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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

When Robots Do the Job Better -- Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon Movie Review

Potato On the Go:

2011, the year of the movie sequels, wouldn't be complete without the 3rd installment of the movie adaptation of Transformers.  After the long wait, I was able to catch Transformers3: Dark of the Moon on its premiere in IMAX SM Mall of Asia on June 28!  Thanks to Solar Entertainment - United International Pictures!


Directed by Michael Bay and produced by Steven Spielberg, Transformers 3 : Dark of the Moon features Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) taking his first tenuous steps into adulthood while remaining a reluctant human ally of Optimus Prime. The film centers around the space race between the U.S.S.R. and the USA, suggesting there was a hidden Transformers role in it all that remains one of the planet's most dangerous secrets.


I belong to the generation who grew up with Transformers' original story.  At first, it was hard for me to accept that these robots are alien life organisms which somehow possess a combination of mechanical and biological composition but since I liked the first live action movie of Transformers, I eventually was able to treat the film as a complete separate version of the original animation.

Transformers of course is a very visual movie and the special visual effects department (and sound) didn't fail what the fans expected of this franchise.  The movie is action packed and loaded with tons of machine works, laser blasts and explosions which we all love seeing and experiencing inside a technologically advanced theater like the IMAX!  Once again IMAX helped make this movie a larger than life cinematic treat!


Decepticons once again were formidable in this movie with Shockwave making a grand entrance and Soundwave (one of my favorite Transformers characters) becoming  fierce this time, which is completely opposite of his original role.  After Ravage in Part 2, Laser Beak entered the scene with fantastic stunts but annoying character. Bumble Bee, like in the other two Transformers movie, was an awesome and cool Autobot warrior, which is really a kickoff from his usual messenger / spy / victim character.  Optimus Prime, remained faithful to his character, and gave the audience plenty of scenes to cheer for.

 
Cinematography and Editing were in phase with the action filled scenes and special effects which helped viewers hold on to their seats, catch breath and get into awe.  Production Design is magnanimous as setting extended its span from Earth to Moon to Cybertron.


While the Autobots and Decepticons never failed to amuse and entertain the audience, the human counterparts failed to match what the robot organisms delivered.  Like in Part 2, the human characters acted too strangely in the movie like Judy Witwicky (Julie White), Agent Seymour Simmons (John Turturro), Charlotte Mearing (Frances McDormand) and Jerry Wang (Ken Jeong), which I think was really not necessary.  I also think that Sam Witwicky's (Shia Lebeouf) personal ordeals plus his strike of luck with girls, this time with Carly Spencer (Rosie Huntington-Whitely), were enough elements already to keep the entertainment formula in the movie.  In short, Transformers as it is, is an entertaining piece already there's no need to add up too much crazy stuff.



In Transformers 1, I was unhappy when Jazz, a high ranking Autobot official was killed.  So when another powerful Autobot was shot down in this movie, I felt it's too much  =).  To be honest there are more sophisticated Decepticons than Autobots; so for me, one good Autobot down is too much already  =).  Like in Part 2, the new Autobots introduced this time were interpreted as more of comic reliefs and I don't think they were worthy replacements for the Autobots who died in the movie. Stop killing awesome Autobots please (okay, let me be selfish and childish this time around hehe).


Lastly, Rosie and her role as Carly of course spices up the movie (though Megan Fox can still give her a hard time getting the title of the Hotter Transformers Muse) but I couldn't imagine how can she simply lure a powerful opponent with her trick.  That scene was just not too convincing for me.



For me, Part 3 is way better than Part 2, but Transformers Part 1 still holds the throne.  But in general, I still consider Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon an entertaining movie, worthy of another watch in the cinema and a buy of its future DVD version.  It's a fantastic popcorn film for diehard Transformers fans, children of the 80s, weekend warriors and the entire family.  From a scale of 1 to 10 claps, I'm giving Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon a 7 with laser blasts and special effects explosions!


From Solar Entertainment Corporation - United International Pictures, Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon opens in theaters on June 29!

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