Say what they may (and they will) about the recently released Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, but I suspect they’d be singing a different tune if they were the ones laughing their way to the bank right now. In its first five days in IMAX theaters, Transformers 2 set a five-day record of $14.4 million – and that’s only 3.5% of the film’s total grosses as of June 28th: $390,240,609.
So if I were Michael Bay, it wouldn’t take too much for me to ignore the harsh criticism that Transformers 2 has garnered – but that hasn’t stopped anyone from trying to get his attention.
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THE HIGH SALE OF LOW QUALITY
It didn’t take critics long to start slamming the movie for being juvenile, and what CNN called “…a grotesque exercise in hyperinflation”. Most nay-sayers were reading from the same script, touting the film as a non-stop, action packed, plotless, 147-minute Hasboro commercial that appeals only to 14 year-old boys and their fathers who once owned the toys.
And they’re right, in my opinion. Transformers 2 is everything the critics say it is, and more. It is a Shia La Beouf/Megan Fox vehicle; an opportunity to watch Fox run through the sand in slow motion while La Beouf stammers like some next generation Hugh Grant; and of course, it is a chance to see the toys of our youth have the life-giving breath of CGI breathed into them so they can bang around like junkyard porn.
This is why I was willing to be gouged at the box office for IMAX tickets. Watching this movie made my childhood playthings come to life. And watching Megan Fox bounce through sandy explosions in super slow-mo made another childhood plaything come to life…
Can't be mad about that...
I, like so many others (and unlike so many critics), were not surprised to find that this movie wasn’t likely to be awarded an Oscar, nor was it going to warrant attention from any elite festival. So I didn’t leave the theater yammering about how the last 45 minutes of the film were vapid and mind-numbing, or groaning about how Skids and Mudflap were such offensive stereotypes of African Americans that I’m henceforth boycotting Michael Bay and everything Chevrolet. Instead, I left grinning from ear to ear, having gotten exactly what I expected. In fact, had I sat through two hours of insightful dialogue and profound, globally relevant social commentary, I would have left rather peeved.
But the people have spoken. Currently trailing closely behind The Dark Knight’s record grosses, the new Transformers will have its Revenge on the critics as it thunders down the road toward some serious box-office records of its own. And with numbers like these, it’s amazing that those involved with the production are still unsure about a third installment.
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44 Comments
The people win. Just the way it should be. Sometimes we WANT to see Hyper-inflation. Especially Hyper Inflated robots. Military Fire Fights. Megan Fox. Cool Jets and Cars. That’s it.
And nice move with the jumbled mess of robot fan-art. That joke is old. I personally had no problem seeing any of the bots or action. Maybe It was because my eyes are sharp I sat way back in the theater and everything was mostly in slow mo.
By the way – things blur when they move really fast. Thought id clue that artist in.
^^^^ everything he said
Angry Joe, right on man
This movie was dumb fun. That’s it. Turn off your brain and you’ll have a hell of a time. It was a fun summer blockbuster.
Not perfect by any means but not “The worst movie ever made”, a statement I have read and heard a lot in regards to this movie in the last few days. That’s just dumb. It’s obvious a lot of these critics have it out for Bay, or for high budget action movies, or Megan Fox, or Shia, etc The bias is evident in a lot of reviews.
Whatever happenned to the dancing robot thing that was going to happen at the end of the movie… i sat through the whole credits waiting for it…neither regular and/or imax versions that i saw had it. Also i thought there was going to be aerial bots that were supposed to fight devastator supposedly… i mean i loved the movie but i was waiting for those things.
There, you guys happy? Are we “fair and balanced” enough for ya now?
BTW, I didn’t come close to slamming the film like some reviewers did – I’ve seen scores as low as 1 out of 10, which frankly I thought was ridiculously low.
Vic
I’ll be going back for the third time tonight with my little sis who is over 13 btw and she loves Transformers. And then we’re going to Imax next weekend. We will keep plugging the pockets of this movie so they can continue to make sequels in the future. critics can kiss you know what.
