Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen -- Blows the First One Out of Space!!

The second of what most audiences hope will be more sequels about transforming vehicle-robots, turned out to be much better than the first.  If you recall, I slept through the first one.  Twice.  I had no such inclination through this whole 150 minute, action-packed, not to be missed movie.  My rating:  $9.00 (1.-10.). 

 

Wonderboy, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf), returns ready to enter college like any other normal boy his age.  Mom and Dad (Julie White and Kevin Dunn) have more scenes and chances to be a college kid's worst parent nightmare.  Girlfriend, Mikaela (Playboy wannabe, Megan Fox), smokes every scene with those smoldering baby blue eyes and pouty, glossed lips. Newcomer and Sam's college roommate, Leo (Ramon Rodriguez) adds some fun as the self-proclaimed internet guru who discovers who the real action hero is.  There's much fun with tasers. Another smoking-hot college chick who attaches herself to Sam is up and coming Australian beauty, Isabel Lucas.  Bumblebee gives her some hints to leave that are pretty funny.  You won't forget how she leaves when all is said and done. 

 

We do get a history of the world that includes eons of Decepticon presence.  The extra info helps integrate the basis for the whole Prime vs Fallen battle.  Nope, not going to elaborate and mess with your Transformer experience in the theater.  The length of the film helps give time for each story to be told from both the bad and good guys' perspective. I do believe the transformations were more clearly drawn digitally and the faces of MOST of the robots were more expressive.  More robot characters have active roles with entertaining personalities.  You'll love the ancient robot awakened from the Smithsonian.  He walks with a cane. 

 

On the people side, Josh Duhamel returns as Capt. Lennox.  There's a secret military group called 'NEST' who work in synchrony with Optimus Prime and pals to keep the bad Decepticons under wraps.  They hide in plain sight without anyone in the general population being aware (reinforces the old aliens among us stuff).  Firepower and gadgetry abound.  CIA agent Simmons (John Tuturro) gets dragged back into the action after being booted out for his behavior in the first movie.  He's a butcher in his mom's shop when Sam and Mikaela find him!!  Rainn Wilson (Dwight on 'The Office') has a small but humorous part as one of Sam's egocentric professors.  Being the big summer blockbuster that it will be, there are just tons of familiar faces who took any part just to be a part of movie history. 

 

The whole plot that moves the action forward and around the world is that Optimus gets killed.  But you know there has to be a way to bring him back.  And that, my friends, is the great story around which all those cars and trucks become some great Transformers. 

 

Just some interesting voice ID's I found when writing this blog.  Anthony Anderson, who landed the snake plane, plays Jolt.  In his spare time not on screen, John Tuturro is Jetfire.  Tony Todd (the Candyman) is the voice of The Fallen.  Frank Welker, who was Megatron in the first movie, is both Soundwave and Devastator.  Nigerian-born, Hugo Weaving is Megatron this time.  Tom Kenny, whose usual gig is voicing Spongebob, plays both hip-hop'n twin subcompacts, Skids and Mudflap.  There are so many more in this film, it would take longer than the movie to tell you.  In fact, if you stay for the credits, you'll be there about 15 minutes longer than I quoted above.  And all this does NOT include trailers. 

 

Principle writer of this much improved script is Ehren Kruger ("Blood and Chocolate"/"Skeleton Key"/both "Ring" movies) who graduated from Thomas Jefferson High in Annandale, Virginia according to IMDB.  Yeah for Virginia!!  His efforts were enhanced by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, the writing/producing team that brought us the greatest movie of the season for real.....'STAR TREK (2009)'!!!!  Director Michael Bay will now and forever hold his spot as the director of the most complex action movies in history.  It's rated 'PG-13' so you can take the kids if you need an excuse to go see it. 

 

I just have to get this off my chest:  LaBeouf continues to be incomparable as the top talent around lately using a mix of vulnerability and intelligence.  I just wish I could forget he wants to marry his mother (People magazine).  I think I can forgive his emotional dysfunction knowing that his mother and father walked around naked and had s-- around such an impressionable child years ago.  I just hope he doesn't go bazonckers like Drew Barrymore before he finds himself. 

 

Tomorrow:  My Sister's Keeper.  Very dramatic. 

 

 

 

 

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