Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Why wouldn't you want to avoid cliches? I guess you wanted a cookie-cutter film. Sad.

Jun 29 - 05:12 PM

I agree, Stupid Literalist. The critics and fans alike who are giving Michael Bay a pass, and completely excusing the junk filming and editing he's passing off as a movie have really sunk their standards to whole new lows.

I like how he qualifies his assessment. IF. So, IF you're going to make a lobotomized, shallow, heartless 2 and a half hours of CGI spectacle and all things that go bang, boom, crash in the night, this is how you do it.

Now, why would anyone in their right mind want to go see that? It's sad that now critics and fanboys are pandering so heavily at the altar of Michael Bay.

Jun 29 - 06:51 PM

bruce dehaas

Maybe people enjoy it. You do realize its just a movie and it doesn't make you better than the people who want/have seen it.

Jun 29 - 07:03 PM

Stepping Razor

"It's just a movie" is really weak sauce as any sort of meaningful argument. Merely repeating it doesn't make it any more valid.

Jun 30 - 09:26 AM

Stepping Razor

And, lastly, Method, you should stop projecting. You must be a psychologist or psychiatrist of some sort to know that people criticizing a Transformers movie somehow think they're better than those who love it. You couldn't be more further from the truth. Your argument here is yet another form of bashing people simply because they don't love the movie as you do.

Jun 30 - 09:28 AM

bruce dehaas

Are you serious? I have not bashed anyone. Nice try though. Check all my comments....i have never bashed anyone for liking or disliking this movie let alone any movie. How is saying its just a movie a weak argument? Thats what it is....and to get all worked up by reviews either good or bad is a little ridiculous.

Jun 30 - 03:09 PM

Gabriel Blah

"I didn't like it, therefore it's crap" is not really a meaningful argument either.

Jul 1 - 06:28 AM

Chris Racioppo

Movies used to be "art." It has become finger painting thanks to the likes of Michael Bay and Co.

Jul 13 - 08:39 AM

Ricky Rodriguez

I personally did not find the film heartless or shallow. I enjoyed it. It was fun. For the most part it had decent acting. And the autobots were as cool as ever. For me, this film did its job well.

Jun 29 - 07:12 PM

Katerina Josephine

I saw the movie last night, and I agree with what you said. The acting is def. not Oscar worthy but was much better than the last two. The whole conspiracy cover up story was actually quite intriguing, and I liked how they paced it with a few action sequences interconnecting the story's progression for the first hour 1/2 rather than shoving in random ones like in part 2. Some of the death scenes actually made me cringe a little bit. Also, when actual human characters, against impossible odds took down a single Decepticon, it made me cheer a little inside. That's because they didn't nuke Chicago or have nonsensical military bombardments like in the previous films. I was surprised how well the 3D was executed unlike Pirates, Clash, and Thor(decent). I, my husband, and kids enjoyed it too. 'Not Inception great, or characters like The Shawshank Redemption (fav. movie), but it was worth my view.

Jun 30 - 10:50 AM

Tit Dirt

Same here. It's sad how brainless critics have to bash this movie just because the plot wasn't too great.

Jul 16 - 09:17 AM

Brad Asbury

Yeah you got some high class choices on your fan page too there... if this movie bothers you so bad quit acting like a baby and stay off these pages. Why frustrate yourself and try to spread your own propaganda? Makes no sense why your trying so hard to make points over a movie. ITS A MOVIE!! Relax and watch some more anime

Jun 30 - 12:39 PM

XXXXXX XXXXXX

Maybe I enjoy pissing thin skinned baby fanboys like you off? I always present the truth though and make actual arguments so you can only falsely accuse me of being a troll. All I'm doing is pointing out the flaws in the fanboys' and critics' defense of Michael Bay films and if it makes you cry, more power to me. I wouldn't point fingers when it comes to labelling someone a baby. It's the fanboys, like you, who are doing all the whining.

Jun 30 - 01:03 PM

Stepping Razor

Once again, Stupid Literalist, I'm with you.

Just wondering, what do you think of the number of critics who sound like they're criticizing the movie, but then they start soft-shoeing it, presenting a very safe, fence-straddling summary while also giving the movie a Fresh Tomato. I can't help but think that they or the publication they write for is getting big money to deliver a positive review. Talk about some unethical sucking up. That Corliss guy of Time is one such reviewer that comes to mind.

Jun 30 - 01:52 PM

Major Kusanagi

Rotten Tomatoes, you are awesome. We're all fighting over you; whether you're pretty or not. In the end, I'm still here and fucking you either way.

Jun 30 - 04:20 PM

Gabriel Blah

"Maybe I enjoy pissing thin skinned baby fanboys like you off?" -- you would do a much better job if you'd put some creativity or at least some brain into it. So far you are just another generic, mindless panboy with nothing relevant to say which exist by the thousands online.

