They Are Coming For Us!

I’ve been excited about Transformers 2 for some time. Despite the first movie’s sometimes innane plotting and juvenile humor, it pretty much kicked ass. I mean, hello? Giant robots fighting each other. Count me in.

Unfortunately, according to early reviews, Transformers 2 doesn’t reach nearly the same level of badassness. (Badassness is a technical term by the way.) So far, the movie is rocking a solid 25% at Rotten Tomatoes. Yikes.

Anyway, I’m still going to see the movie. I’ll report back on my opinions this weekend. In the meantime, I thought I’d round up the juiciest criticisms here. Check it out!

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times:

“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” is a horrible experience of unbearable length, briefly punctuated by three or four amusing moments…If you want to save yourself the ticket price, go into the kitchen, cue up a male choir singing the music of hell, and get a kid to start banging pots and pans together. Then close your eyes and use your imagination.

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune:

The first, comparatively lucid Transformers was a headache, but I sort of enjoyed it….Revenge of the Fallen is more like listening to rocks in a clothes dryer for 2½ hours.

And, perhaps the most entertaining early review,

George “El Guapo” Roush, LatinoReview.com:

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Standards is a complete and utter disaster. I was really looking forward to seeing it. The trailers had me psyched beyond belief and I prayed that Bay had finally taken some of the criticism from moviegoers to heart and decided to make a fun, serious action film without all of his trademark bullshit. Instead we got more of the same: big explosions, a stupid plot and horrible acting. It’s borderline racist, it’s loud, it’s too long, it’s dull, it’s dumb and it doesn’t make any sense. This is what happens when you let your “action” director do whatever he wants to do.