From the nausea provoked by the 'in association with Hasbro' credit to the ending that all but ensures future Transformers adventures, Revenge Of The Fallen provokes cynicism because it's so clearly a cynical exercise. By their very nature, modern blockbusters have to tick certain boxes, but they don't have to be as bland and witless as this. Moronic dialogue ("We got a whole bunch of fight coming our way!"), vile Stepin Fetchit-style skits - it'd be unforgiveable if it weren't for Bay set-pieces such as his imaginative destruction of an aircraft carrier.
There is, however, one scene that says a lot about the movie, the filmmaker and the film's intended audience. During a kick-up on a university campus, a Decepticon storms a library and incinerates the classics of literature. No doubt some might say it's silly to seize on a moment like this, but Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen is a picture whose achievements are so limited, you have to wheel-out a microscope to uncover them. And, my, if the details don't reveal a devilish degree of contempt for anyone who'd rather read a book than hang out with their console or devour a Whopper.
Verdict
Michael Bay is on board for Transformers III. Pray for the little ones.