Jul 1 - 06:32 AM

bruce dehaas

Anyway...I'll leave you all to your comments. I'm done trying to talk sense into either side. If you dislike the movie...cool. If you like the movie....cool. Different people = different taste and opinions. Not sure how that is hard to understand. Oh and as for me projecting...I'm not. You said yourself you have to be out of your mind to want to see this film. I have also seen people called about 30+ plus names just for enjoying any movie in this series. Those people obviously think they are better. So try to spin my words into whatever you like as you did last time. Time for me to move on to better things. Later

Jun 30 - 03:23 PM

Major Kusanagi

I get you and your valiant effort on trying to settle some sense, but on this site or any other, that will never work. I see you're somewhere in between, but biased fan boys and biased haters will never be convinced period My friend hates Michael Bay and made so many complaints about his fast pace camera angles, CGI and stupid action scenes, so he trashed talked TF3 before even seeing it. Plus, at the same time, he also praised how much he liked Green Lantern for its special effects, ties with the source material, and its comedy, lol. Point is, Right vs. Left; Republicans and Democrats. There are ideals and means, but there will never be an end.

Jun 30 - 04:11 PM

Turd Ferguson

Major K, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul........Retard

Oct 15 - 09:27 PM

Cinematic Method

What I don't understand about Michael Bay is how he adheres to most of the summer genre's cliches: fast action, meaningless plot, no character development, slow-pan over hot actress, etc. BUT, he fails to keep his "films" to a reasonable length. After 2 hours and 40 minutes, the effects here go from, pretty damn cool, to borderline nausea inducing. Spielberg should cut him off at 2 hours. Although, then I guess we wouldn't have gotten any scenes with his parents...

-Kyle, CinematicMethod.com

Jul 7 - 10:29 AM

Wes E

That's just barely a positive review.

I wish Michael Bay would just stop making movies. Period. He's a curse on cinema.

Jun 29 - 07:44 PM

Dillon Niedge

your a toad u incoherent no it all everyone who bashes this movie should watch barney for the rest of your lives. this is a technological world now and this is what everyone under 25 years of age likes get use to it. the whole transformers saga is a story of its own if you would open your eyes.

Feb 4 - 07:51 PM

Nick Cage

Michael Bay called me up for tips after the first Transformers movie. I said to him, the less coherent and the more batshit crazy the better. I mean, look at me, I have a cult following of both fanboys and haters. I must be doing something right.

Jun 30 - 12:50 PM

Major Kusanagi

hahahaha...from a man who has lived both the dark side and the light, "Hello, Doctor. I hope you don't mind: I took a few of your groovy painkillers. I'm just enjoying some of your greatest hits here. Oh God, this is excellent. Oh, bravo. Bra-fucking-vo."

Jun 30 - 04:15 PM

rogue bot

*scratches head*

Sort of a backhanded compliment, don't ya think?

Jul 1 - 02:29 PM

Michael Patison

So you gave a bad film a good rating for sparing no effort in making itself terrible? Atrocious.

Jul 2 - 12:21 AM

wutta wut

Transformers: Dark Side Of The Moon...

...was the worst movie I've ever seen in my entire life. (Now, think about that statement for a moment. Let it SINK IN. Now, I haven't seen the 2nd Transformers movie. I suppose it really could be worse or better but it doesn't matter) It was so bad I'd give it NEGATIVE STARS if I could. It dragged on for ever and ever. I kept waiting for it to mercifully end but it just DIDN'T. It kept going and going and going. I kept checking the time, but unfortunately that didn't help end the movie sooner. Turned out the movie lasted a MONSTROUS 150+ minutes! Look, unless you're making something like Lord of the Rings (e.g. something actually DECENT) you don't make people sit for that long. The movie wasted way too much time in the first half doing pretty much absolutely nothing except maybe showing off Shia Labeouf's new on-screen girlfriend, which was actually the ONLY good point of the entire sorry-buttoxed movie.

There are some extremely glaring things.

The ridiculous sequences of people jumping off of planes just about top of skyscraper level and then gliding for what seemed to be MILES, pretty much HORIZONTALLY, like they're strapped with JETS. I mean what. the. hey. I don't care if they're wearing these "membrane suits" that help you glide a bit further than if you're naked, but zipping through the air, zig zagging through A SERIES OF buildingS (and curving AROUND and behind them) like a bunch of jet fighters while being pursued horizontally by Decepticons?? How ridiculous an action sequence can you do? ...And once wasn't enough. Because they needed fillers they had people jumping out AGAIN, albeit this time without those magic gliding suits. Much if not just about ALL of the choreography (just as the "plot" as well as the "dialog") are ill-conceived. Had the aforementioned action sequence had even a tinge of believability in it all the jumpers would have slammed into the ground after maybe, oh, the third or fourth improbable jetfighter-ish turn in the air...? Even PAPER AIRPLANES couldn't have glided half as well as the way those jumpers did.

