"TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN" (2009) Review

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”TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN” (2009) Review

Nearly eleven years ago, I had posted a review of the 2007 movie, "TRANSFORMERS". Needless to say, I had written a bad review of the film. Since then, I have seen the movie at least once or twice on television cable. And my opinion of it has changed. Somewhat.  My new opinion has led me to view its sequel, ”TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN” with different eyes. Let me explain. 

When I saw ”TRANSFORMERS” for the second and third times, I discovered a little secret. If a moviegoer harbors low or no expectations of films like the ones from the “TRANSFORMERS” franchise, that person might find him or herself actually enjoying such films. All it takes is the act of simply shutting down one’s brain. However, there are chances that this little tactic might not always work. It did work for me when I saw ”TRANSFORMERS” for the second time. It also worked when I finally saw ”TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN”.

This second movie began two years after the first, when the main hero, teenager Sam Witwicky has graduated from high school and is ready to enter college. In this film, a revived Megatron (the main villain from the first film) and the rest of the Decepticons have returned to Earth in order to take Sam prisoner, after he learns about the ancient origins of the Transformers and some vital information about a certain machine from the remnants of the All Spark (please do not ask me to explain this – I suggest you read the Wikipedia entry). Joining the mission to protect humankind are the Transformers, their leader Optimus Prime, and members of the NEST Team (military Special Forces assigned to work with the Transformers).

And how was the movie? Honestly, it was not all that bad. But it was also far from perfect. One had to deal with a lot of overbearing action – Michael Bay style. In fact, I found it nearly impossible to distinguish between the Transformers and the Decepticons during their fights. The use of Eubonics by two of the Transformers – twins Skids and Mudflap – annoyed the hell out of me. Nor did I find it at all humorous. And could someone please explain how the National Air and Space Museum (where Sam and his friends found the former ancient Decepticon, Jetfire), which is supposed to be in Washington D.C., end up in a location that strongly resembled the western United States? Seeing John Tuturro’s nearly bare ass in one scene did not help matters. Nor did Ramón Rodríguez’s frantic portrayal of Sam’s new college roommate, Leo Spitz. He made Shia LaBeouf’s performance in the 2007 movie look downright subtle. And quite honestly? This movie was too goddamn long. A running time of two-and-a-half hours for a movie based upon toy robots?

But as I had earlier stated, I had no high expectations of the movie and I managed to shut down my brain – somewhat – while watching it. And the story was not that bad. Screenwriters Robert Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Ehren Kruges found a way to bring Megatron back from the dead in a believable manner. They also introduced another villain – an ancient Transformer Prime who went against the other Primes by constructing some kind of machine that can steal the heat and energy from Earth’s sun. Hmmm . . . not bad.

Another aspect of ”TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN” that impressed me was Ben Seresin’s photography. Despite the movie’s fast action, Seresin did an excellent job in capturing the color and grandeur of various locations like New York, Washington D.C. and especially the Middle East. And although there were times when Michael Bay seemed to succumb to his penchant for MTV-style direction, he still managed to maintain a steady pace for the film. And through his direction, he expressed his talent for revealing the funny and quirky sides of the average American citizens.

Speaking of American citizens, I might as well talk about the cast. Shia LaBeouf gave a more subtle performance as the Transformers’ human friend, Sam Witwicky. With Ramón Rodríguez chewing the scenery, I guess that LaBeouf felt he could relax and tone down his performance. Megan Fox gave a nice and occasionally funny performance as Sam’s mechanic girlfriend, Mikaela Barnes. It was nice to see Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson return as Army Rangers William Lennox and Robert Epps. As they had done in the 2007 movie, the pair made a solid screen team. Aside from his ass, it was nice to see John Tuturro reprise his role as Reggie Simmons, now a retired U.S. intelligence agent. However, I must give top kudos to Kevin Dunn and Julie White as Sam’s wacky parents, Ron and Judy Witwacky. More than they did so in the first film, they made a great comedy team, much to my surprise. 

If you have not seen ”TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN”, should you consider renting it?  I cannot answer that question. It was certainly not one of the best films I have seen in 2009. But if you are looking for the occasional mindless form of entertainment in which you can shut down your brain, this is definitely the movie for you.

"TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN" (2009) Photo Gallery

Below is a gallery of photos from "TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN", the 2009 sequel to the 2007 hit film, "THE TRANSFORMERS".   Directed by Michael Bay, the movie stars Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox: 


"TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN" (2009) Photo Gallery

"TRANSFORMERS" (2007) Review

"TRANSFORMERS" (2007) Review"

Based upon the Japanese cartoon TV series and the line of Hasbro toys, "TRANSFORMERS" is the story about how Earth is caught in the middle of an intergalactic war between two races of robots, the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, which are able to change into a variety of objects, including cars, trucks, planes and other technological creations. This 2007 film was developed by producers Don Murphy and Tom DeSanto and executive director, Steven Spielberg, had convinced Michael Bay ("PEARL HARBOR", "BAD BOYS" and "THE ISLAND") to direct it as his first family film. 

