Dark of the Moon OFFICIAL Dark of the Moon REVIEW THREAD

[TheOnlyOmega]

My biggest gripe

Spoiler

Why didn't Optimus use The Matrix of Leadership to revive Ironhide? Surely his contributions to the fight wouldve been worth the 10 seconds it would take to revive him.

 

[Drizzle]

My biggest gripe

Spoiler

Why didn't Optimus use The Matrix of Leadership to revive Ironhide? Surely his contributions to the fight wouldve been worth the 10 seconds it would take to revive him.

Spoiler

Because Ironhide was disintegrating by the second, including his spark. His head rolled off and everything.

By the way, did anyone else feel like the movie ended way too abruptly? It was like [BLACKOUT]Optimus killed Megatron and Sentinel[/BLACKOUT] and twenty seconds later, there are the credits.

 

[Golgo-13]

My biggest gripe

Spoiler

Why didn't Optimus use The Matrix of Leadership to revive Ironhide? Surely his contributions to the fight wouldve been worth the 10 seconds it would take to revive him.

Wait, Prime hadn't even showed up to the fight when IronHide...you know. Plus right after Omega did the deed, you know who disintegrated....

 

[Nathan]

By the way, did anyone else feel like the movie ended way too abruptly? It was like [BLACKOUT]Optimus killed Megatron and Sentinel[/BLACKOUT] and twenty seconds later, there are the credits.

So, basically like in ROTF?

 

[UltimateJustin]

My biggest gripe

Spoiler

Why didn't Optimus use The Matrix of Leadership to revive Ironhide? Surely his contributions to the fight wouldve been worth the 10 seconds it would take to revive him.

Plot contrivances really, but 'technically' Sentinel wasn't dead when they found him, his "levels were low". The Matrix (in these films) can repair an autobots spark, but not if the spark has gone out, possibly. Except that it had done that with Prime I guess in 2. In the cartoon it could only do so much, after destroying Unicron it only had enough energy to defeat the plague and then it was empty, G. In conclusion, who knows/cares.

 

[Episode29]

In conclusion, who knows/cares.

Not Ehren Kruger, that's for sure.

 

[Golgo-13]

Was it just me, or did the Cybertron they showed in DOTM look different to the one from the first movie...? Especially at the end when it was coming through the space bridge, it looked the frame for a ball...

 

[UltimateJustin]

Was it just me, or did the Cybertron they showed in DOTM look different to the one from the first movie...? Especially at the end when it was coming through the space bridge, it looked the frame for a ball...

By this point Cybertron had been through so much and suffered so greatly that it no longer had the energy to not look like a ball frame. This was stated in Ehren's podcast sometime around March.

 

[Punisher Rising]

Saw this earlier and watched the first two movies for the first time since the theaters prior. Surprisingly, my opinion on the first movie changed a bit, although not by a whole lot. While I no longer regard it as one of the worst movies I've ever seen (I completely hated it when I first saw it in theaters back in 2007 and this was my first time since then seeing it), it's still pretty bad, thanks to some astoundly immature and juvenile humor that has no place in the Transformers world, lack of Transformers action until the end and some shoddy directing. ROTF is dumb as Hell, no arguing there, but still entertaining if you're in the right mood and are up for dumb fun (key word being dumb).

As for DOTM? I'd say it's the first legitiatemately good film in the series. A masterpiece it sure isn't, but an entertaining time that improves a lot of the key flaws from it's predecessors, it definitely is. Thankfully the juvenile humor that plagued the first two entries is almost largely absent, though there is one cringe-inducing moment in a bathroom stall right at home with the worst moments of either, but thankfully that was about it and the worst it got. There's still the occasionally cheesy line, but that too was kept to a minimum.

The action scenes were great. The collapsing building bit is for sure an early contender for the best action scene of 2011, and the entire last third is pretty much a Transformers version of Independence Day and is non-stop action and Transformers fighting. It helps the fight scenes are actually well-filmed this time too and you can clearly see what's going on. There's a good balance here of Transformers action with a decent plot, not suffering from too little action as the original or an overload as the second. There's a happy medium of the two here.

