This first part in a new trilogy by Michael Bay has restored most of my faith in the film franchise! Most of it. This outing goes to far edgier, darker places and actually gives the titular characters time and space to breathe!
Set a few years after the events of the third film, Dark of the Moon, this new film opens with the bleak reality that humans have had enough of the Autobot/Decepticon war destroying Earth, the devastation of Chicago made as a public reminder of their menace. But the CIA has gone a step further: allying themselves with a mercenary Transformer called Lockdown, they are hunting down and killing all robots, including Autobots.
Optimus Prime, who has been in hiding since Lockdown's appearance, is discovered by kind hearted inventor Cade Yeager (that's quite the name) his daughter and her boyfriend. Optimus then vows never to defend Humanity again... the cost has become too high...
Let's talk about what's wrong with the film first. The robots have been given a new appearance, all except Bumblebee for the most part, and I don't really like them. What I like about the first films (especially 2007) is how you can see the vehicle (or alt) mode on the robot, here the characters are better and more distinctive, but the vehicle they turn into is completely lost. Example: the Autobot character Crosshairs has a longcoat, I have no idea how the coat goes into his car mode! Or Lockdown, he has a Lamborghini alt mode, but before he transformed into one I had no clue.
There are also new Transformers. Sufficed to say, humans have acquired technology to make their own Transformers, and they have a very, very different way of transforming; think of particles, totally breaking down and reforming. I didn't like that.
And tonnes of product placement. Good lord.
But you could say these things are superficial, I really enjoyed the film. I enjoyed the hell out of it!
You know all that dumb, childish, toilet humour of the first three films? You know: Sam's Mom; robot fart and pissing jokes; "Deep Wang"; Wheelie humping Mikeala's leg; basically all of TF:RotF? None of that presents itself here, and I am not exaggerating! With the focus on Mark Wahlberg's Cade the story takes a more mature, edgier feel. Sure, there's still humour, but it is wittier than the teenage-grade jokes before. Bumblebee has some very funny dialogue.
You know all that terrible rapid cutting and editing that plagued the first three films? Bay has actually listened to complaints and the action here is actually far more legible!
You also remember all the overpowering glorification of the US military in the previous films? Gone. The military doesn't even feature in this movie!
The robots take a more prominent role too. Lockdown is a vicious new villain! I really like his character, and the Autobots were lively, had very humanoid faces (something the fandom bemoaned about the first trilogy) and all very distinct from each other.
The first act is decent. We see that our human characters are genuine (if very borderline pretenteous, something Bay must avoid doing in the future!) I think Wahlberg knows how to work for Michael Bay, and the second act does some intense, dark stuff! I was actually surprised with some of the things they did: they clearly want to separate this from the pulpy, teenage melodrama of the previous films!
Of course, the third act becomes overlong and the film's runtime is barbaric at two hours forty-five minutes! Completely unnecessary. But as these films go on, I feel like I am watching a TV series and just binging on a whole season at once!
I will say it: I am stoked for more movies! If they can maintain what this film is going for, and don't screw it all up like they did with RotF, we could be on to a really good trilogy! I know what they are building up to now, there was a heavy theme of creators and creation in this film, and any fan will be able to tell you what's coming next. I liked this a lot.
If you never liked the original trilogy, this probably won't change your mind too much (despite the lack of toilet humour and edgier tone) but if you are one of those people who are on the fence, uncertain, this will make you a fan again!
Additional Marshmallows: Something else worth noting. The "Witwicky Trilogy" was certainly fun in a childish way, but what could happen is that this new trilogy goes too serious, that it stops having its sense of self-awareness.
I know that's what's in right now; to "Nolanify" everything, but I will be honest Transformers: Age of Extinction does borderline this sort of severity at times, and really... it doesn't work. Not because it is Michael Bay, but because it is a franchise based off toys!
You actually have to remind yourself this is a Michael Bay movie.
Mark Wahlberg is Daniel Lugo, a bodybuilder and fitness trainer who, inspired by little more than movies, brings together two equally dimwitted friends in a bid to attain his American Dream. How? By kidnapping a man and stealing all of his money.
But even such a plan proves too much for them, and everything goes from bad to much worse...
If a Michael Bay movie could ever conceivably have actual subtext and actual compelling weight to it (no pun intended) Pain and Gain is as close as we have ever gotten! Based off a true story, yes, a genuine true story, Pain and Gain is one of those black comedies that provides exactly what it intends to give.
Mark Wahlberg and company are completely harebrained, though not in a particularly goofy, cartoonish way but in a manner that all good black comedies can show; a clueless, cringeworthy obliviousness. An ignorance of real life and the consequences that their "simple" plans have.
For the all-American / America-is-Great director, this film actually sings a different tune. While yes, these garish characters are often shown in glamorous success, by the film's end we are given an honest truth; that many people are actually this ignorant, that people don't appreciate what they have and (deliberate or not) ruin other people's lives rather than work hard for their goals.
Of course, that's looking deep. On the surface Pain and Gain is a gaudy movie about morons attempting to commit crimes without knowing how, and living the high life without any morals. There are flashy cars, drugs, torture, strippers (correction: lots of strippers) and plenty of men who care more about their pectoral muscles than any of those things!
Sounds a little divided, but honestly this film surprised me, and a lot of that is to do with its sense of humour. This is higher grade humour than say... Transformers humour. In fact it feels like low rent Tarantino humour. Dwayne Johnson has never been better. He plays a born again Christian, a man who is attempting to redeem himself but gets roped into Wahlberg's scheme instead. He is a buffoon, a huge, towering buffoon and he completely steals the show with his backseat comments and wide-eyed doubt. Seriously, even if you don't like him as an actor, this film may well convert you.
A black comedy of fine quality, quite possibly Bay's best film (whatever that means to some of you) While it is brash and uncouth because that's exactly what it should be, I'd recommend it.
The not very lovable Ted arrives onto the big screen and is heralded as one of the best comedies of the year. Normally not my sort of film, but there was a lot to get me laughing.
The notorious nature of the hit cartoon series Family Guy is well known to many, it was cancelled and revived twice, and has faced a variety of lawsuits due to its off-colour humour. Now creator Seth MacFarlane has made it to the big screen with the same flare and class... or lack thereof!
On the Christmas of 1985, John (Mark Wahlberg) wished for his teddy bear to come alive, and remarkably, he got his wish! Fast-forward thirty years, John is a layabout underachiever with a big heart, juggling his childish relationship living with Ted (voiced by MacFarlane) and his adult life with his beautiful girlfriend (Mila Kunis). Naturally, vulgar mishaps are abound!
If you are a fan of Family Guy and American Dad, Ted will be for you; it is virtually a live-action interpretation (without the crazy cut-away jokes) most evident with the music which sounds like a direct lift from the shows. It is very much a sitcom scenario, it is a small scale story on the big screen.
The humour is typical MacFarlane, it varies from glorious, to mediocre, to complete miss; some of the jokes are directed towards American audiences and that's to be expected. But it definitely got laughs from me, even if most of them were at Patrick Stewart's narration!
It is quite predictable, but it is entertaining and fun in a stupid way, with plenty of pop culture references you may, or may not, get (lots of 1980s gags). I enjoyed Wahlberg and Kunis' chemistry; the very current trope of a level-headed girlfriend and a loving but gormless, childish guy.
"There is nothing more powerful than a child's wish....
"Except for an Apache Helicopter..."
