Buzz Monitor: Transformers 2 is ‘Too Much of a Good Thing’

Posted by Neil Miller (neil@filmschoolrejects.com) on June 14, 2009

Normally I take pride in not complaining about seeing a movie two days before it comes out — its that kind of spoiled, bratty behavior that gets movie bloggers like myself in trouble. That, and it just isn’t my style. But I will say this — knowing that I won’t see Michael Bay’s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, my most anticipated film of the summer, until two days prior to its release is weighing heavy on my geekness.

Alas, this is not going to stop me from talking about it for the next two weeks. Why? Because other journos around the world have begun chiming in on the film as it makes international premieres all over the world. One such reviewer is IGN UK journo Orlando Parfitt, who posted his review this past evening. Parfitt — who seems to be quite positive when referring to the first Transformers — says essentially that Michael Bay is clearly trying to ‘paint Revenge of the Fallen on an epic canvas’ and that this sequel is ‘more of the same – a lot more’.

He goes on to praise some of the film’s comedic moments, including one that sees Sam Witwicky’s mom ingesting some of the ‘daily green’ during a college visit. As well, he lops plenty of praise as Bay’s editing choices during the films numerous robot-on-robot battles, saying that we can actually see what is going on this time. That, in my experience, is a good thing.

The film culminates with a climactic battle which Parfitt calls “a brilliantly crafted sequence that is kinetic, emotional and genuinely thrilling.” Then, as he explains, there is still 80-minutes left in the film. From there, the review turns toward the film’s second half, which sounds like it might be numbingly over-drawn.

I will be quick to note that this is just one review — one opinion from one silly Brit — but it is interesting nonetheless. A bigger, longer, more Cybertron-focused and robot-heavy Transformers flick is exactly what fans have been calling for since the first film hit theaters in 2007. It will be interesting to see if those same naysayers — those who called for less Shia and more Optimus (in frame) — will be pleased with Bay’s additions to the sequel, or whether they will find something new and different to bitch about. At this point it’s hard to say.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen hits theaters on June 24, 2009. Check out Parfitt’s generally spoiler-free review over on IGN.

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