Oh please. “Wah, the critics just don’t get it” is actually a much older argument than the “this garbage that will destroy America” narrative that the critics are running with.
I mean, c’mon. Blasting critics for expecting it to have “globally relevant social commentary”? It’s a straw man argument. I guess that means critics like all political movies and hate all populist summer sci-fi movies. That must be why Star Trek is one of the worst-reviewed films of the summer. Oh wait…
The reason I didn’t like ROTF? It was BORING. AS. HELL. Simple as that.
“fair and balanced”…hilarious shiny… either way still happy that there will be more movies like this where you’ll have to sit through it… now thats “fair and balanced”. Still love the site though for those who like to jump and out and tell people to go to another site.
“And watching Megan Fox bounce through sandy explosions in super slow-mo made another childhood plaything come to life…”
This made me crack up like no other, thank you for that line hahahahahahahahaha
“I, like so many others (and unlike so many critics), were not surprised to find that this movie wasn’t likely to be awarded an Oscar..”
“In fact, had I sat through two hours of insightful dialogue and profound, globally relevant social commentary, I would have left rather peeved.”
*Sigh* And yet again, this isn’t what the critics expected or hoped for from either Transformers movie.
When I walked into the first one, I wanted a film on par with the first “Mummy” flick. A film with just enough story, character, and development to make me care about the characters when they’re fighting in crazy (and hopefully well shot) action scenes.
Now, you may very well think that “The Mummy” was Oscar worthy, but on the chance you don’t, please do not perpetuate the myth that the words “Oscar” “Shakespeare”, or “Globally relevant social commentary” ever crossed our minds, even for a nanosecond.
We wanted a fun movie where I could root for the good guys, boo the bad guys and be wowed by a few well-shot and edited action scenes.
I wanted to care about the characters and wonder at their fate.
I got none of that, nothing, nada, zippo, bubkis, zilch out of the first and I’m avoiding the second like the plague.
I didnt pay £7 (brittish currency) to see megan fox in slow-mo
bottom line ofcourse people are going to see it,
it defines the idea of a summer block-buster, but after seeing it all i can say is I want my Money BACK!
or I will settle with the notion that micheal bay goes away
for a very very long time
all im saying is BAY!!! uve just made the list
Might I say that half of the films that win Oscars seem contrived, bland and a big snore to me.
That is all.
On second thought …
“… what CNN called “…a grotesque exercise in hyperinflation.”
If only CNN and other media would care as much about our economies pending hyperinflation as much as they care about a movie. *sigh*
1. Knew it would rock!
2. Saw that it did rock!
3. Continue to think it rocked!
‘Nuff said.
Finally saw it and have mixed feelings about it… But next time the movie name has a character name it, don’t make him such a pansy. It would have been better to call this one Transformers The Revenge Of Michael Bay. I would love to see a third installment, but with fresh writers and a new director. But honestly I rather enjoyed the 2.5 hour long GM (GOVERNMENT MOTORS)with the Jar Jar Binks twins and the slowly bouncing Megan Fox. I knew what to expect with this one, so I really lowered my expectations… and actually walked out with a half-assed grin on my face……
I cant wait for Transformers 3: Revenge Of The Audience.
Transformers Revenge of the Fallen was AWESOME.
The Critics lose this one, big time.
I’ll see it a few more times just to make the
critics upset that they don’t have mind control
over me or millions of other Transformers fans.
@INK
Yes! I would rather watch Transformers ROTF 20 times than watch The Reader again.
I got nothing out of THE READER. Well, actually I went away feeling really depressed and bored after watching that. Entertainment value should be included in EVERY movie. Yes Transformers exaggerated the entertainment value too much but it was still freaking fun.
It does come down to taste but c’mon. Oscar movies are, in general, pretty “high horse” or snobby. Not all. But a lot of the front runners are.
I saw Transformers, I enjoyed it, had a great time with my friends and the audience. Walked out and for the most part forgot it. All I remember was a “fun” feeling. A movie should be somewhat like that.
