Dark of the Moon

Yes, the third Transformers movie. Let me be frank, I'm not really too picky on some occasions, and when it comes to those giant transforming robot stranded on Earth fighting each other, I'm not going to put up to much of a fuss about other stuff that may be lacking, as long as the giant transforming robots show up and tear chunks of metal out of each other. Which they do, in spades.

I liked this new movie. We see Optimus Prime in a more complete capacity, for those who care; he's tugging along his trailer that old school fans will recognize, it looks exactly right! (and it doesn't just disappear when he transforms, either)

I thought this movie was a nice recovery from the disappointment of Revenge of the Fallen, but there is so much action, it's exhausting. I suspect it will work better on DVD when you can watch the movie for an hour and take a break before coming back to it.

What really makes it worth it for those who remember the old '80s show is how it nicely incorporates story elements from two memorable shows, but does the material in a more logical and effective way. It also looks like some inspiration has come from the newer comic series from IDW as well, the sort of thing you really want to see happen in a movie like this.

Well, I was suitably entertained, anyway.

Sweet! I'm glad to hear that. I really wanted to go see it this weekend, but was afraid to take my kids after the second one. The language and crude humor in the second one disappointed me with my kids sitting right there. I'm not very picky on that issue personally, but it's not something I want my kids picking up.

I may try to go see it with my wife (who probably won't care to see it) or with some friends (more likely). Or just wait for the DVD (even more likely).

Thanks for posting your thoughts, Kris! I might use them on the show this weekend, since I knew I wouldn't be seeing this one.

Paeter wrote:Thanks for posting your thoughts, Kris! I might use them on the show this weekend, since I knew I wouldn't be seeing this one.

I knew it! Did you know that I knew?

I'll throw in a couple of other tidbits:

The movie was kind of too long, in it's ending battle sequence in particular (which is why I mention that these still very cool action sequences will be more appreciable when taken in smaller doses).

The new female lead is pretty much entirely interchangeable with the main character's girlfriend from the first two movies, the only difference is that the name of the new girl, Carly, is the person Sam/Spike ends up with in the original animated show. It's almost as is Mikaela transformed into Carly. In another sense, however, there is a scene where she interacts with one of the Transformers in a familiar way that would have worked better with the Mikaela character, so maybe they should have just re-cast for the character.

Leonard Nimoy does the voice of a new character, and the production team really geeked out, so you get the same voice saying some of Spock's most iconic dialogue in a new performance and context (this is in addition to many other little Spock related easter eggs sprinkled throughout the movie).

Michael Bay does kind of pull back a little from some of his usual excesses, no doubt because of backlash from the second Transformers movie. It's still definitely one of his movies, though. I would guess that any parents who are okay with their kids seeing the first TF movie might find this third movie similarly acceptable (but, shouldn't take my word for it, but rather their own appraisal of the movie).

On a totally random note Frances McDormand manages with her performance to breath amazing life into a character that otherwise might have remained a lamentable caricature. Nice work there.

Desert Kris wrote:Leonard Nimoy does the voice of a new character, and the production team really geeked out, so you get the same voice saying some of Spock's most iconic dialogue in a new performance and context (this is in addition to many other little Spock related easter eggs sprinkled throughout the movie).

But is there anything related to Nimoy's role in the animated Transformers movie? Leonard Nimoy voiced Unicrom, the greatest Transformers villain of them all!

mindspike wrote:

Desert Kris wrote:Leonard Nimoy does the voice of a new character, and the production team really geeked out, so you get the same voice saying some of Spock's most iconic dialogue in a new performance and context (this is in addition to many other little Spock related easter eggs sprinkled throughout the movie).

But is there anything related to Nimoy's role in the animated Transformers movie? Leonard Nimoy voiced Unicrom, the greatest Transformers villain of them all!

In this story, Leonard Nimoy does the voice of a different character, who is connected with a Unicron-sized problem (I hope that's vague enough to not spoil things, while remaining intriguingly enigmatic).

If I recall correctly, Orson Wells plays the voice of Unicron in the 1986 animated movie; and Leonard Nimoy plays Galvatron, the reincarnated/reworked Megatron. A different voice actor takes over for Galvatron when he shows up in the post-movie third season of the original TF animated show (it probably would have been costly to keep Nimoy involved in the ongoing TV show).

It would have been interesting to involve Unicron as something legendary that the Decepticons paid deference to (building Unicron up as something really scary and demonic, and basically categorizing the Decepticons as being something akin to devil worshipers, since they certainly are mean enough for it). It would have been cool to have that start in the first and second movie; some of the Decepticons came across as vaguely demonic themselves, especially in Revenge of the Fallen.

I'm glad to hear the rumor about Lenord Nemoy retiring was false that means he can reprise his role as Master Xehanort for future Kingdom Hearts games

Desert Kris wrote:

Paeter wrote:Thanks for posting your thoughts, Kris! I might use them on the show this weekend, since I knew I wouldn't be seeing this one.

I knew it! Did you know that I knew?

Thanks for the added tidbits! And not only did I know that you knew, I knew you'd know. And before you even ask, yes. I knew you'd know I'd know you knew. I know you well, you know.

Desert Kris wrote:

mindspike wrote:But is there anything related to Nimoy's role in the animated Transformers movie? Leonard Nimoy voiced Unicrom, the greatest Transformers villain of them all!

If I recall correctly, Orson Wells plays the voice of Unicron in the 1986 animated movie; and Leonard Nimoy plays Galvatron, the reincarnated/reworked Megatron. A different voice actor takes over for Galvatron when he shows up in the post-movie third season of the original TF animated show (it probably would have been costly to keep Nimoy involved in the ongoing TV show).

D'oh! Shot in the Geek Cred! That's my second flub this week that hits both Trek and animation voices! (No, I'm not telling.)