Movie Review - Transformers 3 : Dark of the Moon (spoilers)

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Originally Posted by griffin

(Skids & Mudflap - both filmed and included in original script/comic, but not included in final version of Movie)

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LIES! They're at the back of the line when the Autobots drive into base. I wonder what I'll spend my $25,000 on? :)

Oh, and I suppose I should put in my two cents worth. LOVED IT. People can whinge, bitch and moan about it all they like because yes, I know it does have its faults, but I thought it was fantastic, and when it comes down to it the only opinion of the film I really care about is my own. Regardless of what people say about it, be it good or bad, it's not going to change what I think. I looked forward to it, I wasn't disappointed, and I am content.

Saw it a second time (6 hours after the first one), and didn't really pick up on anything that was missed first time around (a great movie is one in which you keep seeing new stuff with each viewing).

I like the Optimus Trailer concept - it beats the Gen1 concept of optimus driving around with an mostly empty trailer that rarely served a purpose. Here it was his mobile armoury, which had all his guns, swords, shield and flightpack. The JP Voyager Optimus Trailer now makes more sense, in the way it's gimmick was to store mechtech weapons... but I can't see a toy version working (a solid panel trailer converting to a ring with weapons. We'll certainly see customs coming out of that though.

Just randomly...

No Bay TF movie would be complete without a scene with Josh Duhamel sliding across the ground shooting a gun.

Not sure if this was mentioned (yeah ok, I rushed through a lot of the "longer reviews" coz there was a bit too much to read in one post...)

however...!

I loved the scene they borrowed from "Atlantis, arise" (I'm pretty sure it was that episode?) when Megatron destroys the Lincoln memorial statue and sits in the throne!

Freakin' awesome! :D

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Originally Posted by ITZTRU

I loved the scene they borrowed from "Atlantis, arise" (I'm pretty sure it was that episode?) when Megatron destroys the Lincoln memorial statue and sits in the throne!

Freakin' awesome! :D

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Yes, that was indeed a pretty wicked scene. I had forgotten that bit.

I also assumed he smashed Lincoln because it was symbolic as he was the great emancipator and Megs wanted slaves, Mbay and the writer couldn't be that smart though, could they? but yeah that was a good image.

Having though about it I'm conflicted now, there was some great imagery and transformery stuff I really liked, but on the other hand it was almost as dumb as ROTF.

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Originally Posted by Sleeve

LIES! They're at the back of the line when the Autobots drive into base. I wonder what I'll spend my $25,000 on? :)

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I thought I saw that but I can't confirm, on the other hand they never transformed so maybe they were the twins twins? :p What's more perplexing is I clearly recall them saying after that there are 9 Autobots left, which leaves no room for the Twins (not to mention Arcee and Jolt).

Just a small addition:

Love the fact that they used the Gen1 transforming sound for some of the robot-vehicle vice versa transformation. I recalled clearly the scene bumblebee transformed nearing the end of movie with it.

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Originally Posted by Tropisetron

Just a small addition:

Love the fact that they used the Gen1 transforming sound for some of the robot-vehicle vice versa transformation. I recalled clearly the scene bumblebee transformed nearing the end of movie with it.

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I too remember that now as well. Damn lack of sleep messing with my brain. That was a cool addition. Almost like the first transformation in the first movie starts it all, then the last transformation in this one ends it all :p

Within the context of the Bay universe, this was the best one, hands down. It's definitely the closest he's come to actually making a Transformers movie, as opposed to an action movie with TF's in the background like the first 2.

It felt like a proper Sci-Fi movie, whereas the previous two felt more like fantasy-adventure films.

I've got a bunch of problems with it, sure, just like everyone else, but overall it's a pretty solid action movie. And repeat viewings will likely improve it further, I feel, because the biggest problem I have is how densely packed a movie it was.

Went in and watched it without high expectations, I was still a bit disappointed :(, the movie felt so different to the first two, that it seemed to me it didn't fit. I found myself bored for the first hour or so while the plot was being set up.

Ironhide's death caused by Sentinel Prime's betrayal came to me as a shock and big surprise, didn't really see that one coming.

My biggest gripe by far is Starscream's death, come on, death by two humans?!?! That feels so demeaning of the character who's been in an important role in the first two movies. Even Shockwave, who was an epic disappointment (that guy basically didn't do anything), got the honour of being killed by Optimus Prime.

Then there's Megatron, who doesn't get much screen time at all, he didn't do much either, with the main villain being Sentinel. That was disappointing too, Megatron joins the fight for a few mins right at the end and gets easily killed by Optimus Prime immediately. I found myself wondering, why did they bother...

Also didn't like the alien spaceships, it doesn't feel very Transformers to me, it feels like another generic alien invasion technique (for lack of a better term). Shockwave's worm thing (Driller) was lame, the building being destroyed in half was lame, the Stealth Force modes were lame (to me anyway, the transition to the big screen wasn't as great as I expected) and Sam should have died a dozen times already with all the situations he's been in (especially when the Orbital Spaceship thing crashed with him on top).

I think the biggest problem for me was that the action didn't justify the movie like it did for ROTF, in terms of just the action, explosions and what was happening in the climax of the film, I felt DOTM was worse. A few scenes I couldn't follow what was happening, probably coz I didn't pay enough attention.

I was surprised at all the (brutal) deaths in this one, and finally more Autobots died instead of only just Decepticons. It was quite cool that there were quite a few references to other aspects of Transformers.

Oh, and we didn't get to see Optimus put on his Jetpack transforming from the trailer, I was looking forward to a scene like that and would have loved it but it wasn't to be... The ending was very abrupt too, so quick that I was like, "Huh?! It's finished!?".

Overall, I think it's worth watching, but DOTM was the only one in the Trilogy where I walked out after watching and felt disappointed. The first movie is by far the BEST, while I can't decide whether ROTF or DOTM is better (ROTF has better action sequences, while DOTM is more coherent). Really really really annoyed by Starscream's and Megatron's death though.