June 21, 2009
If you’re looking for a true modern summer blockbuster there is nothing better than this!
Revenge has a basic but driving plot, Sam finds a shard of the All Spark (the Macguffin from the first film) and absorbs information that may lead to the whereabouts of the Matrix, a piece of ancient Transformers technology that could lead to the destruction of Earth. So far so standard.
There are a few things that set Transformers apart from most summer action fodder, it has a great leading man in Shia LaBeouf and the script keeps things witty and avoids taking itself too seriously while keeping itself the right side of plot. It also has some of the most amazing visuals we have ever seen. The robots are huge, but they look so real it is crazy, and while LaBeouf and Fox et all are all good actors doing a fine job there is no doubt that Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee and co are the stars.
While Revenge of the Fallen has the aspects of the first movie we enjoyed - Robot banter, lots of fast car chases, rough and tumble exploits - it also has some new gems. The Fallen, voiced by Tony Todd with great effect, is a nice new bad guy, maybe a little underused but great non the less and the Megatron – Starscream relationship gets more screen time. There is also a great addition in JetFire (a fantastic turn by British actor Mark Ryan) an aged transformer who proves vital to the plot and the action. His introduction saves the middle section from being too saggy.
Once in Egypt the pace and the explosions pick up and from there to a typical Bay orange soaked sunset it doesn’t really let up.
This is Popcorn cinema at its best, and what is great is that this is exactly what it wants and is supposed to be! Fantastic stuff.
Revenge has a basic but driving plot, Sam finds a shard of the All Spark (the Macguffin from the first film) and absorbs information that may lead to the whereabouts of the Matrix, a piece of ancient Transformers technology that could lead to the destruction of Earth. So far so standard.
There are a few things that set Transformers apart from most summer action fodder, it has a great leading man in Shia LaBeouf and the script keeps things witty and avoids taking itself too seriously while keeping itself the right side of plot. It also has some of the most amazing visuals we have ever seen. The robots are huge, but they look so real it is crazy, and while LaBeouf and Fox et all are all good actors doing a fine job there is no doubt that Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee and co are the stars.
While Revenge of the Fallen has the aspects of the first movie we enjoyed - Robot banter, lots of fast car chases, rough and tumble exploits - it also has some new gems. The Fallen, voiced by Tony Todd with great effect, is a nice new bad guy, maybe a little underused but great non the less and the Megatron – Starscream relationship gets more screen time. There is also a great addition in JetFire (a fantastic turn by British actor Mark Ryan) an aged transformer who proves vital to the plot and the action. His introduction saves the middle section from being too saggy.
Once in Egypt the pace and the explosions pick up and from there to a typical Bay orange soaked sunset it doesn’t really let up.
This is Popcorn cinema at its best, and what is great is that this is exactly what it wants and is supposed to be! Fantastic stuff.