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PUTNAM NEWS
Billy Summers: 'Transformers:' Fast and furious visual scenes feature toys kicking butt
The opening scene of the new Transformers sequel "Transformers -- Revenge of the Fallen" left my head spinning.
The fast and furious visual of machines transforming from various automobiles and other earthmoving vehicles into robotic warriors vaguely invoked images of Japanese Samurai, which is reasonable, since Transformers were birthed in the Land of the Rising Sun.
A case of a movie made to sell a product, the Transformers saga began with Takara, a Japanese company that manufactured a series of toys designed to change shape from ordinary objects into action figures.
In 1984, Hasbro, Inc. bought the rights to the toys and built the concept into a franchise. Increasing their sales over the years with, among other things, an animated television series, a comic book, as well as an animated movie; the toy company eventually went digital with the original, live action "Transformers" film in 2007.
"Revenge of the Fallen" is the sequel, bringing almost the entire cast and crew back for more fun.
In this film, the hero Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) tries to forget his first encounter with the Autobots (good guy robots) and the Decepticons (bad guy robots), by enrolling in college, far from home.
The robots return and the War of the RoboWorlds happens all over again. It's a simple premise; it worked the first time, and it still does. Only this time, it's even better, judging from fellow viewers (I missed the first one).
The human performers are good (not great), as Sam's girlfriend Michaela (Megan Fox) does some pretty fair acting.
Fox isn't the only sex symbol in this movie; director Michael Bay also brought back actors Josh Duhamel (Danny McCoy of television's "Las Vegas") and former model, singer, songwriter, rapper & MTV DJ Tyrese Gibson as the "grunts on the ground" who help battle the evil Decepticons.
In the non-hottie category (but an actual actor), we have John Turturro as Simmons, the X-Files-type crackpot, who makes for a pleasant diversion among other actors who are trying way too hard to be serious while playing against giant toys.
But, the toys ARE the movie, and -- with the exception of a pair of underling robots almost as annoying as Jar Jar Binks -- they kick butt!
Their battles are a constant blur as approximately 90 different Transformers are CGI'd into numerous battles, both large and small, including the (almost) destruction on the ancient pyramids of Egypt.
The plot, if there is one, is not original, and while giant robots are possibly the modern-day version of Cowboys and Indians, and Michael Bay and Optimus Prime may not be John Ford and "The Duke," for today's generation of youngsters, this kind of adventure movie is what brings 'em to the theater.
And for its time and effort, "Transformers -- Revenge of the Fallen" is, in a word, entertaining.
To paraphrase a classic movie phrase, "Just keep telling yourself, it's only (a bunch of toys made into) a movie"...
Billy Summers is a freelance photographer who also reviews films for the Putnam Herald. He can be reached at summers855@verizon.net.
