Transformers

I must be crazy, but a tonne of metal destroying its shiny body for over two hours is one of the top 40 most popular movies? Everyone's taste is different. I’m not saying it’s all bad, it certainly doesn’t lack insight, humour and Bay's indomitable action zeal, and Megan Fox was also very nice to watch. But throughout the film, I just couldn't shake the preconceived notion that cars turning into giant robots is terrible bollocks, which, oddly enough, was further reinforced by the action, which I felt was awfully jumbled, always on the same note, and Michael Bay completely sunk his huge potential, so well exploited in the legendary The Rock. I’m giving it 3 stars, but in the flood of comic book action movies, Transformers is just a below average affair for me… (01/03/2012)

The Girl Next Door Sex Bomb versus Armageddon in the cloak of perfect audiovisual and explosively action-packed delicacies. Shia LaBeouf is the perfect non-action guy, with whom every one of us, who has ever been a boy or a girl longing for adventure, can identify. Megan Fox was created as an adored idol (who can also fix your car), Bumblebee is the best friend and the perfect car at the same time, Autobots are a group of heroes and Decepticons are the most villainous enemies, whom you would fight against right away. And Transformers is a movie that may open the eyes of many young wide-eyed boys in front of the screen, teaching them what it means to love a movie. Bay has proven that even megalomania can be moderate and that escalated action that just won't stop doesn't have to be overwhelming, but rather amazing. Tons of lines, a sea of references, setting sun, a flood of orange, heroism, honor, love, helicopters, and behind it all, a smiling Bay who fulfilled his dream. The year 2007 will forever be the year when I wanted Bumblebee in my garage and Megan Fox somewhere nearby, but most of all, watching Transformers over and over again. (28/08/2007)

Technically, Transformers is undoubtedly a fantastic ride and it is incredible what they can make nowadays for a lot of money. Unfortunately, the entertainment and overall childishness of the film come at the cost of an absence of logic and at least a bit of the seriousness that was present in all of Michael Bay's purely action films. Some lines are funny, but some are so clichéd that you don’t even react to them. The actors are your typical pretty-faces – Bay's common practice – and the music, thanks to Steve Jablonsky, is solidly dynamic. What surprised me the most is the style Bay uses to shoot the action. There’s an unusual amount of handheld camera and shaky shots, with classic trademarks such as camera tricks, slow-motion, and low-angle shots taking a back seat. The truly beautifully lit quieter sequences and two helicopters against the sunset are not absent, though. After watching it for the second time, I’m giving it another star. This has happened to me several times (and now it will probably be the rule), having a better watching experience at home than in the cinema. Even the action looks much better and clearer on a smaller screen – the big cinema screen only harms it. I stand by the fact that the film is infantile and stupid, but Bay occasionally winks at us, doesn't he? And the annoying British or whatever accent of Rachael Taylor will be ringing in my ears for a long time... (18/08/2007)

Michael Bay's own words are that he aims to entertain the audience. In that case, I state that I am not his target group, because I feel more entertained in a dentist's chair. I had the opportunity to watch all three Transformers movies within a few days, and I couldn't finish any of them. This is simply beyond the scope of what I consider digestible cinema. Michael Bay is not so much a representative of a certain genre as he is a diagnosis. Lots of action, bombastic special effects, clumsy dialogues that bring physical suffering, and a script and story on the level of a small child. Unfortunately, I haven't been eight for a long time, and I won't be eighty for a long time, so Bay's offer didn't appeal to me. I considered giving 1 star for the special effects and set design, but I would rather go to a magic show. Overall impression: 10%. My choice for a movie set in the world of children's toys would be any of the Toy Story movies. (25/02/2014)

It’s hard to believe that this monstrosity cost just a laughable 150 million bucks. If that’s true, it means that the producer Spielberg has some extraterrestrial abilities. Transformers is a Hollywood blockbuster worth easily double the price of a cinema ticket... if you know why you are going to a Michael Bay film in which robots from other worlds wage war on Earth. With the exception of the chilling introductory sequences, it’s a bit childish and silly, but the technical side, especially the numerous escalated action scenes, is just nuts. The scene of shooting at a scorpion in the desert (especially shot from the inside of a helicopter) with the musical background in the form of Jablonsky’s “Scorponok” is incredibly cool! And those feline eyes of Megan Fox... omfg!!! (11/07/2007)