Comments on: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

By: Bobby_Floyd

Bobby_Floyd — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:45:01 +0000

"whether it conforms to the propagandistic quality of a Lenin hagiography"

Was there a change to the LWL review criteria that I don't know about? Last I checked it was "honest, passionate, unmerciful," which is very much the spirit of this review.

By: Anton Bitel

Anton Bitel — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:10:40 +0000

Woah there, Jack! It's Bay who has filled – and I mean filled – his film with the imagery of 9/11 and the Second Gulf War. How is it "dragging politics into a film review" to comment on what is so overtly a part of the film already? When you say, "Bush is long gone – time to move on" (words better addressed, in any case, to Bay than to Matt, precisely for the reasons that Matt has outlined in his review), you're not seriously suggesting that the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq have ceased to be live issues, are you? Reviewing a film 'on cinematic merit' surely involves addressing what the film has to offer, ideologically as well as aesthetically.

The only gratuitous comment I see being dragged in here is your own word 'metrosexual'. Apart from the fact that it is entirely irrelevant to your point (as I understand it), it is also simply false as a characterisation of LWLies which, last time I checked, is an independent publication devoted to film and film-related issues. Sexuality (metro- or otherwise) comes into it only as a reflection of film content. This is hardly a relationship-oriented mag – or am I missing something?

Also, looking at a map is not helpful when geopolitical circumstances keep changing. The (shifting) definition of the Middle East has always been imposed from without. Before World War I it most certainly included Afghanistan, and post-9/11 it was redefined (as the 'Greater Middle East' or 'New Middle East') to include Afghanistan (and Pakistan).

By: Jack

Jack — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 04:41:07 +0000

I wonder if dear Matt is as obnoxioously dumb as he sounds. Does he know that Iron Man was set in Afghanistan, which is NOT in the Middle East? Yeah, check a map Matt. I'll give you an hour. i wonder if he realizes also that Egypt was chosen, not so the US Military could have a romp, much to Matt's leftist consternation, but because Egypt's pyramids have long been associated with the 'ancient astronaut' theory, i.e., ALIENS! Duh. Sure, it's a very dumb plot gimmick, last seen in Indiana Jones: ingdom of the Crystal Skull, but Orci and Kurtzmann are nothing if not doggedly crass and juveile. They make kevin Smith look like Boethius.

And Matt, do us, the readers of your metrosexual website a small favor: stop dragging politics into a film review. Bush is long gone. Time to move on. Review the film on cinematic merit, not whether it conforms to the propagandistic quality of a Lenin hagiography.

By: adhesif

adhesif — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:43:54 +0000

Ok, so I'm torn about this one. Obviously the film will be a big steaming pile of gash pie…that goes without saying.

My dilemma is the publicity shots of Megan Fox leaning over the motorbike within an inch of showing "clunge".

On one hand I know its cyncial, exploitative and down-right tacky – but on the other hand, it's a photo of Megan Fox leaning over a motorbike within an inch of showing "clunge"….

Damn these moral dilemmas!