Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Transformers: The Rules Have Changed, But Not In A Good Way


 
So, first of all, I loved the first three Transformers movies.  They were action-packed, funny, even well-acted and charming.  Unfortunately, Transformers 4: Age of Extinction only has the first of those four traits.  Yes, it’s action-packed, I know that’s a surprise, but at almost 3 hours long, action can only keep your interest for so long.  Note to the director, you need more to keep me from leaving in the middle to get another drink (which I did).  I just came back from a trip to Universal Studios and even without a drink, the Transformers 4D ride that lasted only about 7 minutes was better.
Mark Wahlberg is a good actor when the right script and the right direction come together (check out the little seen Pain & Gain), but this movie is made for wooden acting, so that’s what it gets.  As for the beautiful girl cast as his daughter, I’m guessing after the Megan Fox debacle, they thought any pretty model would do, but again, wrong.  The only thing Nicola Peltz has going for her is that she is a pretty crier, but at least Megan could act too.  The relationship between Mark as a would-be inventor and his daughter who is constantly taking care of him after the death of her mother and subsequent adoption of a broken down vehicle evokes Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but even that homage is just an insult to Ian Fleming.  Stanley Tucci is by far the best thing about this movie (and most movies he’s in).  He’s diabolical and funny at the same time with just the right amount of camp, as though he was the only one on set trying to give the audience what they’ve come to expect from the series.

The plot is more convoluted than usual, as it intertwines space saga with technological greed as this sequel’s take on good vs. evil.  In fact, I thought at times that I might be watching the Asylum Studios (of Sharknado fame) version of Transformers, which could be titled: “Dinobots vs. Microsoftbots”.  Actually, that might keep me in my seat, well for two hours anyway.

2.5 out of 5 stars

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