Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Based on early reviews from some of the top film critics, the sequel to 2007's Transformers has already received mixed to negative reception. Although I believe some of the critics are being way too harsh, the fact of the matter is that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is NOT a movie for everyone to enjoy. So for those of you who are on the fence about going to see it, I thought I would try to break it down for you...

Reasons to Go See Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
- You're a fan of the Transformers franchise and/or loved the first film.
- You love Michael Bay films (i.e. The Rock, Armageddon, The Island, etc.)
- You enjoy loud, in-your-face computer-generated action sequences.
- You enjoy hot babes, talking robots, fast cars, and big explosions.
- You think Megan Fox is the hottest woman on the planet.
- You love any film that involves Shia LaBeouf.

Reasons to NOT See Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
- You did not enjoy the first film.
- You hate or dislike Shia LaBeouf and/or Megan Fox.
- You think robots are stupid.
- You are looking for a plot-driven action film.
- You hate movies with too many computer-generated special effects.
- You are looking for a movie with outstanding acting performances.
- You are offended by racial stereotypes in film.
- You can't stand movies that are over 2 hours long.

My Thoughts
Watching Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was much like watching fireworks: It was loud, it was exciting, and it was fun to watch...But you can only watch fireworks for so long. Some of the special effects/action sequences were a little too over-the-top, the plot seemed to be all over the place, and the film itself was way too long. But at the same time, after watching the first Transformers film, that is exactly what I was expecting from the sequel. This movie succeeded at being longer, louder, bigger, and even more imaginative than the first one. The filmmakers knew exactly what their target demographic was and did just about everything right to satisfy those viewers.

One of the things I really enjoyed about Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was the use of comedy throughout the movie because it reminded us not to take this film so seriously. The combination of humor, spectacular visual effects, and of course the incredibly hot Megan Fox is what made Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen a fun and enjoyable film for me to watch.

However, in comparison to other summer movies I have seen thus far...Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen falls short of making my top rankings. In my opinion, Star Trek was a far superior 'summer action film.' It had a solid plot, outstanding performances from the entire cast, a super attractive female actress, and included intense action sequences / special effects that were never too over-the-top.

In Conclusion
If you didn't enjoyed the first Transformers film, had mixed feelings about it, or just had no interest in even seeing it...chances are that you will not enjoy the sequel. But if you loved the first Transformers film and you love mindless, special effects driven action films...then by all means go see the sequel ASAP.