The biggest surprise about Michael Bay's Transformers is how consistently funny the movie is. I don't mean funny in an unintentional, Pearl Harbor kind of way, either: For more than two-thirds of its 144-minute running time, this much-anticipated, blockbuster-bound movie is a bonafide comedy, something neither the film's trailers, nor Bay's track record, promised.
The emphasis on humor was a smart move, since for uninitiated viewers (like me) who never played with the Hasbro toys or watched the TV cartoons, there's a truckload of guff to wade through before you get to the Rock 'Em Sock 'Em robot action you came to see.
But considering we're talking about a movie in which talking robots named Devastator, Bumblebee, Megatron and Optimus Prime are fighting over a giant cube that contains some kind of all-powerful energy, there wasn't a single moment in Transformers where I felt my eyes starting to roll, which says a lot.
Even Bay is on his best behavior, actually holding shots for - prepare yourself - longer than 30 seconds at a time. In its climactic half-hour, Transformers finally becomes an all-out Michael Bay movie, although by then the picture had won me over, and the end credits rolled just as exhaustion was starting to creep in. Maybe he really isn't the devil after all.
A side note: Whoever the executive at General Motors who secured the deal to exclusively feature GM cars in the movie was is going to get a huge year-end bonus, because I suspect the movie is going to make Camaros insanely popular again. For example, I suddenly want one.
Viewing log
Thursday June 28
Transformers (2007)
Wednesday June 27
* The Third Man (1949): Has any actor ever had a bigger impact on a movie with just one scene than Orson Welles does here?
Live Free or Die Hard (2007): Review here.
Tuesday June 26
Flatliners (1990): Is it just me, or does everyone in this movie (Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon) come off as really, really unlikable?
Monday June 25
Ratatouille (2007): Review here.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on Transformers. Your mini review just got me all anxious to see it. I was worried this movie would turn out to be a disaster. It looked cool, but i've never been a fan of the original cartoon, and I find Bay's movies to be rather aweful. Good to see he didn't ruin this film. I'll check it out.
Posted by: Juan | July 01, 2007 at 01:04 AM
I've watched the movie and it is a really good one. One of my best movie ever seen. Though am not a real fan of Transformers but the movie itself made me one. I love the action-fighting scene in the movie. The heart stopping action of every Autobots versus Decepticons is one reason why you should watch the movie. Sorry, but I can't help to adore the movie plus the people whose behind the scene. They made a great movie of the year. This is truly amazing and a must-see movie. There is a movie review at http://www.autopartsplace.com/bg/ that you wanna end up commenting after watching the movie...Go and get your tickets and buy a bunch of popcorns...happy watching!!!
Posted by: Marcia Lewis | July 06, 2007 at 02:40 AM