a lot of cheesiness, but some of the best special effects I have seen. Industrial Light & Magic (the people who brought you the looks of Star Wars) were responsible for the large robots, and they outdid themselves.
In terms of the storyline, well, dolphins on cocaine could probably come up with a more intellectual plot. However, like I said earlier, I knew what I was getting into. I mean, the movie is based on a line of toy action figures from the 1980s.
The story goes like this: On the distant planet Cybertron, there were the Decepticons and the Autobots. The two races went to war and the Decepticons nearly destroyed the Autobots; those who survived left Cybertron and went elsewhere in the universe. Meanwhile, there is a cube called the All Spark (I think), which gives life to machines (in that crazy Transformer style) and the Decepticons want it to make a whole league of killing machines and take over the universe. Well, the cube landed on earth and now the Decepticons have arrived and so have the remaining Autobots. For the next two hours, we get to watch these two robot teams kill each other and see our tax dollars at work due to the amount of destruction they do on American metropolitan cities.
Michael Bay and the screenwriters probably went to the nearby video store and grabbed their four favorite action flicks because elements of them were quite apparent in the feature film. There’s the main character, Sam, who almost acts as a John Connor type from the Terminator movies. The Decepticons need to get to him for some valuable information and the Autobots know this. One of the Decepticons disguises itself as a police car (Terminator 2 anyone?), then the Autobot guardian angel (disguised as a beat up Camaro) comes in for the attack (all I could think of was Arnold going after the T-1000).
As the plot unfolds, the Department of Defense encounters a Men-in-Black ripoff called Sector 7, that reveal that they have known about the Transformers for the past sixty years and they take the main characters to a secret layout (similar to Independence Day and the Area 51 scene).
As Optimus Prime (the leader of the Autobots) goes into action, it always makes sure that Sam is with him, which requires the robot to constantly grab him and throw him on its shoulder. There are scenes where Sam falls near to his death and Optimus Prime sweeps in and grabs him. I thought they should have had Naomi Watts doing these scenes since she did the same stuff in the recent King Kong.
Also, Optimus Prime gave Sam many words of wisdom (mostly regarding the cube that gave machines life). Such phrases as, “Sam, make the greatest sacrifice happen, put the cube in my chest.” This being said in a very drawn out and dramatic voice. What I heard in my head was that creepy baby alien Kuato from Total Recall saying, “Quade, start the reactor!”
Do not worry though; I am not totally dissing the movie. I am just saying that I was in familiar territory while watching it. At least they weren't ripping off parts of Malibu’s Most Wanted or Dude, Where’s My Car?
It was the special effects that really amazed me. I just wanted to see more of the transformations take place. When the vehicles are going 90 mph on the freeway and you see them convert while still in motion, it was one of the sweetest things to see. I wish the movie could have gone for twenty minutes longer if it meant for more glorious Transformer action. But I am sure each Transformer probably cost $1.2 million to create.
For the superficial, mindless blockbusters that have been released thus far, I give this one a thumbs up.
2 comments:
When Barricade (the Decepticon Police Car) jumped in the air and transformed from a robot back to a car, I found I was actually pumping my fist. I'd be embarrassed if it hadn't've been so badass.
That was some cool shit. The only question I ask now to people is, "Are you Ladiesman 217?"
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