Jun
14
Released: 19 June 2009
Certificate: 12A (TBC)
Director: Michael Bay
Screenwriters: Ehren Kruger, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman
Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Peter Cullen
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Running Time: 147 mins
This movie will do very well indeed. Sequel to 2007’s smash hit, Transformers, Michael Bay’s Revenge Of The Fallen is as big and burly as fans of loud, frenetic blockbusters will want it to be. It shouts, it screams, it explodes, it screams some more and then it explodes again; it is more than simple cinematic fodder for the preteen Saturday mobs, it is the next stage in the evolution of cinematic fodder, stripped down and streamlined to feature only marketable, trailer-friendly, toy shelf-conscious moments. Junk, then.
It’s perhaps important to establish early on that the many, many, many devout fans of the first film will most likely get more than enough out of the sequel, but surely even they will concede there was significantly more to the 2007 box-office behemoth. With LaBeouf’s Sam Witwicky, audiences had a character they could root for, while the central premise of ‘boy buys car, cars turns out to be alien robot, boy saves world’ had more than a touch of Spielberg about it. There were, too, moments of genuine awe as heroes from yesteryear stomped back onto present day screens and gave us a CG-heavy high five. But most of these elements have been banished from Revenge Of The Fallen, leaving something mechanical, uninteresting and soulless.
Two years on from the events of the first film, Revenge Of The Fallen sees our young hero Sam, still with Mikaela (Megan Fox) and about to start college, find a sliver of the all-powerful All-Spark in his hoody. The alien device then uploads secret co-ordinates into his brain which subsequently puts him and the Autobots at the centre of another race against time to stop the Decepticons having their way with the world. Giving you much more detail on what precisely happens next would be less than fair; suffice to say it involves the Decepticon overlord, The Fallen, and a hunt for an ancient object that nods heavily in the direction of the original series. Labelling the proceedings a story, however, would be misleading, as there really is little besides people shouting and robots shooting, be it in a top secret military base, a college campus or Egypt. Indeed, the only thing that ever seems to change from scene to scene is the backdrop.
Rather appropriately, although almost certainly not through design, the film plays out like a three-hour Saturday morning cartoon (it’s about 147 minutes long, but it feels longer). It’s paper-thin all the way through, with nothing in the way of characterisation or invention, just misjudged joke after misjudged joke (don’t be surprised to see a Constructicon’s testicles or a Decepticon humping Megan Fox’s leg), danger-less explosion after danger-less explosion and the sort of expositional exchanges that would make a ten-year-old wince. There are arguably one or two surprises but immediately these are followed up with the most formulaic, predictable plot-points, sucking the life out of any drama or tension there might be like a 200 foot vacuum-cleaner Decepticon, which, incidentally, does feature, as does a regular-size vacuum cleaner Decepticon. Troublingly, like so many other recent blockbusters (Terminator Salvation to name but one) there is so little that feels like a real threat: explosions are nothing more than decoration; all Transformers, both Autobot and Decepticon, are in dire need of an intensive training course in how to shoot; the much talked about Fallen comes across as little more than a computer-generated slouch; even Sam and Mikaela appear to be made of an indestructible, alien rubber alloy. How is an audience supposed to care when it doesn’t ever believe that anything bad will happen? Ultimately, for all its obvious expense (with Bay at least, the money is always on the screen), the action is tediously unengaging and totally sterile, and nowhere near enough of a reward for the 40 minute bout of nothingness that precedes the final act.
In a curious move, Bay has also seen fit to relegate Bumblebee and Optimus Prime to bit-part players with seemingly more film reel devoted to some unfathomably annoying, and frankly offensive Transformers. But this is only one in a longline of poor decisions, with the return of John Turturro’s Agent Simmons, the pointless introduction of Ramon Rodriguez as tech-head Leo, the equally pointless re-introduction of Josh Handsome and Tyrese Gibson’s super soldiers, and the handling of the nauseatingly cheesy romance also ranking highly. Disconcertingly, there is also more than a tinge of xenophobia about the film, with every non-American treated with a blatant contempt.
Of course, there are highlights, with two or three titanic battles between Transformers doing their best to set the screen ablaze. Sadly, though, these moments don’t add up to a great deal of screentime and without the sense of wonder that the first film occasionally evoked, even the cutting-edge effects feel stale and tiresome. What we’re left with is an ugly beast of a movie as robotic as its main attractions that could justifiably become the symbol of all that is wrong with modern day summer spectaculars.
Unlike the summer’s other big robot movie, Revenge Of The Fallen does have a personality, but it’s a frightfully detestable one. It celebrates all the wrong things with ferocious gusto, marking a new type of low for blockbusters.