I really do not know what to say about "TRANSFORMERS". It has a pretty good cast with the likes of Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Jon Voight, Anthony Anderson and John Turturro. It also featured the voices of Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime (leader of the the good alien robots) and Hugo Weaving as the voice of the evil Megatron. 

I am already into the third paragraph of this post and I have yet to give my review. It sounds as if I am delaying in giving my view of the movie, doesn't it? Perhaps I am. Like I had stated in the previous paragraph, I do not know what to say about "TRANSFORMERS". On the surface, it is a pretty exciting, yet funny film. It can boast some first-class action, which happens to be Michael Bay's forte. And the performances are pretty good. I could say that Shia LaBeouf (Spielberg's new favorite at the time) was exceptional. Although there were times when I found his performance a little frantic. Rather like a young John Cusack on crack. Nearly six years ago, I thought Tyrese Gibson seemed a little too big to be playing second fiddle to a TV actor like Josh Duhamel. Now that both are big screen actors . . . well, I was too busy enjoying their on-screen camaraderie to really care one way or the other. 

Despite all of the action, special effects and good performances, I had left the theater with this uneasy feeling that"TRANSFORMERS" seemed a little beneath for someone of Bay's talent or reputation. When one really comes down to it, the movie seemed nothing more than an over-the-top kiddie flick. But hey, if you are really a fan of THE TRANSFORMERS franchise, I suggest that you check it out. Chances are you will not be disappointed.

"TRANSFORMERS" (2007) Photo Gallery

Below are images from "TRANSFORMERS", the 2007 adaptation of the Hasbro toy line. Directed by Michael Bay, the movie starred Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson: 


"TRANSFORMERS" (2007) Photo Gallery

"THE ISLAND" (2005) Review

"THE ISLAND" (2005) Review

The summer of 2005 saw the release of a science-fiction thriller called "THE ISLAND". Directed by Michael Bay, the movie proved to be a box office failure in the U.S., but a hit with overseas moviegoers.

Many have described "THE ISLAND" as a a pastiche of "escape-from-dystopia" science fiction films of the 1960s and 1970s like "FAHRENHEIT 451", "THX 1138" and "LOGAN'S RUN". The movie begins with a young man named Lincoln Echo Six, who lives in an isolated compound which strictly regulates its inhabitants' lives. The Overseers control every aspect of the lives of Lincoln, his friend Jordan Two Delta and the other residents from diet and free time activities, to social relationships. The inhabitants hope to win a lottery to go to "the Island", the only place on Earth not contaminated by a deadly pathogen.

Already dissatisfied with his life, Lincoln illicitly visits a power-plant basement where his friend, technician James McCord, works. There, he discovers a live moth in the ventilation shaft, leading him to realize that the outside world might not be contaminated. When Lincoln releases the mother, he follows it to another section, where he witnesses the murders of two lottery winners - one after childbirth, and the other in the process of having his liver harvested. When Jordan becomes the next lottery winner, Lincoln rescues her from a similar fate and the two make their escape from the facility. While the facility's medical official, Dr. Merrick, hires mercenary Albert Laurent and his men to find Lincoln and Jordan, the pair learns from McCord the truth about their existence - they are clones of wealthy sponsors, who intend to use them for spare parts or surrogate motherhood.

"THE ISLAND" received mixed reviews from critics. Some complained that the movie seemed to be an uneasy mixture of a science-fiction thriller and an action film. Others complain that the movie did not handled the ethical issue of cloning very well. I might as well be honest. I like "THE ISLAND" very much. In fact, it is one of four Michael Bay movies that I consider favorites of mine. And I am not a big Michael Bay fan. Unlike many critics, I thought the movie did an excellent job of mixing science-fiction creepiness and high octane action. Well . . . most of the time. Now, I would not consider "THE ISLAND" to be perfect. But my complaints about the movie are different from those made by other critics. Well . . . not really.

