Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

Directed by: Michael Bay | 154 minutes | action, adventure, science fiction | Actors: Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, John Malkovich, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Patrick Dempsey, Ken Jeong, Frances McDormand, Alan Tudyk, John Turturro, Tyrese Gibson, Karyn Parsons | Original voice cast: Hugo Weaving, Frank Welker, Tom Kenny, Peter Cullen

Michael Bay is one of the most successful directors in Hollywood with his action films: despite the grumbling film critics, cinemagoers continue to pour in to bombastic films like ‘Armageddon’, ‘Pearl Harbour’ and ‘The Rock’. The ‘Transformers’ movies are in no way inferior to this, despite the deplorable level of the second part, 2009’s Revenge of the Fallen. Now it’s time for part three, ‘Dark of the Moon’, and Actually, the consensus is that little can go wrong financially. That is why the studio is putting a lot of effort into this third ‘Transformers’: it was filmed in 3D, thus positioning itself as the heir to ‘Avatar’, who must regain the public’s declining interest in the phenomenon after a few mediocre 3D conversions.

In fact, an attempt has been made to make the film an overwhelming viewing experience in every aspect: the superlative has been sought everywhere, with a war between two types of robots, the continuous coming-of-age of protagonist Sam Witwicky (Shia Labeouf), a selection of top actors in small supporting roles and the countless shots of the lower body of former lingerie model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. The 158 minutes of the film are packed from start to finish with megalomaniac bombast and everything else the makers could think of. The focus here is on fighting, computer-animated, alien robots, who fight a kind of ‘Lord of the Rings’ of the talking trucks on Earth, blasting half of Chicago to smithereens.

Unfortunately, it leads to few really good action scenes. Of course they blow a lot and, as mentioned, an entire metropolis is destroyed, but it is still disturbing that the premise (robots that can change into vehicles) leads to so few innovative variations. The only thought seems to be to unleash the largest possible robots on the planet to provide the adrenaline rush. And that spread over more than 2.5 hours, so that you gradually start gasping for breath and finally you are simply near exhaustion.

Furthermore, the robots are caricatured and sleep-inducing, with a wafer-thin propaganda riff, and more often than not conform to unamusing racial stereotypes for no justifiable reason. Fortunately, there are also actual actors in this film, and they are not the least: John Turturro returns, and John Malkovich and Frances McDormand also make their appearance. Despite their often relatively small roles, these three add elements that one-dimensional robots like Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Optimus Prime don’t have to knock on: charisma, talent, comic timing.

The action scenes are also quickly more interesting when real people of flesh and blood are involved. The highlight of the film is undoubtedly the nosedive of the soldiers in flight suits, who – filmed from the air – float through the skyscrapers of Chicago. Finally, an image can speak for itself, without having to compete too much with meaningless and soon outdated computer effects and a stupid soundtrack. Unfortunately, the 3D aspect doesn’t add much to the rest of the film. It’s too well done to be a nuisance, but you’re so showered with lavish explosions and computer animations that you often forget you’re watching a 3D movie – and that’s hardly worth the more expensive movie ticket.

The biggest frustration is that with a film that has cost 170 million euros, so little thoughtfulness has gone into it. The film is put together without any artistic vision, any risk, which has to be masked by continuously holding the explosion button to position 11. The film is merely crammed with loose elements that hang together like loose sand, such as lavish action scenes, a clichéd plot, expensive actors and bad pop music. It is significant that heartthrob Patrick Dempsey is also allowed to play a nonsensical role as a villain, especially to appease the carried away ladies. The film wants to be a friend to everyone, and if you try, you usually end up with no friends.

Fans of films like ‘Armageddon’, ‘Bad Boys’ I and II and the earlier ‘Transformers’ films can safely ignore all of the above; they can’t go wrong with ‘Dark of the Moon’. On the other hand, you might as well put on a DVD of one of these titles. However, people who are looking for something other than mindless bombast are advised not to even consider this, and better write off Michael Bay’s work completely. The chance that he will ever deviate from the chosen line is simply nil.