I hate to say I told you so…
[...] SciFiNow: “the many, many, many devout fans of the first film will most likely get more than enough out of the sequel, but surely even they will concede there was significantly more to the 2007 box-office behemoth.” … “leaving something mechanical, uninteresting and soulless.” … “an ugly beast of a movie as robotic as its main attractions that could justifiably become the symbol of all that is wrong with modern day summer spectaculars.” … “Unlike the summer’s other big robot movie, Revenge Of The Fallen does have a personality, but it’s a frightfully detestable one. It celebrates all the wrong things with ferocious gusto, marking a new type of low for blockbusters.” [...]
[...] 2: ScifiNow have put up their review, which is overly harsh with a 2/5 [...]
“biggest blockbuster of 2009″? This has been one of my biggest problems with SFN since the around issue 2, the grandtastic headlines claiming “world exclusives” and “most important film” yada yada yada.
If you’re gonna make these grandiose claims then back them up, your readers aren’t fools, stop sensationilising everything and you’ll gain a lot of traction.
Let’s face it, your competition is SFX and their orgasmic hyperbole of anything related to nu-who or anyone who’s given them a bit of a jolly recently is a standing joke. Rise above that and gain some credibility, please. The SF fans need an authoritative voice not another shouty screamy one that pretends it’s your best mate.
[...] View full review. This review is heavily critical of the feature. The Fallen is as big and burly as fans of loud, frenetic blockbusters will want it to be. It shouts, it screams, it explodes, it screams some more and then it explodes again; it is more than simple cinematic fodder for the preteen Saturday mobs, it is the next stage in the evolution of cinematic fodder, stripped down and streamlined to feature only marketable, trailer-friendly, toy shelf-conscious moments. Junk, then. Troublingly, like so many other recent blockbusters (Terminator Salvation to name but one) there is so little that feels like a real threat: explosions are nothing more than decoration; all Transformers, both Autobot and Decepticon, are in dire need of an intensive training course in how to shoot; the much talked about Fallen comes across as little more than a computer-generated slouch; even Sam and Mikaela appear to be made of an indestructible, alien rubber alloy. How is an audience supposed to care when it doesn’t ever believe that anything bad will happen? Ultimately, for all its obvious expense (with Bay at least, the money is always on the screen), the action is tediously unengaging and totally sterile, and nowhere near enough of a reward for the 40 minute bout of nothingness that precedes the final act. [...]
what a hack review, from a hack writer
another thing, you state that ROTF was better than Terminator Salvation, yet you rated Terminator Salvation higher in your review, what a moron
I think your taking the film too seriously,its just a summer blockbusters that clearly does what its meant to and frankly you seem to want nothing more than to hate this film.
[...] SciFi Now – “This movie will do very well indeed. Sequel to 2007’s smash hit, Transformers, Michael Bay’s Revenge Of The Fallen is as big and burly as fans of loud, frenetic blockbusters will want it to be. It shouts, it screams, it explodes, it screams some more and then it explodes again; it is more than simple cinematic fodder for the preteen Saturday mobs, it is the next stage in the evolution of cinematic fodder, stripped down and streamlined to feature only marketable, trailer-friendly, toy shelf-conscious moments. Junk, then. [...]
[...] SciFiNow: “the many, many, whatever sincere fans of the prototypal flick module most probable intend more than sufficiency discover of the sequel, but sure modify they module grant there was significantly more to the 2007 box-office behemoth.” … “leaving something mechanical, deadening and soulless.” … “an grotesque creature of a flick as robotic as its important attractions that could justifiably embellish the symbolisation of every that is criminal with recent period season spectaculars.” … “Unlike the summer’s another bounteous mechanism movie, Revenge Of The Fallen does hit a personality, but it’s a frightfully hateful one. It celebrates every the criminal things with violent gusto, rating a newborn identify of baritone for blockbusters.” [...]
You don’t really have a CLUE do you. This film is twice as fun and exciting as the first one. To say the Visuals are tiresome is Ridiculous. There BRILLIANT !!!!!!!!!!!! And the Sound was ABSOLUTELY AWESOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don’t know what film you saw but it wasn’t the one I watched judging by your review. People are going to be blown away when they see this film. It’s the Biggest Action film I’ve ever seen and the COOLEST one.
[...] SciFiNow opina lo contrario, es decir que TF2 no gustará tanto a los millones de seguidores de la franquicia como TF. Esta secuela es tan robótica como sus protagonistas de metal, mecánica y sin interés, y un símbolo de todo lo que se puede hacer mal con los actuales blockbusters de saldo de verano. [...]
