Violent. Oh, so very violent. If you don't like watching stuff get blown to $#|+, do yourself a favor, and skip going to this movie.
Robots blow all kinds up stuff up, and even get some down-n-dirty fighting in that would make a UFC champ flinch (don't expect "Cybertronian street fighting" to show up as an MMA fighting style anytime soon). There were holes in the story, especially where the characters are concerned (Why did Megatron choose an Earth vehicle form, after shunning the idea before? And why did he pick the one he did?), but that happens in all but the very best movies. I also had a couple of other issues that I go into great detail about in a moment.
Visually, the opening sequences that involved the lunar landing were spec-freaking-tacular in 3D. I mean, right up there, quality-wise, with the Imax movie "Magnificent Desolation". The 3D throughout was really good, and once you adjusted to it (took my about a half hour, including the previews), you start to really get into having depth in what you are watching, and it just seemed to be "natural". I mean even the leaves on a tree in the background looked good. And it was just set dressing.
As a side note, 3D technology has been in movies for decades now. It's only recently that it has been possible to really enjoy it without losing any of the true coloration. Gone are the red and blue 3D glasses, and thank goodness. Having said that, there were only a couple of places where I felt that something was tossed at the viewer just for the 3D effect, and a really wish directors would knock that off already. The 3D effect stands on its own very easily, and I don't need the reminder of the gimmick (as a side-note to the side note, I just wonder when someone will design disposable 3D glasses that don't make you look ridiculous. I know I'm not the best model to begin with, but I'll post a picture tomorrow on facebook of what I mean).
The story itself was a lot better that I would have thought, given that this was sequel number 2. I would say that this was the strongest of the trilogy, by far.
The first was good, but mostly for the "lifelong geek fanboy getting to see Transformers blow real crap up on screen" kinda way. The story was kinda "meh", but I was more than willing to overlook that because of the whole "lifelong geek fanboy" thing. That it helped to revive a 20-year-old story and garner new interest in what started out, basically, as a commercial for toys really said something.
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" was not as interesting, in part because it did what far too many long-term stories have done. It rushed elements that needed time to simmer. The character of "The Fallen" was a fairly recent addition to the Transformers mythos, and deserved a much larger build-up than what he got. It took them years to get around to him in the comics (the only vehicle for the better Transformers story for a number of years), and given his mythic proportions, should have been a much more developed character.
As it was, he was portrayed as a mere shadow of his potential, and cut down far, far too quickly (kinda like Venom in the "Spider-man" movies. It took DECADES for the comics to develop and flesh out Venom. Now, anything Spider-man has Venom as a foil to the hero almost instantly, and usually with a weaker than should be background that fans will recognize as a rushed origin). The titular villain in the second TF movie was a disappointment, which was a shame. And the overly done, attempted kid-friendly, forced attempt at comic relief with the Autobot twins really didn't help the second movie at all.
But, "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" pretty well made up for all that. A look (even if all too brief) into a little more history of the long conflict on the home world, and weaving Transformers into human history (covered up and kept secret, of course) helped to make the story a little more interesting (not to mention having Buzz Aldrin and Optimus Prime having a mutual respect moment. That was just so FREAKING cool). My jaw hit the floor at the moment the true enemy was revealed, if for no other reason than how (seriously, it was both brutal and saddening at the same time. Poor guy can't catch a movie break, after being killed in 1986's "Transformers: The Movie" as well). Old enemies return (though definitely worse for the wear), and heroic deception works like a charm, as it always seems to.
"Transformers" was like a paint-by-numbers kit. In the end, you get exactly what you set out for. Pretty to look at, but just not as good as the original. You just KNOW that something is missing.
"Revenge of the Fallen" was more like someone took the paint and carefully tossed it at the wall. I say carefully, because it wasn't random. There were in fact recognizable patterns in what showed through, if you looked hard enough. It was almost an abstract look at the Transformers.
"Dark of the Moon" is like a fine reproduction. You know it's not the original work, nor does it claim to be, but you feel like you can hang it up without embarrassment.
