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July 1, 2009

'Transformers' too repetitive, dumb

By STEVE OUELLETTE, Movie Review

There really wasn't much chance that "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" was going to be quieter, smarter and more interesting than the first "Transformers" movie.

No, not because the original film set the bar so high, but because the formula for sequels is more, more and more of the same.

All "Revenge of the Fallen" provides is more of the same — and in the end, that's less than even the mediocrity provided by the first movie. Thank you director Michael ("Armageddon") Bay.

Obviously, people expect and are paying for big explosions, battles and special effects when they go to a "Transformers" movie, but that's essentially all there is here. It's just too much. After a certain point — which comes fairly early in the far too long 2-½-hour running time — the violence and CGI effects become repetitive and simply dull.

Well-done werewolf transformations are fun to watch in movies, but if they're shown 20 times in the same film, the viewers would scream, "Get on with it already!" What if the "Titanic" sank 12 times? Would it have carried the same impact? So by the 20th time one giant robot punches the other giant robot in the head, well ...

"Revenge of the Fallen" picks up with Shia LeBeouf's Sam Witwicky, hero of the first film, packing up for college and discovering a sliver of the spark that provides life to the evil Decepticon robots. Or something like that. The good Transformers — the Autobots, now fighting evil as part of the U.S. military — are once again called upon to defend our planet from world destruction.

The movie has some human pieces to work with. LaBeouf can be an outstanding actor with half-way decent material. John Turtorro, who reprises his role as an ex-government spook, is usually funny. Megan Fox, as Sam's mini-skirted mechanic girlfriend, has staked a claim as Hollywood's hottest hottie and gets to run around a lot in slow motion.

The humans are a complete afterthought, however, and the metal creatures — constantly spinning into different forms — aren't that interesting. A couple of new Autobots in particular (hip young ghetto bots thrown in for marketing purposes?) are insufferably annoying.

"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" is proof that action can be incredibly dull. It's nothing more than a tedious cacophony of explosions, noise and dumb.

Rental recommendation: The original "Robocop" would have ... well, would have been crushed into a fine dust by Optimus Prime, but still, he's cool. Grade: A-.

E-mail Steve Ouellette at: ouellette1918@gmail.com

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