Michael Bay has a boner. For America.
The July 4th long weekend saw Bay release the latest Transformers monstrosity, and he didn't disappoint. This movie was bigger, more expensive, and in more dimensions than anything he's ever done. It was also kind of genius.
There's no denying that Michael Bay knows how to direct an action scene. He may be the best explosion artisan in the industry. And he brings every ounce of his talent to the table for this one. The fight scenes between multi-ton robots are truly stunning. The explosions are eye-popping. The women (woman) are (is) attractive. And the nationalism is fierce. This was the perfect weekend for Bay to release this movie. Even I, being Canadian, was whipped into a fervor. It's probably not a coincidence that most of the good guys are American made.
One of his other prime "AMERICA" moments lay in his portrayal of the military. The non-Josh Duhamel, non-Tyrese members of the armed forces were a much bigger part of this movie, presumably to cash in on the Independence Day sentiments.
His true master stroke, though, may have been the movie's high body count. Bay didn't shy away from showing innocent civilians being annihilated by the Decepticons, and it provided a basis of grittiness.
This isn't to say the movie was perfect. The dialogue was as average as average gets. Shia LeBeouf was as inconsistent as ever. The sheer spectacle of it all made you kind of uncomfortable afterwards. The new eye candy, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, actually made me pine for Megan Fox with all of her damsel in distress antics.
All in all though, this movie was well worth the 3D admission price. It's obvious that no expense was spared, and it looks marvelous. Isn't that what America is all about?
3 out of 5 stars
Showing posts with label Movie Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movie Review. Show all posts
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Friday, July 1, 2011
My Review of Cars
Cars 2 is the worst movie Pixar has ever made. That much is not up for debate. What is up for debate, though, is whether being the worst Pixar movie is necessarily a bad thing.
I posit that, had this movie been made by, say, Dreamworks, it would have been hailed as a delightfully sunny children's movie that also held a certain appeal for parents.
As it is, though, it's seen as a hackneyed attempt by Pixar to cash in on merchandising and advertising. So what is it? And why the two perceptions? WHY THE TWO ORDERS COLONEL JESSUP!? (sorry, got carried away)
The truth is, neither hypothetical review is wrong. Completely, that is. This movie will delight kids. Believe me, I watched with my little sister and cousin, and they loved it. But it's also a shallow movie that, outside of the typically excellent visuals, doesn't have much to offer grownups. And while it is wracked with merchandising and marketing opportunities, there is a certain palpable sincerity behind it. You can tell Pixar cares, at least enough to try and teach your kids something.
The sum total of all of this is a movie that's well worth the 4$ matinee ticket I paid for it, especially considering how much the little ones enjoyed it. Your kids will have fun. If you are willing to turn your brain off for a while, you probably will too.
2.5 out of 5 stars
The bigger question in all of this is, has Pixar raised it's expectations too high, and should they be taken to task for not meeting them? I mentioned this before, but it's worth mentioning. The vitriol being thrown at Cars 2 probably wouldn't be as severe if we were talking about Dreamworks here. That's because Dreamworks, for all its cleverness and in jokes, has become known as a cut below Pixar. So when Pixar apparently stoops to their level, we're shocked. And we shouldn't be. Just because Pixar has never made a bad movie doesn't mean they're infallible. Sometimes, they'll stumble. As long as the movie isn't Green Lantern level bad, there's no reason for panic.
I posit that, had this movie been made by, say, Dreamworks, it would have been hailed as a delightfully sunny children's movie that also held a certain appeal for parents.
As it is, though, it's seen as a hackneyed attempt by Pixar to cash in on merchandising and advertising. So what is it? And why the two perceptions? WHY THE TWO ORDERS COLONEL JESSUP!? (sorry, got carried away)
The truth is, neither hypothetical review is wrong. Completely, that is. This movie will delight kids. Believe me, I watched with my little sister and cousin, and they loved it. But it's also a shallow movie that, outside of the typically excellent visuals, doesn't have much to offer grownups. And while it is wracked with merchandising and marketing opportunities, there is a certain palpable sincerity behind it. You can tell Pixar cares, at least enough to try and teach your kids something.
The sum total of all of this is a movie that's well worth the 4$ matinee ticket I paid for it, especially considering how much the little ones enjoyed it. Your kids will have fun. If you are willing to turn your brain off for a while, you probably will too.
2.5 out of 5 stars
The bigger question in all of this is, has Pixar raised it's expectations too high, and should they be taken to task for not meeting them? I mentioned this before, but it's worth mentioning. The vitriol being thrown at Cars 2 probably wouldn't be as severe if we were talking about Dreamworks here. That's because Dreamworks, for all its cleverness and in jokes, has become known as a cut below Pixar. So when Pixar apparently stoops to their level, we're shocked. And we shouldn't be. Just because Pixar has never made a bad movie doesn't mean they're infallible. Sometimes, they'll stumble. As long as the movie isn't Green Lantern level bad, there's no reason for panic.
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