Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Movie

Michael Bay swoops in once again to save the slow movie summer season. The highly anticipated sequel has grossed over 600 million worldwide to date and doesn't show signs of slowing down. But this effort falls well short of the 2007 blockbuster.

A very bored Shia Lebouf reprises his role as Sam Witwicky, the one who discovers the alien robot race in the first edition. Witwicky is off to college trying to live the life of a normal teenager. He leaves his girlfriend (Megan Fox) behind. Witwicky soon realizes that a piece of the cube found in his hoodie is giving him special mental powers.The rest of this movie is very predictable.

You know what you're getting with Michael Bay and his 200 million dollar budget. You get a lot of cheap laughs, way too much CGI, and a story that is too complicated for its own good. The fight scenes are way overdone and the comic relief in this edition is shallow at best. Michael Bay seemed better with a smaller budget. If this was the first edition then this movie would not nearly be the success it is now. Star Trek is still the best action movie of the summer for my money.

Presentation (aspect ratio-2.40: 1 with select scenes in 1.44:1 with 35 and 65 mm film)

Transformers once again does not disappoint. A well shot movie on 35mm with select scenes shot in 65mm. The 65mm quality is simply amazing. The frame opens up to a aspect ratio of 1.44 on IMAX screens and the clarity is nothing short of spectacular. However, I was disappointed in the way Michael Bay chose to use the 65mm scenes. Rarely did scenes take advantage of the IMAX effect the way The Dark Knight did last summer. While I saw this on an IMAX screen, I would not be surprised if the straight 35mm presentation was just as spectacular as the IMAX experience. The Blu Ray release of this picture will surely be demo material.

Rating: 3 out of 5