A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: Transformers (2007)

Date Viewed: 7/21/07

Details:

Shia LaBeouf

Megan Fox

Jon Voight

John Turturro

Voice talent: Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime)

Hugo Weaving (Megatron)

Director: Michael Bay

Score: -1/2

The Review: A feature-length advertisement for GMC cars & trucks, crossed with adolescent male wish fulfillment fantasy, cast by Hasbro toys -- the actors, not the Autobots. But the SFX are huge (we get to cheer yet again as L.A. is destroyed), and occasionally clever, and in its later stages, the plot dips into a science fiction fringe of interest.

For those of you who have memories spanning more than 20 years, you'll remember the first Transformers movie -- the 1986, animated crap-fest serving little more than as a feature-length advert for children's toys. Those kids are now grown up, and I'd predict this must be a trip down memory lane -- at least for the male half of the population, or that fraction that cared for mayhem and destruction. The 'bots are back -- the good guys led by Optimus Prime (Cullen) and the bad guys by Megatron (Weaving; how could you?!) -- and making our planet their battleground. Big whoop. They can conceal themselves by transforming (a mass-conversion violation of high degree) into small cars & trucks; even bigger whoop. The only clever plot features come from the archaeology of robotology: where Megatron and the Cube were found and subsequently hidden.

A lot of cast for not much effect. Don't waste your time. One of the few positives? It has a rockin' score!

(22-Jul-07)

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