When i saw the first trailers to Dark of the moon, I kinda cringed to be honest. The first transformers was epic, funny, action packed, and had awesome characters. I thought the 2nd was going to blow its predecessor out of the water, and when it didn't, I had very little hopes for a third movie. Revenge was bay's biggest disaster, and even though it made more money than the first Transformers, many people didn't like it.
So let's get on with Dark of the Moon. This third movie (probably the last or not since this'll make a billion) carries the values of the first and the disgraces of the second. Already 20 minutes into it, I already knew this one was better than Revenge. It has the look, the feeling of it, and the cast is more involved rather than trying to outrun explosives and shouting, 'Optimus!' or 'Run!'
PLOT.
The movie opens up with a bad narrative by Optimus prime, but the visuals are stunning none the less. He tells us of the war on Cybertron, (which I really wanted to see more of)and how a ship known as the ark carrying something that would turn the tide for the autobots but is damaged and thrown into the darkness of space.
Of course they wouldn't tell us what it is right away, now would they?
The Ark crash lands on the dark side of the moon. Set in the 60's, the plot tells us that the NASA space exploration was 'in response to an event'. It opens very well. Quite possibly the best opening in this very weak trilogy. Bay's direction is very well put together in the opening scene. NASA sends Apollo 11 up to the moon, and only a few 35 people know of its true mission-to see the crashed Alien space ship. One landed, the movie cuts to real footage and shows snippets of Walter Cronkite's broadcast. Its really interesting and it certainly drew me in. Then the conspirators jam the signal, giving the astronauts twenty minutes to investigate the crashed ship. They're in awe upon seeing the advanced technology before them and make remarks like, 'It's a huge metal face!' to which the people back home say, 'oh jesus.' Lucas must've written script. They snap pictures, take samples, ya know. The usual when investigating a crashed Alien ship. They return to the Apollo 11 pod and then the movie sends us forward to the present day. Sam Whitwhicky is living in chicago without a job and and has a hot girlfriend (again) but this time there's no Megan Fox. His sweetie Carly makes her sexy appearance with the camera riding on her gorgeous romp,(sign that Bay would make a good porno director) but when her face comes into view i just cringe. It becomes very clear once Shia takes the screen that absolutely no character development occurs in this movie what so ever.
While a better actress than Megan, Rosie isn't really good eye candy except for her perfect body. But her face is...ugh!
Sam keeps looking for a job around DC (thats where he lives, forgot to mention that) and gets denied interview after interview until he's hired as a mailboy working under John Malkovich (who's character is essentially worthless). Sam doesn't have bumblebee to start out with, no sir. The autobot is instead out saving the world, working as a 'black ops agent' for the humans. It is a bit silly to be honest. This movie does what Revenge couldn't do...provide us with a little plot twist. Things get interesting when a decepticon assassin that looks like a robotic hawk starts to assassinate people who are later on described as co-conspirators with the decepticons who want nothing more but to recreate Cybertron on earth. (Wow. they just wont stop, will they?)
When Optimus learns of the 1960's space mission discovery, he gets pissed and grabs a few of his buddies to retreave what special cargo was on the Ark. What special Cargo is this, you may ask? Sentinal Prime, one of the original leaders and Optimus's master, was onboard containing electronic pillars that act as a teleportation device for anything. Apparently it would be able to save Cybetron, but the movie never really tells us how it would be able to do so. Sentienal was damaged and put into a comotos state but is later revived and joins the mission against the armies of evil. He is voiced by none other than the famous Leonard Nimoy.
see more
Gifs I kept waiting for the Prime to do the Vulcan neck pinch to a decepticon.
There are five big problems with this movie.
1. Script is indeed bad. (If you thought Green Lantern's was bad, well get a load of this)
2. The story doesn't explain stuff leaving HUGE gaping holes for continuity issues
3. When Ironhide dies, no one seems to care. (Seriously, he was one of your best Autobots, and you don't care? Alright)
4. A big plot hole that I won't reveal due to the fact its a big spoiler but it deals with Optimus, Sentinal and the Matrix of Leadership. So think hard on that when you see this movie.
5. Patrick Dempsey.
Now when McDreamy came on screen I couldn't take the guy seriously. I just couldn't. After the soapy Grey's Anatomy, whenever I see Patrick on the screen, I laugh. Even though he did a marginally better job than a few of his co-stars, (Yes Rosie I'm talking to you) I still didn't like him.
Megatron is in his worst role ever. He probably has five minutes total of screen time out of the 154 minutes in this movie. I loved him in the first two films but this one, I kinda disliked him. He does very little with the plot and when he appears he just scowls his servents and mumbles under his breath, 'This world will be ours!'
It is apparent that this movie will not win any big Academy Awards, but the sequence where Chicago is obliterated is breathtaking and its actually worth watching rather than the Egyptian desert battle that lagged on in Revenge. Like i said above, the Characters are more involved and you actually root for them. I cheered for Sam in this one rather than wanting to see him die. The action scenes are epic as they promised they'd be in the trailers but whats really sad is the way it ends. The first film's climax was as great as it gets. Revenge's ending left you gunning for Bay. Dark of the Moon's closing is flat, to quick, and disappointing. It really doesn't do the movie justice.
The bottom line is that this is a way way better film than Revenge of the fallen, but its not even close to the first film in the series. It's way longer than it needs to be, and it lags in some places. Thor, First Class, and Green Lantern are miles ahead of this movie. But in action wise, its Miles ahead of them.
SPOIILER-THERE ARE LESS EXPLOSIONS IN THIS ONE! :O
In the end, i guess i kinda liked it. I went in with a neutral attitude and walked out with a mixed feeling because of the ending. The last thirty minutes are extremely predictable and the sense that Steven Spielberg had nothing to do with this movie is as high as it was with Revenge. But DOTM provides us with much smoother blend of humor and action and less profantiy and crudness that Revenge gave us.
If you want to see a smart, engaging summer movie that has good action, Don't go to this. Stay far far away if you don't like Transformers.
If you want to see a mindless action picture with a tad bit of humor along the way, this movie is for you.
B-
Good build up, thrilling action, good humor, but falls flat in the end.
To give a brief overview of this trilogy:
Thoughts?
Comments?
Let me know!