A good number of critics had a problem with the movie's action sequences. They felt it was too over-the-top. I was fine with most of the action sequences. But there were two that failed to entertain me. Lincoln and Jordan's arrival in downtown Los Angeles led to a high octane chase that involved the pair, the Los Angeles Police and Laurent and his team. It was too much and too damn confusing. I found some of the stunts - especially those that involved the two clones hanging from high-rise building to improbable to swallow. It was just too over-the-top for my tastes. I also had a problem with Lincoln's fight with Dr. Merrick in the finale. It involved wires, glass and some rather confusing photography from Mauro Fiore. I have one last complaint. What in the hell happened to the clones at the end of the movie? I realize that they managed to escape the facility. But what happened to them following their escape? Like Lincoln and Jordan, they were adults with the mentality of adolescents or younger. Unlike Lincoln and Jordan, they had no experiences of life outside of the facility. What happened to them?

But for me, the good outweighed the bad in "THE ISLAND". There were a good number of action sequences that I actually enjoyed. And they include Laurent's confrontation with Lincoln and his sponsor, the real Tom Lincoln; and Lincoln and Jordan's encounter with Laurent's team at the Yucca train station in Arizona. But the best sequence for me proved to be Lincoln and Jordan's escape from the facility. I found it absolutely thrilling and well shot by Bay and Fiore. The action sequences also benefited from Nigel Phelps' colorful production designs and especially from the movie's special effects team.

The above action sequences were not the only aspects of "THE ISLAND" that I enjoyed. The movie also featured some rather interesting scenes that I found either creepy, very dramatic or rather funny. Screenwriters Caspian Tredwell-Owen, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci did an excellent job in setting up what I believe is one of the film's best moments - namely the two murders that he witnessed and his discovery of the truth behind the facility. And the latter sequence was truly frightening, but in a subtle way. The most jarring moment proved to be Starkweather Two Delta's attempt to evade the facility's guards and have his organs harvested. That scene really had me on edge. Another wonderful scene proved to be one between Laurent and Dr. Merrick, in which the former begins to harbor doubt about the activities of his client's cloning facility. Lead actor was allowed to strut his stuff in a scene that featured Lincoln and Jordan's meeting with the former's sponsor, billionaire boat designer Tom Lincoln. I found it creepy, yet rather funny. However, the best scene - at least for me - proved to be James McCord's revelation that Lincoln and Jordan were clones. This scene was so well acted and so funny that not only is it my favorite one in the film, but . . . it is just a favorite of mine, period. If I had to list my ten favorite movie scenes of all time, it would be on the list.

I thought the cast was impeccable. Instead of using an American accent, Ewan McGregor used a Canadian accent for his role as Lincoln Six Echo. And it worked. If I must be honest, I have never been a fan of his American accents. And for his performance as Tom Lincoln, the actor used his own Scottish accent. Whether he was the clone Lincoln or the billionaire Tom Lincoln, McGregor was brilliant. I believe that his performance in this movie is among his best work ever. "THE ISLAND" turned out to be the first time I ever became aware of Scarlett Johansson. And she not only impressed me with her performance as the surprisingly strong-willed Jordan, but also made me realized what a strong screen presence she possessed. What I liked about her performance is that beneath Jordan's projected facade of delicacy and charm, laid a tough young woman who also proved to be rather observant of other people. And Johansson did a great job with her role.

The movie's supporting cast included Sean Bean, who portrayed Dr. Merrick, the cloning facility's administrator. One of the best things I can say about Bean is that he is an actor who strikes me as being a persistently first-rate chameleon. He can play hero, villain or otherwise at the drop of the hat. And while his Merrick is obviously a bad guy, he is a very subtle and at times, an emotional one. Djimon Hounsou portrayed the Afro-French mercenary, Albert Laurent. And like Bean, he also gave a first-rate and very subtle performance. In fact, Hounsou's Laurent seemed like an enigma to me. Thanks to his performance, he deliberately made it hard for the audience to surmise whether he was a true villain or someone who might prove to be an ally for the two protagonists.

"THE ISLAND" also provided comic relief from first-rate actors such as Ethan Phillips, Kim Coates, and Brian Stepanek. Michael Clarke Duncan gave a brief, yet very effective performance as Starkweather Two Delta, the doomed clone whose elation at being chosen to live on "the island" became despair over discovering that he was being operated on for his organs. It was a great moment for the Oscar-nominated actor. But my favorite performance came from Steve Buscemi, who portrayed Lincoln's friend, engineer James McCord. Remember my rhapsody over the scene featuring McCord, Lincoln and Jordan? Well, he was mainly responsible for making it so memorable for me. Mind you, both McGregor and Johansson also contributed to the scene with some excellent acting. But Buscemi made it for me. I believe it was one of his finest moments on screen - big and small.

I will not claim that "THE ISLAND" is a perfect film. It had a few action scenes that seemed over-the-top for me. And I believe it could have been more clearer about the fates of the clones at the end of the movie. But I cannot deny that it was an entertaining film with an intriguing plot. And for me, it worked, due to Michael Bay's energetic direction and a superb cast led by Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson.