{"id":17048,"date":"2017-12-02T15:04:05","date_gmt":"2017-12-02T23:04:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/?p=17048"},"modified":"2023-05-22T20:58:03","modified_gmt":"2023-05-23T03:58:03","slug":"review-transformers2-4k","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/2017\/12\/review-transformers2-4k\/","title":{"rendered":"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen 4K Ultra HD Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen<\/em><\/strong> takes the action up a notch as sequels do but, somehow, dumbs down the story and makes me not care on bit about any of these characters, mechanical or human.<\/p>\n

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Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen<\/span>
\n(2009)<\/span>
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Genre(s): <\/strong>Action, Science Fiction
\nParamount | PG13 \u2013 149 min. \u2013 $31.99 | December 5, 2017<\/p>\n

Date Published:<\/strong> 12\/02\/2017 | Author:<\/strong> The Movieman<\/span><\/p>\n

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MOVIE INFO:
\n<\/u><\/strong>Directed by: <\/strong>Michael Bay
\nWriter(s): <\/strong>Ehren Kruger & Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (written by)
\nCast: <\/strong>Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, Kevin Dunn, Julie White, Isabel Lucas, Peter Cullen (voice), Mark Ryan (voice), Jess Harnell (voice), Hugo Weaving (voice), Tony Todd (voice)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
DISC INFO:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Features: <\/strong>Commentary, Featurettes, Deleted\/Extended Scenes, Trailers, Galleries
\nDigital Copy: <\/strong>Yes
\nFormats Included: <\/strong>4K, Blu-ray
\nNumber of Discs: <\/strong>3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Audio: <\/strong>English (Dolby Atmos), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital Surround), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1), Portuguese (Dolby Digital 5.1)
\nVideo: <\/strong>2160p\/Widescreen 2.39
\nDynamic Range: <\/strong>HDR10, Dolby Vision
\nSubtitles: <\/strong>English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese
\nCodecs: <\/strong>HEVC \/ H.265
\nRegion(s): <\/strong>A, B, C<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Note:<\/strong>\u00a0The screen captures are from the included Blu-ray disc.<\/p>\n

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THE MOVIE \u2014 1.5\/5<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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Note: <\/strong>This portion was copied over from my original theatrical review and pretty much matches my thoughts seeing this now a second time…<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not going to open with some obscure quote from some obscure cinematic expert 60 years ago. I\u2019m also not going to have some witty quip about how much this Transformers<\/em><\/strong> sequel stunk…<\/p>\n

I know mindless entertainment, it\u2019s not a new concept and it will only become more popular as it\u2019s an easier task that can bring in the broadest audience and thus make the most amount of money at the box office. Obviously there are exceptions to the rule (The Dark Knight<\/em>, Iron Man<\/em>) but it happens.<\/p>\n

In regards to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen<\/em><\/strong> I went in knowing there wouldn\u2019t be much of a plot, some poor acting from talented actors, terribly written dialogue and nonsensical direction by a man I actually have no problem with (I liked Armageddon<\/em> and The Island <\/em>for crying out loud). So what\u2019s left other than entertainment value? Well, Revenge of the Fallen<\/em><\/strong> was actually, coming from a critic of the original, pretty good. Unfortunately the movie was also a good 40 minutes too long with an astounding 145-minute running time (minus credits). I didn\u2019t hate the ending. I wasn\u2019t even annoyed by it. I was tired by that point. When you have so many robots vs. robots combat scenes getting like 30 in the final act was too much and it didn\u2019t help matters that I couldn\u2019t tell the Autobots from the Decepticons.<\/p>\n

A quick rundown of the \u201cplot\u201d: Think the first Transformers<\/em> add 30-minutes and a new mega villain that will wet the panties of the fanboys out there. OK, basically what happens is Sam Witwicky (SHIA LABEOUF) is once again thrown into the middle of a war between the Autobots and Decepticons as they continue to duke it out with one trying to protect Earth while the other wants to destroy it and gain more invincible power, of cour<\/p>\n

While packing to go to college, Sam discovers a piece of the AllSpark that falls out of a sweater he wore during the previous events. Upon touching it, this thing uploads a secret map to the location of a big spikey thingamabob which will end all human life if the Decepticons get to it first… which means Sam is a wanted man by the villains to get what\u2019s inside his brain! Not only does he has to deal with the Decepticons but also must handle a long distance relationship with his hot girlfriend Mikaela (MEGAN FOX) who wants to take it to the next level, i.e. the \u201cL\u201d word.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Autobots are working in conjunction with a United States led force to combat the remaining Decepticons who are hiding everywhere around the world. The movie begins with a mission to stop a few in Shanghai, needless to a lot of insurance claims — car and building will be made. After the Shanghai incident, the government is none too pleased with the chaos and destruction assigning a pencil-neck to be a representative for the U.S. government (hmm, I wonder if this will come into play later on).<\/p>\n

So it\u2019s a mad race to both get Sam and find this alien weapon that will wipe out the human race (I wasn\u2019t exactly clear on how it worked…). You have the Autobots and the U.S. forces helping Sam while the Decepticons and their fearless master leader, The Fallen dude (robot) that is a bigger baddie than Megatron and the only thing that can defeat him is a Prime Autobot, namely Optimus Prime.<\/p>\n

Director Michael Bay has divided many movie fans. Some love his work ethic and no-nonsense flair while others despise anything he touches. Personally, I don\u2019t have a problem with the man and have in fact enjoyed a few of his movies like Bad Boys<\/em> and Armageddon<\/em> (not to mention his producing participation in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre<\/em> remake). But with these Transformers<\/em> movies, he can\u2019t just let the robot fights be cool on their own and instead bangs you over the head until you\u2019re begging him to stop. And this goes into the length of the film. Why isn\u2019t he content with telling a non-story with bad dialogue in under two hours? Surely this was not so complex of a plot that it needed so much time to unfold (or did we need to see two dogs humping each other?).<\/p>\n

Revenge of the Fallen<\/em><\/strong> has a couple things going for it:<\/p>\n

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  1. Steve Jablonsky\u2019s score, while themes were recycled from the previous incarnation, actually wasn\u2019t too bad. Was it over-the-top? Of course, but since the rest of the film was the same way, it all fit.<\/li>\n
  2. Megan Fox is hot. Now, I\u2019m all for gratuitous stripping scenes (not what you think, sorry), serves nothing but tantalize and look good in the trailers.<\/li>\n
  3. Shia LaBeouf, when given some good material, is shaping up to actually be a decent actor and if he can balance the mindless entertainment and films with substance, he could avoid becoming another Nicolas Cage (although Cage\u2019s dramatic turn in Leaving Las Vegas didn\u2019t help him avoid more than a few clunkers over the years).<\/li>\n
  4. The visual effects are amazing. Yes, we as a movie-going society I think have become spoiled with just how awesome effects have become that only a 100% CGI human will impress us, but for a bunch of walking and talking robots, not too shabby.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    But even with the \u201cgood\u201d things Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen<\/em><\/strong> has going for it, I would not, even if you paid me, sit through yet another two and a half hours. Sure, it\u2019s not a big stinker of a film, but when you compare one rotting fish with another, what\u2019s the difference?<\/p>\n

    And a quick question to those who boast that this is not a movie to see for a plot: For one thing, I agree that it doesn\u2019t need a plot to be entertained, but answer me this, why did it need to be so damn long since it is a simple plot (and more of a rehash of the original anyway)?<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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    SPECIAL FEATURES \u2013 5.0\/5<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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    This three-disc release comes with a glossy title-embossed slip cover<\/strong>. Inside is a redemption code for the Digital HD<\/strong> copy.<\/p>\n

    Disc 1 (4K) & Disc 2 (BD):
    \n<\/strong>Audio Commentary<\/u><\/strong> \u2013 Director Michael Bay & Writers Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman sit down for a casual but informative track discussing, as one would assume, some of the story aspects as well as some anecdotal stories from the set.<\/p>\n

    Disc 3:
    \n<\/strong>The Human Factor: Exacting Revenge of the Fallen<\/em> (2:14:31; HD)<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n