Roger Ebert is an institution. He has been writing about film far longer than I have been watching it. And it appears he has a great dislike for Transformers 2; like many of his fellow critics.
So incensed was he by Transformers 2 that he felt compelled to write a follow-up to his review that puts films like Transformers 2 into perspective. It is a refreshing read. While I often disagree with Ebert I think he hits the nail on the head here.
When I talk about film to people they tend to dismiss my opinion as if I live on a different planet; “I like weird movies that nobody else likes so my taste is questionable”. I hate to bring this idea crashing down but most of my favourite films are tried and true classics that most people also love. Just this weekend I have appreciated three films that I love with other people who appear to like them too; Oceans 11, The Neverending Story, and Blade Runner; hardly obscure films. What I love about them is that they all tell stories well. And that is what I look for in a film; a good story.
Transformers 2, as Ebert clearly writes, is not a story. It is a mess of non-characters, action, and noise that combine into an incoherent mess. It is storytelling at its poorest. The fact that it has cool transforming robots is of little consolation.
One online reviewer, Eric D. Snider, sums it up perfectly in his online review:
Fans of “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” will probably describe it the same way as they described its predecessor. “It’s not meant to be Shakespeare!” “It’s not supposed to be ‘Citizen Kane.’” “Sure, it won’t win any Oscars….” “Leave your brain at the door!” “Lighten up, it’s a popcorn movie!” All of these defenses — which sound more like excuses — are true enough, but they overlook an important fact, which is that testosterone-fueled summer blockbusters can be fun AND smart. It’s not an either/or proposition. Since so many films have proven this, why settle for one that treats its audience like idiots? I can’t speak for you, but I know I deserve better.