It's not perfect, as the character development still leaves a bit to be desired, most of the Transformers sans Optimus and Bumblebee aren't very well-developed (though Sentinel has a pretty decent arc and is far better-developed than The Fallen ever was) and the ending feels a tad abrupt.

Regarding Megatron, boy did he ever get the shaft in this series or what. This was no different. Very little screentime and a disappointing final battle with Optimus. He was underused throughout the trilogy and here was unfortunately no different. But I will say for the brief screentime he had, he was at least slightly better-used this time, compared with his pathetically small roles in the first two.

All in all, an enjoyable movie and one I felt was worth the five bucks I paid for the AM showing. My rating teeters between a 7 or 8/10, repeat viewings will decide the final rating. It's easily the best of the three for sure, and despite some flaws, it nonetheless accomplishes it's goal to entertain. It seemed with this movie, Bay really wanted to improve in every way and while he didn't succeed 100%, I'll say he at least got a solid 70% to 85% right this time.

With that said, I'm all for a proper reboot of this series. I think this movie is surely a taste of what an excellent Transformers movie could be like, with an improved script and better character development. But this is easily the best of Bay's trilogy, which says a lot when it's compared to the first two; it's actually genuinely good. Not great, but good and an entertaining time.

 

[Episode29]

The ever-glorious Topless Robot attempts to make sense of TF3. And fails.

 

[UltimateJustin]

it's still pretty bad, thanks to some astoundly immature and juvenile humor that has no place in the Transformers world,

I think it's funnnny. And I enjoy British comedy, so I think I know what I'm taking about.

 

[Punisher Rising]

I think it's funnnny. And I enjoy British comedy, so I think I know what I'm taking about.

To each their own but I couldn't stand the humor in the first one. That kind of humor, IMHO, just has no place at all in something like Transformers. I was relieved to see Bay more or less almost entirely did away with it in this movie, which was a big factor in why I dug it so much.

 

[UltimateJustin]

To each their own but I couldn't stand the humor in the first one. That kind of humor, IMHO, just has no place at all in something like Transformers. I was relieved to see Bay more or less almost entirely did away with it in this movie, which was a big factor in why I dug it so much.

So then Brains and Wheelie didn't annoy you, or was it just they their screen time was minimal? I thought it this bit was funny as the ship was going down:

Wheelie: We had a good run, me and you.
Brains: Yeah, we're gonna die.

 

[D Rock]

Normally just a browser on these boards, felt I could add my .02$ to the mess that was DoTM.

First of all, I'll come right out and say I'm a G1 fan through and through. Hell, even G2. Whatever. It took me quite a bit of time to get used to Bay's vision of Transformers. Regardless, I did.

DoTM started off pretty good and I sat there pretty pumped after the initial Shockwave scene and the freeway scene. I thought to myself, 'holy ****, Bay has done it'. The vibe was different than RoTF - the feeling, etc. Darker, etc.

But then something happened. After the twists, the movie went right back to being a mess - a visually stunning mess at least.

What the hell happened to Shockwave? He disappeared for the better part of the movie and I kept thinking maybe he went to the moon to operate the space bridge - which would have been badass. Maybe a fight on the moon - anything.

Still would have loved a surprise cameo from an Autobot to show up instead of The Wreckers (they weren't that bad actually - but why NASACAR? meh $$$$).

Starscream going out like that really made me upset - enough for me to say out loud - 'you have got to be kidding me'.

Poor Megatron - he really got no justice in this series at all. Then again, neither did half of the robots. Quite sad really.

-Why didn't Bay make the real twins Sunstreaker and Sideswipe ? I mean, sure they don't appeal to kids or whomever, but it would have been a nice shout out.

Gosh, I need to see it again.

 

[Drizzle]

So, basically like in ROTF?

Yeah, but by the time the credits rolled on ROTF, it was a relief that it was finally over. I didn't hate it, but it ran its course. With DOTM, I wanted a little more closure. Maybe show a little into the future of Sam and the surviving Autobots. [BLACKOUT]At least they could have shown Optimus putting his arm back on. If Starscream got his ripped off in the second one and reattached it then surely Prime could have done the same. [/BLACKOUT]

 

[Rowsdower!]

