Transformers (2007)

What i think about Michael Bay? It's as close as a love / hate relationships that i could ever have. I mean, he has directed many great enjoyable action flicks over the year, The Rock which is actually a stellar film in its genre, Bad Boys, Bad Boys II, and even The Island, which i sincerely, admittingly enjoyed. With the exception of Armageddon and Pearl Harbor (i personally think it's largely due to his presence, say what you will, but the only times i liked him was when he get directed by Kevin Smith), Michael Bay has an - again - admittedly, though grudgingly incredible portfolio.

I just don't approve with one of his signature shot (a slow-motion capture of a character upward while the said character was looking upward), and his inevitable grip to the pop culture.

With that in mind, i went into Transformers with my five o'clock shadow (plus overtime), hoping that i would at least had one enjoyable evening.

When i was a child, Hasbro's Transformers line-up was fast gaining popularity. I never had a hand on one of those toys except via a print page. But the idea of transforming robots were an amazing fantasy i could afford back then with gawking stare and salivating mouth, and now, when the fantasy came into reality (sort-of), i honestly couldn't think of anyone beside Michael Bay (and his teams of producers, which includes Steven Spielberg) to deliver the fantasy.

However, despite some oohs and aahs when i see those Robots Transformed, and neat special effects, and breathtaking battle scenes, this is yet another Michael Bay film that feels like... well, a Michael Bay film. In simpler terms, it is nowhere near The Rock that was still his best work to date. The film simply went on and on, awkward shifting tone, and loaded with Michael Bay's slow-motion capture. I wasn't entirely impressed with overall of the film, and when i head out toward the green light of EXIT signs, i had forgotten about the film.

The film opens with a little background that quickly put our logic in map about what, why, and how does these auto machines came to our beloved planet. From there on, the film was actually quick paced and waste no time to introduce its first Decepticon, Blackout and Scorponok (an introduction was made with bangs and booms). And then cuts to ever glorious US of A, where a nerdy Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) gets his usual treatment from the popular groups (football-players, cheerleaders, you know, those typical High School 'popular') which includes Melanie (Megan Fox) whose of course has become Sam's unreachable star. There are (at least) three story-arcs in this film during the second act, Sam and Melanie's, Secretary of Defense's, and US Marine's. The only arc i'm comfortable to watch for was US Marine's, the other two could go to oblivion for all i care (a hacker who solved the supposedly unintelligible electronic distortions in less than two minutes with screens like a puzzle game? duh, we're a little bit too old for that). Finally, after enduring this second phase processes (featuring John Turturro who practically steals every scene he's in. Damn, he's one great actor), we came to what we had been paying for.

Those who came to see Robots in Actions, Explosions and crafty digital imageries, won't be disappointed. No, you won't. This film is the winner in term of actions during the relatively boring first half of Summer seasons. But still, in sequel packed first half of Summer seasons, if i was asked which film i enjoyed the most, it was Ocean's Thirteen, with this film came second.

My Rating: **1/2 / ****
Action-Wise Rating: ***1/2 / ****