PRINTMovie Review: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
June 25, 2009 | 7:28 p.m. CST
It’s surprising that a CGI robot can bring both tears and laughter to the humans watching it. Though it’s unlikely, it’s exactly what Optimus Prime and the rest of his clan accomplishes in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which opened Wednesday.
In this sequel, Sam (Shia LaBeouf) is heading out to college. He’s barely there two days when he’s swept away on an adventure to save Earth from the Decepticons, the bad aliens hell-bent on destroying the planet and its inhabitants.
Related MovieSimply put, this film is wonderful. It’s both funny and touching. Even though the robots bring the more emotional scenes, the movie is able to restore faith in humanity. The fact that the Autobots (the good guys) are willing to give up their own lives in order to save the human race is beautiful. They could leave and go to a different planet, or even destroy it and take it for themselves, but that’s not what they’re about. It’s admirable.
This movie definitely has political undertones. The Decepticons are clearly made to be the ultimate terrorists. The Autobots and the soldiers who want to fight them are the good guys. When some of the higher-ranking officers try to make the Autobots back down and use peace or urge them to give into the Decepticons’ demands, people scoff and it’s obvious that peace will never work. The point seems to be that you stay, fight and win to defend your territory or you stay, fight and die honorably.
Michael Bay (“Pearl Harbor, “Armageddon”) did a good job directing this film. He once again brings the big explosions, romance, tears and laughs that he’s known for. He could have organized the fight scenes better, though. Sometimes the action was so fast that it was hard to tell who the Autobots and Decepticons were.
Bay also decided to play up Megan Fox’s sex appeal by showing her scantily clad throughout much of the film, which is a tad tacky, and causes the junior high boys in the audience to giggle to each other.
This is a must-see for anyone who has seen its prequel. The witty dialogue will make you laugh and the deaths will make you cry. It’s better than the first and will keep you tense throughout its entirety.
Vox Rating:
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