Normally just a browser on these boards, felt I could add my .02$ to the mess that was DoTM.

First of all, I'll come right out and say I'm a G1 fan through and through. Hell, even G2. Whatever. It took me quite a bit of time to get used to Bay's vision of Transformers. Regardless, I did.

DoTM started off pretty good and I sat there pretty pumped after the initial Shockwave scene and the freeway scene. I thought to myself, 'holy ****, Bay has done it'. The vibe was different than RoTF - the feeling, etc. Darker, etc.

But then something happened. After the twists, the movie went right back to being a mess - a visually stunning mess at least.

What the hell happened to Shockwave? He disappeared for the better part of the movie and I kept thinking maybe he went to the moon to operate the space bridge - which would have been badass. Maybe a fight on the moon - anything.

Still would have loved a surprise cameo from an Autobot to show up instead of The Wreckers (they weren't that bad actually - but why NASACAR? meh $$$$).

Starscream going out like that really made me upset - enough for me to say out loud - 'you have got to be kidding me'.

Poor Megatron - he really got no justice in this series at all. Then again, neither did half of the robots. Quite sad really.

-Why didn't Bay make the real twins Sunstreaker and Sideswipe ? I mean, sure they don't appeal to kids or whomever, but it would have been a nice shout out.

Gosh, I need to see it again.

Yeah, Megatron really got the shaft, especially in this one and in the first movie. He was featured a good bit in ROTF, but that film was so horrible I'll never watch it again.

 

[Spade]

Megatron was only noteworthy in the first movie, when he could put up a good fight against Prime. All he did in the second was say "yes, Master" repeatedly and get an arm and half his head torn off- again, by Prime. Were it not for his plan, his only role in Dark of the Moon would be scratching his festering head wound and getting sonned by any bot with a truck mode.

I'd also argue movie Megatron is one of the better Megatrons. Even as a kid, watching G1, I always thought Megs was really petty. But here, his goal was to save Cybertron and his species. Granted, he's a backstabbing dictator, but he wasn't one-dimensionally evil. The only two glaring flaws are his role as leader of the Decepticons and how often he changes alt modes.

 

[DoomsdayApex]

I actually enjoyed film Megatron too (from the first installment). Sadly, Bay really made him useless in the last two movies. Megatron deserves justice.

 

[Drizzle]

I actually enjoyed film Megatron too (from the first installment). Sadly, Bay really made him useless in the last two movies. Megatron deserves justice.

At least he participated in the second one. In DOTM, all he did was sit on his ass. Literally. Whether it was at the Lincoln Memorial or some Chicago alley, all he did was sit around. Needless to say, I didn't have much of a problem with it since Megatron was pretty much useless after the beatdown Optimus gave him at the end of the second movie. He wouldn't have lasted long in a fight, which was why he took down [BLACKOUT]Sentinel[/BLACKOUT] from a distance. As a matter of fact, he might have even had less screentime in DOTM than the first film. I really only remember him in five scenes: Africa, the Lincoln Memorial, the Chicago rooftop, the alleyway when Carly goes to him, and the final showdown on the bridge.

 

[Rock Sexton]

As for DOTM? I'd say it's the first legitiatemately good film in the series. A masterpiece it sure isn't, but an entertaining time that improves a lot of the key flaws from it's predecessors, it definitely is. Thankfully the juvenile humor that plagued the first two entries is almost largely absent, though there is one cringe-inducing moment in a bathroom stall right at home with the worst moments of either, but thankfully that was about it and the worst it got. There's still the occasionally cheesy line, but that too was kept to a minimum.

You're entitled to your opinion, but I honestly am stunned anyone can sit here and legitimately say that this piece of crap film is the best in the series. Seriously, I'm baffled. It's loud, obnoxious, incoherent. Jam packed full of too many characters like an overloaded washing machine. The first one had some of Spielberg's prints on it. It was controlled and kept concise. You can tell he let Bay have free reign on these last two and that's why they've deviated into pure garbage.

