I'll just make the obvious point. That's all there's ever really BEEN to Transformers, that, and the usual "forced comic book drama". You are aware that Spielberg was involved in this, right?
If you don't care what happens to the characters in TRANSFORMERS, that's down to you. The movie gave you ample reason to care about them in context.
TEAM AMERICA is parodying big action movies in general. Were Bay's movies a part of it? Sure. Once again, though...where does TRANSFORMERS pander in terms of patriotism?
And that is MY point. What did you expect it to be? It's TRANSFORMERS. How would you have made it any less mindless? THey went into the whole "National Defense" angle, the computer stuff, they tied it to technology, and they played with the "more than meets the eye" angle with several characters. And you're sitting here going "But it was so shallow and mindless because it had jokes in it". Just not seeing it, sorry.
Obligatory development as opposed to what? NONE? It is as it always was in the show and the comics. What kind of human character development do you want to see? They gave us relevant development, stuff that humans go through in the situations they found themselves in, stuff that informs and affects the plot.
Forced and silly in what way?
See, this just sounds like you're SAYING this and expecting it to be true. Again, what in God's name did you want to see?
I don't know what to tell you. The chemistry is awkward teen guy wants "the hot girl", and that's exactly what it felt like. Yes, Fox is a terrible actor, but she fit her role. To say Shia wasn't interesting in the movie strikes me as insane. It was one of the most involving performances of the year.
See, this is just you saying things and expecting it to be true. You just seem to think that you can conveniently dismiss every "character scene" or any "tension building scene" as if it does not exist.
Kasden is a good story man. He writes realistic dialogue. But he's not brilliant. STAR WARS romantic angle works because of Ford and Fisher, but it's not especially clever stuff. In fact, it's rather trite and cliche. "The bad boy and the girl who pretends she doesn't want him while he pretends he doesn't want her"?
Ok...
I'm pretty sure that because Michael Bay was involved, you would shrugged regardless of what happened or how well executed it was.
Now I see the problem we're facing...
Hate them for the characters or not the reason she was cast was because she and Tobey had an energy between them that can be felt in all three films (particularly the first one). And Raimi made their relationship something important to the characters so the audience would invest in them when she was in danger. It is simple storytelling.
It is the main storyline. TRANSFORMERS was about giant robots coming to Earth with a subplot about Sam and Mikaela. And that's what it was.
Why? And be specific, please.
Why? And be specific, please.
Prove it.
I have excused it as no such thing. I have simply asked, numerous times, if you wanted it to be more, to tell me specifically what you wanted to see that was missing.
There was nothing "simple" about TRANSFORMERS. There were some issues dealt with.
Yeah...no. ULTIMATUM was a more simplistic and less deep story than the two previous films. I don't think any Bourne fan would argue that. Ditto HARRY POTTER 5, which may be the thinnest installment of the franchise so far. RATATOUILLE was entertaining, but mostly because of the cleverness, not because of any great depth or wonderful character development.
t:
that hollywood reporter article also said a "big yes" to IM blasting into the stratoshere for consecutive weekends. Indy look out. 