RE: scalan15
Please point out the section where I said Salvation was worse than Transformers. I merely cite that Revenge Of The Fallen has more personality, and even that’s not necessarily a good thing. For the record, Salvation is the better movie.
RE: scalan15
How did you know? My cover’s blown…
RE: DRAX
The truth is that Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen is the biggest blockbuster of 2009, but as the review shows, that’s not necessarily a good thing. The context is important, though.
[...] SciFiNow reckons that fans will feel that the original film had more to offer than the 2009 offering. The review states the new movie does not have a personality. [...]
It pains me to say it but this review is the truth. Bumblebee and prime should be the stars, not the buck-tooth jar jar binks bots.
I love Transformers, i liked the first film (4stars). But this film is bad. There is nothing to comapre to the Bee/Barricade fight from One or Prime on the freeway. Prime does take on multiple ‘cons at once in ROTF which is pretty cool, but not cool enough.
If you liked the wierd Sam’s special alone time jokes from the first one i guess there are plenty more stangley inapproriate jokes in this one.
At least when Megan Fox runs anywhere she does so in slow motion…
…Actually this film is pretty good!
Upset the fanboys at your peril.
The truth is, both films are money spinners, made for two groups of cinema goers. The above mentioned fanboys, who dont really care about any sort of plot (crash, bang, wallop), and cinema goers who cant find anything else to watch and just want a popcorn moment (crash, bang, wallop). The studio bosses love them both (crash, bang, wallop, give us yer money).
[...] “Unlike the summer’s other big robot movie, Revenge Of The Fallen does have a personality, but it’s a frightfully detestable one. It celebrates all the wrong things with ferocious gusto, marking a new type of low for blockbusters.” [SciFiNow] [...]
cash, bang, wallop.
You know there is a difference between a good blockbuster and a bad one.
Popcorn movies seem to be forgiven anything.
I like to mix salty popcorn and sweet popcorn, on a semi-related note.
[...] “Unlike the summer’s other big robot movie, Revenge Of The Fallen does have a personality, but it’s a frightfully detestable one. It celebrates all the wrong things with ferocious gusto, marking a new type of low for blockbusters.” [SciFiNow] [...]
[...] “Unlike the summer’s other big robot movie, Revenge Of The Fallen does have a personality, but it’s a frightfully detestable one. It celebrates all the wrong things with ferocious gusto, marking a new type of low for blockbusters.” [SciFiNow] [...]
Having seen the first Transformers movie and cringed non-stop all the way through it, it`s safe to say that T: ROTF is the CGI death knell for movies – the Transformers themselves are so over-designed that it`s impossible for the eye to take in the overall image(s)and that only E-number addicted `tweens with ADHD will enjoy ROTF.
Mind you, I thought Speed Racer would have been garbage and yet I thoroughly enjoyed it.
TTFN!
and so we have yet another review that totally overanalyses therelated film and once again highlights my main problem with the magazine(and corresponding website…) people seem to think that these summer blockbusters should be the sci-fi euivalent of gandhi orcitizen kane, but these films are made for spectacle and nothing more- and I for one can’t wait to see this film…
Just because something is heavy with effects and explosions, it doesn’t make it a good film. We have to apply the same criteria to all films that we review otherwise the scoring becomes inconsistent, our reviews untrustworthy, and then they’re essentially nothing but opinion columns.
If you want honest feedback on the quality of the film reviewed, that’s what we try to provide. If you want slavish adulation of something because it pops and whizzes, try the fansites.
Besides, why shouldn’t summer blockbusters try to be equal to great films? It’s ridiculous and damaging to the genre to suggest that sci-fi blockbusters should not try to be anything more than popcorn accompaniments. Sci-fi should be shooting for new glory at every opportunity and it shouldn’t ever be derivative of cinematic chicken-feed like Bad Boys II, which this film is.
[...] “Unlike the summer’s other big robot movie, Revenge Of The Fallen does have a personality, but it’s a frightfully detestable one. It celebrates all the wrong things with ferocious gusto, marking a new type of low for blockbusters.” [SciFiNow] [...]
Interesting ideas here. Thanks for posting, will add to my RSS feed.
When i first read the review..almost a week ago..it sounded very harsh, and i was sure when i got round to seeing the film that i’d scoff at most of the negativity.. How wrong could i be? This is a shockingly bad film..the worst type of popcorn flick.. It takes the audience for fools and delivers nothing of note..
Loved the first film, but this is just peurile, overblown, insulting crap..
I think the reviewer completely missed the point. This film was always supposed to be about action and fun. There was never supposed to be a tone-poem, deep and meaningful love story or convoluted plot.