BTW, the juvenile humor was mostly in the ROTF.

 

[terry78]

If you're at home right now and have Spike TV, turn to it right now. Just turn to it.

 

[CelticPredator]

Celtic, just stop. The plot can't logically be defended. I understand defending it for the action set pieces, but not the "story". You liked it because there was cool **** to ogle at at. Nothing more, nothing less.

EG****INGZACKLY. That's what YOU dont get. Not me. I know why I loved it. It's you (i hate the word) haters who will never understand, and cannot. Which is sad.

 

[hitmanyr2k]

This is just something I noticed. I don't really mean to go on a rant here but it's just something I wanted to get off my chest. Now Avatar got a free pass from critics, general audiences, and fanboys solely because it had great 3D and visual effects and it was made by James Camron. The plot was a predictable borefest. Take away the 3D and visual effect and it was a pretty meh movie. (don't get me wrong I liked it but still feel it wasn't the greatest story wise).

Now I am not saying Micheal Bay is on the same level as James Camron as a filmmaker (he is not) but I think Avatar was James Camron's weakest movie. Dark of the moon may not have the greatest story, acting, or humor but the action and visuals effects are top notch. It seems the critics and fanboy trash it because its Micheal Bay and they all seem to hate him. That kinda seems unfair in my book. Not sticking up for Bay because I have seen him in some interviews and commentary being very arrogant and *****ebaggy.


I know Avatars plot didn't have plot holes or weak acting but it was boring and predictable. The story is flawed in this movie but in my opinion Sentinel's betrayal was more of a shocker than anything in Avatar's story.

Again not knocking Avatar or saying Bay is a better filmmaker than James.Just voicing my observations.

Are you really serious in asking why people don't give Michael Bay the same leeway as James Cameron?

Take away Avatar's effects and you get a predictable (but well executed) narrative that you can actually follow, characters with a legit purpose, etc. And Cameron didn't get a pass from critics or moviegoers alike. Being predictable was the main criticism of Avatar but like I said before everything else was well done.

Take away the action scenes in from a Michael Bay movie and you're stuck with pure sh**...stupid humor, dumb random characters not even worthy of an SNL skit, and the story (if there is one) will bounce all over the place with no sense whatsoever. Bay is not respected by critics and many movie fans for a reason. Sure he can blow stuff up really good and put together a hyper-kinetic car chase (that's all he can do really) but ultimately he's a hack that copies and pastes the exact same juvenile bullsh** in every one of his movies as if he has a checklist. He hasn't evolved one bit as a director in the past decade and like clockwork you can predict the things he's going to inject in every single film. Does a director with that kind of track record deserve praise or fairness? I don't think so. If James Cameron or any competent director had Michael Bay's mindset throughout their careers they would be just as "hated" today.

 

[Tony Stark]

If I'm Leonard Nimoy, I would have ripped Bay's testicles off for taking the greatest, most emotional line from Star Trek 2, having him rehash it in a totally non-sensicle way in this movie. I'm surprised Nimoy went along with it, but I guess maybe he figured it was a job and he was getting paid.

It was like Bay was jumping around in his Spock underoos saying "yeah I got Leonard Nimoy in my film".

Bay is the biggest hack in hollywood.

 

[UltimateJustin]

Detaching themselves from the standard benchmarks of quality cinema is something internet critics can't do, even for a film like this.
All movies have their bashers and gushers, but the hate seems to be especially misplaced here; the is film actually a polished toy commercial.
Rather than deliver a film standing on its own merits, Bay presented the TF saga as a child would play with his toy collection:
Energetic, quite silly, and building to a rousing conclusion.

The fact is, these films right to exist is questioned, while they execute their purpose perfectly: entertaining > selling tickets > selling toys.
Open minded audiences should accept this concept and take the big action scenes and comedy for what their worth, then move on.

Because mores to come. Theres Rock'em Sock'em Robots this summer, Battleship the next. Films will become broader to appeal to a WW market.
Eventually, haters are going to look back realizing they missed a lot of entertaining fun because they couldn't just enjoy the pretty robots.

Stupid.