I haven't shaken my head while watching a movie before. I did watching this movie in the theater, and I darn near face-palmed myself at it too. I've never been compelled to groan AT a movie while watching EITHER, and this also has marked a first. It was really, really, REALLY, PAINFUL. It had surpassed the lowest of my low expectations, and had beaten it so thoroughly in the negative direction that I'm not sure if I should be amazed or be dumbfounded.

Then there was the indestructible building, which is stronger than 20 Autobots and Decepticons put together. I call it the "tilting building that would not tilt further and would be invincible until the horrid non-plot requires it to tilt further, BUILDING". It had to be seen to be believed, and I had trouble even believing that I was actually seeing the hunk of ridiculosity in action. The midsection of the skycraper was DESTROYED, but this upper half saw fit to lean 45 DEGREES, and STAYED THERE, even though a bunch of Decepticons are blasting their way into it. I know... There was supposed to be some kind of dumb sense of "oh no is the building going to topple" SUSPENSE but no- Instead there was the idiotic hilarity that was the magic, temporarily invincible, building. Of course, when it was required for it to lean further so that the characters could move into another building, the magic building leaned some more to rest upon another building- all by itself.

Then there was the ending. Because Michael Bay didn't know what to do to end the thing, he had Shia's new girlfriend make Megatron jealous of whoever that was attacking Optimus (Megatron was literally missing half a brain, or something, so he listened to the trophy girl, who was suddenly the smartest character in the ENTIRE MOVIE) and jumped in JUST AS OPTIMUS WAS ABOUT TO BE KILLED. After saving Optimus for a really dumb non-reason and thus snatching defeat from the jaws of EASY VICTORY, Megatron served his purpose and thus was then easily killed by Optimus, who then easily killed the new villain-robot. The end.

Well, now you don't need to see it. You should thank me. Hey, you could STILL SEE IT IF YOU WANT! Don't say I didn't warn you of your would-be impending PAIN.

p.s. It was also the worst movie my wife has ever had the displeasure of watching, according to her.

Jul 3 - 03:52 AM

bruce dehaas

I'm not hating on you for disliking the movie.....but are you really talking about believability in a movie about giant alien robots that turn into vehicles?...lol.

Jul 3 - 05:52 PM

Steve DV

lol so passionate about hating. Focus more energy on positivity bro.

Jul 5 - 08:29 PM

Scott Bass

Well said.

Jul 4 - 02:04 PM

Steve DV

I think the problem with many of the reviewers is that they walked into the theater as an analytic, intelligent critic. Might sound weird, but that's pretty stupid.

Jul 5 - 08:13 PM

Caryl Milton

What movie were you at? Obviously not the one I saw!

Jul 6 - 08:31 PM

max whipple

I'll try not to get too philosophical here, but I do want to say something. I find there are two distinct types of people out there; People who focus on the positive things, and people who focus on the negative things. Not to generalize too much, as there are varying degrees in being one way of the other.

Life is short, and we're all going to die. Every second we spend focusing on negativity and the things we hate detract from the time we have to spend on the things we enjoy. Furthermore, the more things we are able to enjoy the better our lives will be. In the end, we treasure our memories of happiness and joy, and regret our moments of pain and sorrow. If you can't find anything to enjoy in this film, I feel bad for you. Not because I believe my cinematic sensibilities are superior, but because it's one less moment of enjoyment you will receive from your life. Focus on what you love, and try to enjoy everything you do. Otherwise, what's the point of living?

Jul 9 - 01:49 AM

Aakash Kumar

cool story bro

Jul 28 - 10:39 AM

David Robinson

no expense spared, no cliche avoided, no plot, no goal, NO STORY. Shia Lebeouf is the same wimpy wanna-be for the third time with a devoted beautiful woman that would never even look at him in the real world. He should have died several times durng the course of the movie but managed to come out unscathed over and over and over(damn). Spielberg has just completely lost his touch. Huge but never edgy or compelling. Seriously sucked.

Oct 10 - 01:45 AM

Glenmark Doromal

Movies as art, will always be diverse. Movies will never be black & white. There are too many movies to compare, but this movie is different itself...Yes this might be one of the most ridiculous films of all time for being soulless and unemotional, but it's a movie itself. But I admit there are good things about this movie. So I hope people won't be too one-sided.

Oct 26 - 04:18 AM

Jorge Rodriguez

Michael Bay destroyed my childhood!!!

Dec 18 - 11:12 AM

Opening this week

Movies

New on DVD

DVD

Who's In Theaters This Weekend?

Celebrities

What's Hot on Rotten Tomatoes

News

Spotlight

Critics

Critic Review - Chicago Reader

Comments