Critics don’t win or lose, they give opinions. ROTF had some fun elements with the CGI, action, and that little girl we all know, but it had little else for me. I can’t win or lose for that opinion. I bought the first Transformers and might buy this one as well; I will just fast-forward to the good parts.
man can we get some other news in besides transformers.
it was dumb. they should have adopted the 2004 comic into the screen. that had more heart and emotion then all sexual puns combined in these 2 movies.
i loved my constructicon toys..and i think i was cheated of what could have been. its simple. bay dosn’t like transformers.
he just likes money.
lets face it you knowing this movie is pointless bang bang is fine. at least you know that. for me drag me to hell was my popcorn movie. but there are people who think this movie is much more than that.
just gets me angry thinking this movie was made more for the toy lovers.
check out a pic of optimus prime vs devastator from the dreamwave comic… pick it up if u liek transformers gen 1
http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Image:DWPrimeDirective5_Devastator.jpg#file
I have to admit, Optimus was a beast in this movie.
****** SPOILER BELOW ******
But one of the problems with the movie was “only a Prime can defeat a Prime”. Who killed Optimus?
jesus, this is one of the worst movies of my LIFE.
i left 30 minute before the ending. i did not care. and usually i have to finish movies…. well.. at least i got my money back
but… where are my 2 hours? hope they make Transformers 3 better… i hope…. and please don’t ruin ST2….
And can someone tell me how they have dints and scratches in robot mode but are like brand spanking new in vehicle mode, and then when they change to robot mode again the dints and scratches are back?
“only a Prime can defeat a Prime”
optimus wasn’t a direct prime and he wasn’t defeated. he came back.
“dints and scratches in robot mode but are like brand spanking new in vehicle mode”
they are TRANSFORMERS. they transform into shiny cars
I came to this movie and got what I wanted: Robot Battles. I didn’t expect a great plot like every critic on this planet, I expected Transformers, a movie based off a cartoon. A cartoon I love and adore, with just as much love and admiration for the toys. It was basically Ultimate Fighting but with Robots, and Megan Fox as the ring-side girl and just as barbaric as awesome. This movie has the best Robot fights since Rock-em-Sock-em Robots, and yes, my mind was blown and my socks were rocked off…and I liked it.
@jago
Feel free to find another movie site to frequent, there are certainly enough to choose from out there if you think this one is so horrible.
Vic
Bay knows the demo he needs to make big bucks and also how to capture the 6 second attention span of his fans. In that regard he’s a talented mofo. Kind of like cinemas Simon Cowell.
From what I’m reading on all these reviews/comments is that the film is a lol, robot fantasy in living CGI brilliance. Not to be taken seriously as anything more than the (Armageddon) movie of the summer.
Kahless are you kidding me with the “new paint clearcoat beef?”
@vic
did you not read the second comment i made…?
ill paste it underneath… you might want to re-check it just in case you think i’m lying and stuff but here you go…
“fair and balanced”…hilarious shiny… either way still happy that there will be more movies like this where you’ll have to sit through it… now thats “fair and balanced”. Still love the site though for those who like to jump and out and tell people to go to another site.
Only thing was that there was an error when i said jump and out when it was just supposed to be jump out but either way still love the site just get a kick out of you not enjoying transformers… can’t wait till the next movie you dislike that i like… for instance “bruno”…lol. Oh and public enemies was really good when are you going to put up that review…?
@jago
we won’t be reviewing Bruno but I can tell you Public Enemies was pretty good.
Vic
oh i saw public enemies on the midnight showing… i know its good… i was just curious about the review
This movie sucked and was garbage. If i wanted to watch a flick like this i would have stayed at home and watch southpark or a van dam flick.
The first one was balanced with humor, action, and story.
this was full blown unbalanced
SInce when does a movie have to be FOX NEWS? (Fair and Balanced)
For Pete’s sake … it’s E-N-T-E-R-T-A-I-N-M-E-N-T!
Some people, myself included, are entertained by mind-numbing action and sexploitation of women. My everyday work life is stressful enough, I don’t need a movie that is depressing, boring and/or slower than a drive I-95 during construction time. Not that is all I watch, but in the summer it is what I look forward to.
