By Ned Jordan
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen dedicates about as much effort to its
plot and characters as eight year old boys playing with their Transformer toys
usually do. The movie is two and a half hours of whirring metal, gun battles,
and robot wrestling matches in which the only purpose of the story seems to be
to give the audience a moment to catch their breath. The story constantly paints
itself into a corner, only to be pushed along by the deus ex machina of a new
heretofore unknown Transformer ability or power. Theres also a strong sense of
dj vu running through the film, with scenes and plot points lifted from a
variety of summer movies past including The Matrix, Terminator, and Indiana
Jones. And for some odd reason the writers thought that it was necessary to have
no fewer than five human and robotic characters serve as comic relief for a plot
that serves up about as much tension as the warning label on the back of the box
of a Transformer toy.
For what its worth, the story involves an ancient Transformer know as The
Fallen seeking to use the Decepticons to enable an ancient device left behind on
Earth millennia ago that will suck the sun dry of its energy. Once again Shia
LeBeoufs Sam Witwicky plays the reluctant hero, who in spite of his awkwardness
manages to outfox evil robots tens of thousands of years older than himself.
LeBeouf seems to have the likable goofball role down pat, and its easy to see
kids who play with Transformers (as well as young adults who still do in secret)
connecting with him, especially since Sams managed to land Megan Fox as a
steady girlfriend.
The special effects are certainly impressive, but you cant really enjoy the
work that went into them thanks to the hyperkinetic camera work. Watching a
Transformer transform is like watching a bunch of screws, nuts, and bolts in a
blender from about two inches away. The robot fights are such a whir of metal
that its really difficult to tell whats going on or, more often than not, who
is fighting whom. And although Transformers love to fire off a wide arsenal of
missiles and cannon fire, they never really seem to hit anything nor do the
soldiers and tanks that fire off a few billion rounds of ammunition in the
films climactic desert battle.
In the end, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is crushed under the weight
of its endless special effects and protracted robot battles. Its not a good
sign when youre watching a film and find yourself checking your watch and
wondering when it will all end...
Final Rating:
