What happens when your 13-year-old nephew tells you he wants to see either The Hangover or Public Enemies? You play the responsible adult and take him to see Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen instead, ’cause it’s the only PG-13 option out there right now.
I must say, going into a movie with very low expectations can produce some surprising results. For instance, the two-and-a-half hour running time went by rather quickly. Director Michael Bay knows how to deliver a theatrical joy ride. The non-stop action and occasional flashes of humor make this an okay movie for the chicks to endure.
I’m still not sure what the plot was – something about a Decepticon named Fallen (i.e. bad transformer) who seems to have a major grudge against the saintly Autobot, Optimus Prime (i.e. good transformer). A bunch of humans get caught up in their feud. The military gets involved – so we have a chance to see Josh Duhamel in uniform, however briefly. Shia LeBeuf is back as Sam Witwicky, who I think saved the planet in the first Transformers movie. But honestly, I don’t remember the plot of that one either. Then there’s the return of Sam’s hot girlfriend Mikaela (played once again by Megan Fox) whose main purpose apparently is to run across the desert in slow-mo in her tank top and boots, which makes the teenage boys happy. You’d think someone would help her ‘transform’ her scraps of clothing into an actual shirt. Oh well, I digress…
Bottom line: This movie doesn’t suck. It’s like the Wolverine movie. If you can forgive the poor story-telling (not to mention lines like, “We’ve shed blood, sweat and… precious metals together”), you can get through it, and almost even enjoy it. A little.
You’re calling this a chick flick because? You’d have gone to this without the nephew? Not a ringing endorsement to say “you can get through it.”
It’s not a ringing endorsement. It’s not even an endorsement. It’s just not a total pan. If anything, it’s an explanation for how this movie, despite critical disclaim, can top the box office and gross 300 Million+ dollars worldwide. As for whether this is a “chick flick” – I consider it my job to share the circumstances under which any movie can be enjoyed – or perhaps, avoided – by chicks of any age and artistic leaning. Mom Chicks, Sister Chicks, Date Chicks, Aunt Chicks, etc. deserve a resource for the lowdown on what they can expect from certain movies that they may consider seeing with the rooster(s) in their life! 🙂