@Foopher
So I guess the Fallen lied to Megatron when he said Optimus was the last Prime.
Bumblebee was not shiny when he first met Sam.
@790
Kind of. Just showing some of the problems.
Yeah….whatever…….I’m going to go see it again tonight!!!
Cover me in paper cuts and dip me in lemon juice!
If I hear one more person exclaim that ‘the masses have spoken!’ I am going to start quoting Karl Marx and resurrect the goosestep to start invading the Rhineland!
I think that in five years time we won’t even remember this film. 10 more ‘blockbusters’ will have made a squillion dollars by then, and ‘the masses’ will be bleating about how wonderful the ‘Watching paint dry’ film ROCKED!!!!
“I am going to start quoting Karl Marx and resurrect the goosestep to start invading the Rhineland!”
Too late we already have Obama.
Saw Transformers 2 last night. I thought it was a great action flick.
Exactly what I wanted from a movie with giant transforming robots. Kick-butt action. Where there parts that made my brother and I roll our eyes … of course But who cares, overall a lot of fun.
Bring on the sexism, racism, and toilet humour. The masses lead by the big boys with little toys have spoken!
Yeeeee! haaaaaa!
“Bumblebee was not shiny when he first met Sam.”
I know
. I’m just saying that now he transforms into a shiny car. Or at least that’s the way i look at it. i tend to do that with movies so that anything that doesn’t make sense makes sense to me.
It was megatron that “killed” optimus right?
at the end of the first one optimus calls him his brother. wouldn’t that make megatron a prime?
“The masses lead by the big boys with little toys have spoken!”
Sexist.
“… racism …”
I agree. The mother in this movie was portrayed as a crazy white person and as a crazy white person, that offends me.
Hey,
respectfully ‘Sir Ink’, when men and women are finally treated equally in all arenas of the media, including film, and men’s bodies are used gratuitously with a focus on slow motion genatalia (big ones, not the miniscule) running at me on the screen for MY personal enjoyment as a woman, THEN and only then are you entitled to claim that women are sexist.
Until then, I can assume that Megan Fox’s slow motion chestathon was for the enjoyment and, dare I say it? ‘Titillation’ of a men only crowd. And if you DARE split hairs to say that gay women would enjoy it too, not only are you missing the whole ’sexist’ ( Men are from Mars, women are from Venus) complaint that I am aiming specifically at men who think its OK to see women, mothers and sisters treated like meat on screen.
The fact that this is being billed as a ‘children’s movie’ and that women are represented to young children that way, as ‘entertainment’ is offensive not only to me, but a few other men I know as well.
And furthermore, can someone(s) please drop the race accusations? I mean, seriously, it’s getting to the point of grabbing onto just about anything & calling it offensive anymore.
Why is the stuff involving the Twins “racist”? Why, because they talk slang? So black folks are the only folks in urban America? I’m asking this AS a black man, myself! So, black people are the only ones who speak slang? What, so because the Twins aren’t fans of “reading”, as they put it, that’s a black thing too?
Sounds to me as if the people making these accusations are the ones guilty of the very things they’re accusing the movie-makers of, in this case. No one in the film said they were “talking black”. Their way of speaking had nothing to do with a COLOR.
Were some of you on the high horse when the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were big? Were you moaning “racism” then, when they were running around yelling “KOWABUNGA DUDE!!! TOTALLY AWWWWESOME!”? Were you accusing THEM of unfairly racially stereotyping surfer white boys? But the moment someone goes “Yo, yo, yo”, suddenly it’s a race thing.
Not everyone who speaks that way is black, nor is everyone yelling “Totally rad!!!” white. Stop bringing color into it. Take the 5 seconds & remember that Transformers adapt to the various dialects of Earth. Which is why Ironhide & Sideswipe have BRITISH accents, why the little “Doctor” Decepticon had a German accent, and why Jazz from Movie 1 spoke urban slang (anyone remember that, or does that require too much thought?). They adapt to surroundings & dialects – not colors. No different from the Turtles, years ago.
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