Thursday, July 2, 2009

Transformers 2 - My review (or, Stop your whining!)

I just don't get it.

It seems like every year there is a movie or two that the critics either hate or one that they ignore, and inevitably it goes on to make MILLIONS. Apparently The Hangover is one of them, Transformers 2: ROTF it the other.

ROTF is the Dane Cook of the movie world. You either love it or hate it, there seems to be no in-between. Personally, I don't like Dane Cook, but I liked ROTF. Now, before all of you would be critics and pundits get your panties in a bunch; hold on and let me explain. ROTF is a destination movie, it is an event. It is not a cinematic masterpiece. There will be no Oscar nominations coming out of it. You go to see this movie for what it is and what it has to offer.

Critics are ripping it apart because it is too long, there are too many close-ups of a sweaty Megan Fox, the characters are underdeveloped and the plot lines are thin. What exactly was everyone expecting?

Is it a bit long, yes. Too long, not really. There was so much that was left out of the story line there could have been another 1/2 hour of back story just to get everyone up to speed. I didn't see any scenes that could have been cut without chopping half the movie.

Sweaty close-ups of Megan Fox are an issue? Was she supposed to be solving world hunger while she was dodging Decepticons? Be thankful Rosie O'Donnell wasn't his love interest. Megan Fox is gorgeous, live with it.

As far as the plot goes, well, yes, it was a bit thin. Did they need to bring everyone back to fight a second time? EEhhhh... even Obi-Wan-Kenobi made his way back into the Star Wars movies. Sometimes you just can't keep a good character down. I could have lived without the twins, and the college fembot was a bit outthere. She needed a little back story or cut out. That was a dangler (dangler: - an element of or storyline in a movie that seems to hang out there on its own without explaination. Possibly an element or storyline that suffered because of post-production editing or just poor writing).

I get the feeling that those who loved the movie went to see the movie for what it is - big robots fighting in a battle of good vs. evil. That is what you went to see, that is what it was, and you were happy. Those who didn't like it seemed to think it was going to be something else. Great expectations lead to great disappointments. You just can't expect too much from this movie. Go to see things blow up, go to see giant transforming robots, go to see Megan Fox (or Shia LeBouf for those who lean that way); for crying out loud see it for what it is. Entertainment. Not cinematic art. This movie does what it is supposed to, it entertains.

I judge the quality of entertainment from a movie by the number of times I look at my watch during the film.

4 looks or more = stinker, go for popcorn, don't come back
3 looks = the movie should have ended long ago
2 looks= not bad, not great, but not bad
1 look = good movie
No looks = must see

Transformers: ROTF is a 1 look movie. Could it have been better, yes.
It is, however, good enough.