Jul 02, 2007,
Film.com Staff
Two of our writers just took in summer CGI monster Transformers. Did Michael Bay impress the fellas enough for them to recommend it to you? As usual both Cargill and Laremy were placed in soundproof chambers (with snacks) and asked to take their best shot at the following seven questions:
Has Transformers been Michael Bay'd or does the original cartoon shine through?
Laremy:
I don't think there is much left of the original cartoon. In attempting to go ultra-realistic I think Transformers missed out on the things that made the series cool back in the day. I never cared how the robots transformed, I only cared that they did.
Cargill:
The original totally shines through. In fact, some might have issue with the film for its simplicity and its childlike nature - all which are huge throwbacks to the show.
How are the effects here? Did the transforming work?
Laremy:
I'm very tempted to say "the effects were awesome" and leave it at that. But it's not the whole story. At times the effects were awesome. Then again at times they were overwhelming and hard to decipher. One thing that definitely hurt the film was how hard it was to recognize each individual Transformer. I never realized how nice it was that all the cars had their hood on the front of them when in robot form. Now I do.
Cargill:
Unbelievable. Jaw dropping. Not only was it an extraordinarily cool thing to watch, but it was worked smoothly into chases in which they would transform from car to robot and back again without losing stride. The audience made audible oohs and ahhs during several of these transformations.
Does Shia help or hurt Transformers?
Laremy:
Shia does as well as he could have done here. The script wasn't there for him to deliver. But he's instantly likable and entertaining, so he helps. I'm sure Cargill is going to give him some solid love since they hang out all the time. Suck up.
Cargill:
Help. Everyone who walked out with complaints all said the same thing. Shia made the movie. Like I wrote a couple months ago - the kids a star waiting to explode. July 2nd is the day everyone knows who he is.
Any thoughts on Megan Fox that won't require editing?
Laremy:
Let's just leave it at "she's quite attractive."
Cargill:
No.
What Transformers did you like? Any missing that you wanted to see?
Laremy:
No Dinobots? No Constructicons? I also wanted way more Jazz. And Skywarp! There is nothing cooler than Decepticon jets so actually if they'd put only jets in I would have been happy. Lastly, Megatron no longer being a gun is a sad (and uncool) bow to political correctness.
Cargill:
Of course. They limit it to a few transformers here, but with good reason. This is a great entry to a franchise, and they've left the door open to bring any number of them in. I'm not disappointed.
Who do you recommend this to? Who should stay away?
Laremy:
This is a hard call in the sense that it is a big summer film, and as such it's a worthy diversion. I'd say if you're married to the idea of wanting to see good stories you should skip it. Otherwise it will come off as reasonably entertaining, like sugar.
Cargill:
Anyone who is still a child at heart will love this. Anyone who is deluding themselves into thinking that they are still a child at heart when in truth that part of them died a long time ago - they should stay away. This will only serve to remind them how far away from childhood they are.
According to the South Park boys Michael Bay shouldn't get to keep on making movies. Are they right or wrong?
Laremy:
It's a close call but I say let him make movies with one caveat: They've got to have Will Smith or Sean Connery in them from here on out. Those seem to be the projects Bay thrives on.
Cargill:
Wrong - way wrong. No one blows things up like Michael Bay. No one. Bad Boys II and Transformers have undone anything he might have done with Pearl Harbor. All is forgiven.
Check out the boys fight on Pirates 3, Spider-Man 3, Apocalypto, or Evan Almighty.
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