Having gushed on at length, now I must speak to my disappointments in the movie. The first one had to do with the fact that for the first time, humans were not just simply "collateral damage", being hurt or even killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. In the previous movies (and of course cartoons), humans were not targets. Sure, they would be hostages, and threatened with bodily harm, but ultimately, they were off-limits to the wages of the Transformer's war.
This time around, it is implied (and shown explicitly) that any human with specific knowledge was hunted down and killed for knowing too much. Also, after conquering a city, several humans were used as "examples" to strike fear into the hearts of the others, and specifically targeted by Decepticon guns, and seen to explode (literally. I'm glad that Michal Bay decided to NOT have sprays of human blood from those who were slaughtered in this manner, but that one skull rolling around was a bit much). Sure, I understand that the idea is to show war, and all its evils, and be as realistic as possible (with 40-foot tall shape-shifting robots). The deaths of characters in movies is not something to make me squeamish. Even in the "Transformers" movies (and current cartoon show).
On the contrary, I think it is a good idea, because of the times we live in. Back in 1984, America was not involved in any wars. Sure, kids understood what war was, and that people died, but it was an abstract thing. Now however, with our country involved in a few wars, death of the combatants in fiction, even kids fiction, is almost needed. Too many kids in our country have either lost parents, siblings, or other relations, or they know a peer who has. The fact that people die in wars is not as abstract a concept as it once was, so having characters who are fighting a war die seems to be a natural progression, even in kids entertainment. And, it offers a chance to open the discussion with kids about death without having to have a relative or even a beloved pet die.
But, the purposeful destruction of non-combatants, even if by the "bad guys" seems to be too much. It's like Anakin in "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith". He became evil, and just to cement that in the viewers' minds, the first thing he did was to go and slaughter children. Might as well had him kick a puppy while he was at it, so there was no doubt as to his new status as the "bad guy".
Evil is easy to spot. In "Dark of the Moon" it was in the attempt to go back on the promise of safe passage (setting up the heroic deception of later in the movie). It was in the promise of making humans into slaves (not at all unpredictable, and in fact done many times in the original cartoon series). The blasting of non-combatants "just because" was unnecessary, and, to me as a parent who has kids who want to see this, off-putting.
Another problem I had was with the heroic deception I mentioned a couple of times. In every iteration of Optimus Prime, he has placed the importance of the life of all but his enemies above all else. Hell, in the comics, he once laid down his life because his actions in a virtual competition with his rival Megatron caused the death of non-combatant video game critters. Now I am to think that he would allow people to be killed, just to make a point?
The movie Optimus has done a few things that I just simply cannot reconcile in my head with the Optimus Prime I know as a lifelong geek fanboy. The the first movie he would willingly sacrifice himself to keep the Allspark from Megatron, but such an action would leave humanity undefended against his foe. In this one, he lets humans suffer so they can see how wrong they were about trusting his enemy. Even if all else is the same about Optimus (which it really seems to be), this seems to be something the writers just forget. That, above all, Optimus is all about protecting those weaker than him, not leaving them to the wolves, so to speak. I can't explain this flaw, except that they want Optimus to be a little more "ends justify the means".
But to lifelong fans, we know that he just never believed that. Optimus Prime was always a principled rock. He would never compromise his beliefs, and didn't buy into allowing some to perish in service of the greater good. Better to save all. And that was just one reason I laughed out loud in the theater (I was the only one), when Sentinel Prime (voiced by Leonard Nimoy) said "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." If you need the other reason why I would laugh at that, then you obviously don't know me.
But I digress (okay, I followed that tangent like a trail of breadcrumbs). With one of two minor issues (one a characterization thing, the other a "let's make something blatant because movie goers are idiots" thing) causing an exception, "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" was a thoroughly fun movie. Pretty much the epitome of non-award-winning summer blockbuster.
Because, you know, the only movies worth getting non-technical awards are those that have 18th century period dress, "prithee" in the dialogue, or involve heart-rending tales that are designed to make a Doberman cry.
