by Montana Firth on June 30, 2009

Megan Fox, Megatron, Optimus Prime, Shia LeBeouf, summer movies, Transformers, Transformers: Rise of the Fallen

I find it really amazing at what lengths a company will go to dramatize an 80’s cartoon. Before I start this review might I start out by saying I was never a huge fan of Transformers so I’m not going to go all fan boy on this review (I was more of a Beast Wars kind of guy, Maximals and Predacons forever!). I think it should go on the record that this will be my first negative review for a movie that I have done for Metroglow. All my others have been pretty positive, probably giving me the appearance of some squealing message board kid who loves celebs just a bit too much.. But here I am to say that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a shiny explosion-filled cliché love story squeezed in to a trim two hour and forty minute run time.
This is the highly anticipated big budget sequel to 2007’s Transformers, it continues the storyline of Sam (Shia LeBeouf) as he is about to go to college. He is still with his girlfriend (the extremely popular Megan Fox, I actually heard men swooning in the theater) and they are trying to deal with a long distance relationship. Oh, and there are still gigantic robots waging war on on our planet. However this love story fights for A-plot status with some very dizzying spin kiss scenes and some adorably cute phone conversations. Honestly Megan Fox, who fixes a motorcycle that way? The movie then kicks in when Sam realizes he still has a piece of the cube from the first movie. Optimus Prime tells him that there is still work to be done and robots continue fighting each other. Something that should be mentioned for fan boys is that even original villain Megatron is pushed aside for the new villain known as the Fallen. Being a 21 year old man I still found myself getting confused during the fight scenes. During critical moments in the fight, the camera would go in to slow motion to show what was being done. However most of them are an indistinguishable mass of shiny metal clacking and breaking off against each other.
I think I should pause to say that despite some moments of confusion that the special effects as a whole are pretty amazing. After all that’s what this movie is about. However a movie relying on pure special effects should not try to squeeze in a cheesy love story and crude humor. Transformers was a kid’s show after all, and I’m sure few adults would complain if they took out some of the foul language and lame sexual jokes. Ebonic-speaking robots would also probably not be missed (that’s actually become kind of a hot button about this movie). There was a slew of other lame moments, but I’ll just leave you with ‘robot heaven’.. that about sums it up.
If special effects are your cup of tea then definitely consider seeing this movie. After all it is not completely unwatchable. The explosions and chases should keep you entertained. Also if you are wanting to leer at Megan Fox this movie gives you ample opportunity. This movie barely passes as PG-13 so beware of that factor if you plan to take the kids. Just know that you are in for an almost three hour movie based off of an 80’s cartoon..

No related posts.