It was supposed to be fun. I went to see it at the local Odeon and shut down my brain as I shut down my phone and had 147 minutes of fun, explosions and great special effects. The three people with me loved it too and we had a great time.
You plastered the front of SciFi Now with all this excitement and the proceed to complain about the whole film. The interviewees in the magazine told everyone who was actually listening what the film was like, but it’s plainly obvious that the reviewer had not read the article, or at least not listened.
There’s a great deal to like about the film. The plot is supposed to be more or less irrelevant. Transformers is about spectacle. It’s about robots smashing up the place and having a good-old barney with each other. The US military was in the fray doing what it does best (blow everything up) and the human lead stars were there to add a bit of heart. Sam’s parents were great as both the comic relief and the people to worry about Sam and Michaela. The comedy Transformers did exactly what I wanted them to do.
Transformers 2 was not about surprises. That was Transformers 1. Revenge of the Fallen was the smash-up it was supposed to be and I had a fantastic time and will be going again.
This film was everything that we need at the moment. We’re in the middle of a recession, the Government has had it, and all we’re hearing about is Swine Flu. It was time for something to make you smile. And make me smile it did.
Thanks Mr Bay and your team for doing just what I wanted.
Accurate review, Mr. Asadi.
SciFiNow should review these kinds of movies as if they were a serious entry in the science-fiction genre, why lower your standards? Just because it’s sci-fi doesn’t mean it can get away with being superficial. You never hear these complaints about mainstream movie reviews.
By the way, you can give a movie a bad review, 2 our of 5 stars but still say it has it’s charm for a certain audience. No problem.
To be clear: a Transformers movie that was a “deep and meaningful love poem” would also be dreadful. What’s interesting is that so many people, like Karl, seem to think that there is no real difference between an excellent popcorn blockbuster (Star Wars, The Matrix) and a poor one (Revenge Of The Fallen). The argument being that so long as there are big special effects, the direction, choreography, plot and performances don’t matter a jot. They do to us.
Aaron Asadi, mate you are spot on, this film is beyond terrible almost a special effects reel (hey look what we can do). Films should not have explosions for the sake of having explosions, the reasons behind these flash effects should also be well made and thought out and not exist simply to set up another twenty minutes of OTT action set pieces.
The point about the Matrix and Star Wars is a perfect one.
Finally I hope this flops at the box office only only so that next time they atleast have some standards and don’t take cinema goers for fools.
I loved every minute of it. It’s what movies are all about: being somewhere else, loving the adventure, seeing it through the hero’s eyes.
Of course, all those, all film school art critics will not be pleased. After all, movies are all supposed to conform to their sense of what should be significant. But hey, how many global blockbusters have those people made. They can blather all they want about Micheal Bay, but “emotionally moving” isn’t what they world pays gazillions to see. Adventure always taps out emotional, any day. Don’t just check the cinema earnings, though. Look up how much the story earns both in the movieplexes AND the living/media rooms. In the end, people vote with their wallets. This stuff is what we want.
Kudos, Micheal Bay! Thanks for the ride. Where to next?
Yep, CGI is killing movies…
Having given up my Cineworld subscription card a year ago in protest at the complete and utter SH*TE Hollywood is churning out on a weekly basis, finding good movies that don`t rely on poorly executed Digital FX makes going to my local fleapit a waste of time.
For example, Terminator: Salvation ISN`T a Terminator movie – previous Terminator movies were CHASE movies, with Sarah/John Connor on the run from nasty cyborgs but the over-reliance on CGI to pull lazy directors` bottoms out of the proverbial fire are the exact same problems with Transformers: ROTF ie bad script, bad acting and all the budget going on digital effects. And explosions.
I think it`s a cultural decay kind of thing, end of Empires and Civilisations, that sort of stuff. It`s no longer Bread and Circuses now, just crap movies aimed at a gullible market of easily exploited twenty somethings.
Am I being cynical here?
Two stars was generous. The movie was poor.
I completely agree with everything in this review. This film was pretty damn bad. I’m astounded as to how anyone can walk out of this thinking it was a good movie.
People give the excuse that it’s only an action movie or it’s only a Transformers movie and yet this is probably the worst action movie I’ve seen in years. You just have to look as far as recent films like Star Trek and Iron Man to show that you can have a blockbuster that has a brain and a heart and still be a great time at the cinema.
As for it only being a Transformers movie, who the hell goes into a Tranformers movie expecting racist stereotypes, tons of useless human characters and lame, painfully unfunny comic relief (wow, Sam’s mom ate a hash brownie, how ****ing hilarious)?
Someone please take this series out of that hack Michael Bay’s hands, before he goes about destroying even more of my childhood memories.
[...] Theatrical review: Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen [...]
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