Transformers: Dark Of The Moon

Transformers: Dark Of The Moon

Year: 2011

Director: Michael Bay

Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Josh Duhamel, Patrick Dempsey, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich

In My Own Words

                I often pride myself on questioning strange things which I am sure the majority of the population do not think about. For example, last week I was pondering the fact that everyone who reaches the grand old age of 100 gets a letter from the Queen and whether this meant that when the Queen Mother reached 100 in the year 2000, does that mean she still gets a letter from her daughter? Surely a card would be nicer than a letter and a “Happy Birthday Mum”? Yes, these are the strange things I wonder about.

                Anyway…on my way to see the third Transformers film, I was contemplating the time when I was a young girl and Transformers: The Movie has just been released, the television series was a huge success and all the boys my age had their action figurines. I started to think about other 1980’s cartoons. Film makers have been recreating so many cartoons of yesteryear as of late such as Yogi Bear and the upcoming, The Smurfs. When will we be seeing a real to life version of He- Man and She-ra? Strawberry Shortcake, Rainbow Brite, Lady Lovelylocks, Care Bears, My Little Pony or The Popples? If Yogi Bear is anything to go by, we can mix real life with animation, so the last three shouldn’t be a problem! Although I don’t know how the idea of magical ponies would go down in a 2011 film of My Little Pony. It could be quite scary and trippy.

                This “In My Own Words” is probably getting a bit scary and trippy for some of you come to think of it. I know I think about some very strange things, but hey, I’m not going to apologise for them because I have fun thinking about these things!

                These are my own words and here is my review.

Review

                If you are looking for an action-packed film with amazing special effects which are enhanced (for once) by 3D, you will find Transformers: Dark Of The Moon a very satisfactory experience. If you are looking for an all-rounder with great script, great acting and lots of emotion, you will enjoy this film as much as a poke in the eye. Transformers: Dark Of The Moon is definitely one of those films which is to be taken for what it is. It is the third instalment in Michael Bay’s Transformers films and carries on in the same fashion as its predecessors with no great surprises.  

                In this film, the Autobots are still on Earth and helping the government to track down the Decepticons. Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) confronts Secretary of Defense, Charlotte Mearing (Frances McDormand) about a piece of cell he finds and she informs him that the first venture of man to the moon in 1969, was actually a top secret mission to investigate a crash of an alien spacecraft. This spacecraft was actually Sentinel Prime’s (Leonard Nimoy), a leader of the Autobots. Optimus Prime sets off to the moon to bring Sentinel Prime to Earth. Once they arrive back, they are a few surprises in store and nobody knows who they should trust. Just like in the previous Transformers films, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf), who has now finished college and living in Washington, DC, plays a large part in the fight of the Autobots, as does his new girlfriend, Carly (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley).

                The best thing about Transformers: Dark Of The Moon is definitely it’s astonishing special effects. There are some truly spectacular action sequences that do not disappoint. They are quite beautiful to watch. It is films like this that make you marvel at how far film making has come in relation it special effects. The action in this film is perhaps more impressive than the action in the first two films. The sounds accompanying the visuals are perfectly suited and are very haunting in some scenes, in particular when they are in Chicago. 3D is really an advantage in this film and it is great to see an action film that truly is enhanced by it.

                Unfortunately, there are not too many other good points about Transformers: Dark Of The Moon. As wonderful as the action sequences are, the final action scenes just go on for way too long, making the film much longer than what it should and could be. It is true that they are so good to watch that you wish you could see action like that in every film in the genre, but in the last 15 minutes of the film, you start to wish that it would get to the finale already. Of course, the ending is very predictable so it is not like you are wondering what is going to happen as much as how it is going to happen. It is an interesting type of suspense. Suspense caused by the intensity of the action rather than the feeling of not knowing what is going to happen.

                The story is actually quite clever when it comes down to it. The idea of combining the Autobots with the first man on the moon and then the explanations as to why the American’s were first there and why they haven’t been back since 1972 is intriguing and if there were such things as Autobots, it would actually be a logical explanation. The script is good enough to support the clever story. Yet, as one can expect, extremely cheesy and very weak in parts.

                 Playing Sam Witwicky is almost second nature to Shia LaBeouf now. He does the role well and is likable, as he was in the past Transformers movies. It is interesting, he seems to have no problems getting tears to well up in his eyes and getting the facial expression of someone in mental pain, but he provokes absolutely no emotion for the audience to feel attached to. LaBeouf actually has a great comedy streak in him which is often overlooked. He started his career as a stand-up comedian and you can see it in his acting in this film. His facial expressions and his deliverance of sarcastic dialogue are truly gold.

                After the departure of Megan Fox from the series, the film makers had to find another stunning woman to fulfil her shoes considering Sam having a beautiful girlfriend is just as much a part of Transformers as the Autobots are. Their answer came in Victoria’s Secret model, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Transformers: Dark Of The Moon is her acting debut, and it wasn’t too hard a role for her to start off with. Her performance is very amateurish with no emotion or strain really being shown in any scene. However, it is obvious she wasn’t chosen for the role because of her dramatic qualifications. The camera spends a great deal of time scanning her body and boys will become men with her entrance into the film.

                With some films, you can always look at them and realise why they were made at the point in time which they were. With Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, it is crystal clear that it was made at the perfect point in time to take full advantage of the amazing special effects available, not to mention 3D. Although it is a clever story, it is the action that makes this film.

5.5/10