I just got back from seeing the first show 9pm in IMAX 3D. Below is my review!
Let's just start out first by saying.... if you hated #1 or #2, you have no reason to read on because you'll hate #3, period. This is for the folks who enjoyed these movies "overall".
This might be a bit all over the place, but here it goes...
I LOVE #1. #2 I liked and had to let it grow on me, but it's a fun movie (just so you know where I stand on the others)
Transformers 3....D (minor spoilers, but will try to not be too descriptive so it doesn't ruin it)
When the credits rolled lots of people were clapping. I wasn't, and I'll tell ya why. It clicked after about 3/4 the way through to me that I really got the impression that the children's cartoon seemed to take itself more seriously than this movie did (well and #2 for that matter). I'll just get out of the way that I LOVE COMEDY, I truly do and live for it, but there's a time and place for it depending on the film. I felt like at times in the midst of tragedy happening they manage to slip in a funny part. It doesn't really lighten the mood too much, but more is like a Seth Meyers "REALLY?!" moments. The funny stuff really waters down and diminishes the movie and actually slows its pace down.
In all I felt the movie was longer than it could have been. There wasn't an excellent flow to where you felt there was a good build leading to a big climax, and there wasn't much time for a resolution as it ended rather fast.
The beginning was cool. I really liked the Apollo mission setup and all that tie-in was really interesting to me.
The action scenes are pretty darn amazing. Visually VERY well executed with great detail, and the robots were a bit easier to see during battles, but still chaotic, but not as bad being able to see them. At times the action broken up in the intensity by some humor and maybe that was what made the sequences seem a bit laboring to watch was from how broken it was.
Yes, Prime is probably at his best in this film in terms of bad-a__ness. He had a line that really bugged me a but that didn't feel was in his character. "You'll all die!" Yeah the Decepticons were up to nasty stuff, but I just couldn't picture Optimus saying that. He's more a peacemaker and defender of the Autobots. I've never heard him directly flat out say, in effect, that he'd kill 'em all. He'd at least say something on a positive note, wouldn't he?
Shockwave... His name was said multiple times. He had very few lines. The face somewhat resembled him. That's it. Other than that there was no character development for him. Just a bad guy named Shockwave with mass destructive weaponry. Kinda bummer there.
Soundwave, not much with him either.
The character development element in this movie lacked. I didn't feel as emotionally connected to the bots as I did in the first one. You really get a sense of who they are personally through the first one. The second and this one they just seem more like "Here we are, and we're not saying much of anything with meaning, but we're kicking some butt and that's what you wanna see!"
The music was awesome as usual. Love Steve Jablonsky's score of all 3 films and will definitely be picking this score up.
"The humping robot".... okay he didn't hump anything in this film, but he also certainly wasn't needed. I think they were more a disruption than an asset to the film. Could have done without.
Megan Fox gone.... Didn't miss her at all. The new gal was actually fine. Not very annoying and she didn't make the movie better or worse. At the same time you really didn't get to know her extremely well.
Leonard Nimoy as Sentinel Prime, pretty cool! They didn't go too too deep into him, so I never really felt any sort of emotional attachment to that character, but from what happens later in the film I guess that's not necessary, haha!
Sam's Parents... Okay they have good comedic chemistry together, but I think they've overstayed their welcome in the film. That could have been eliminated.
And why Agent Simmons is still involved I don't know. Some of these characters shoudn't have carried over through 2 more films from the first one. He wasn't horrible, but he just seemed like another comedic relief element.
More comedians in the film.... Ken Jeong and another guy I recognize, but don't recall the name was in it, and that seemed very over the top in terms of comedy element, which goes back to what I was saying earlier in that the cartoon I think treated the property more seriously than the movies have over time. The first film was acceptable, but they REALLY laid the humor on thick in #2 and #3 in my opinion. Like is this all now a big joke or something to you, Mr. Bay?
The 3D... Not necessary. I saw it in IMAX and the sound was great, but the 3D didn't really enhance the experience much, and if I had to see it again it would be without the 3D honestly.
My thoughts on Bay... I like most all him films he's done (minus Pearl Harbor), and I love what he did with the first Transformers film, but I'm ready to see someone else take this property over and maybe give us a really good film that's not only fun, but more engaging and flows better. I'm pretty well done with Michael Bay's interpretation of Transformers and think someone else could do it better moving forward. At least there's no "enemy scrotum" this go around, phew!
Overall I have to say this film was fun to watch, but I don't give it an excitingly high response. It was cool to see the Transformers back again.
I'd give my initial reaction a 2.5 out of 5. I didn't know what I'd be walking in expecting, and I left not entirely knowing how to feel, which generally isn't the best sign, but it was an enthusiastic OK! I wasn't completely disappointed, but I wasn't entirely happy either.
I'm a bit tired of the goofy humor throughout these films that has transpired. The property could be strong on its own and doesn't need a force feed every so often of jokes. Was it dark? Yeah, but certainly wasn't "The Empire Strikes Back" of Transformers. The end was actually pretty abrupt too and boom it's done. Oh ok! Also make sure to stay for 15-20 seconds after the credits start and you'll be treated to an eye-rolling snippet of a humorous scene that would have been better left not seen!
