‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ Continues to Surprise Us All

As cool as Marvel’s The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises will probably be this summer, it’s getting harder and harder to ignore just how awesome G.I. Joe: Retaliation is looking as we near its June 29 release date. Now, I was notoriously easy on its predecessor, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, when it was released in 2009, but a lot of my enjoyment of that Stephen Sommers schlockfest came from its aggressive determination to be as loud and as gloriously dumb as possible. Hell, the formula worked for Hasbro’s other big toy-to-movie franchise, Transformers.

This time around, however, director Jon Chu actually looks like he’s interested in telling a good story with these characters. And yes, this is the guy that directed the Justin Bieber documentary that hit theaters last year.

Check out the latest international trailer below.

‘Transformers 4’ on the Way?

Wait, what? Didn’t Michael Bay say everything he had to say about robots fighting other robots in Transformers: Dark of the Moon? Well, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and the rest of the gang might be transforming and rolling out in yet another installment in the blockbuster series.

Reportedly, Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner is in talks with Bay, studio partner Paramount and franchise executive producer Steven Spielberg about a fourth Transformers film. Now, even though thought Dark of the Moon was pretty good for what it was—mindless metal-on-metal explosion porn—I think we’ve reached our quota on Transformers movies for at least the next decade. Then again, there are tickets and toys to be sold, so it’s not like I’m all that surprised that Hasbro is pushing to continue the series.

Other Hasbro films in the works include Micronauts, Ouija, Candyland, Risk, Stretch Armstrong, Clue and Monopoly. And to think, some people believe that cinema is dying!

Michael Bay Brings the Boom with ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’

Few films divide geeks quite like those in Michael Bay’s Transformers franchise. Upon the release of each movie, film fanatics typically find themselves in two camps: Either they laud the films for their brash evasion of complex storytelling in favor of bombastic excess and CGI smackdowns between giant robots, or they view their incredible box office success as a prime indicator of our cultural collapse.

Whatever you think about Bay or his films based on Hasbro’s robots in disguise, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that Transformers: Dark of the Moon is poised to be one of the biggest releases in 2011. However, after the lackluster Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, is this third installment worth the hefty 3D ticket price? Read on to find out.

About that last movie …
From the opening frames of Dark of the Moon, it’s clear that Bay is sorry about how much Revenge of the Fallen sucked on a base level, and makes up for that massive misstep with a far more interesting narrative and a lot more action than its predecessor. In fact, the final hour of the film is essentially one long action sequence, as the Autobots—led by Optimus Prime—take the fight to the Decepticons as Chicago crumbles around them.

This is all well and good, but Bay simply can’t escape his tendency to transform his human characters into bizarre, eccentric caricatures. Series newcomers like Ken Jeong, John Malkovich, Alan Tudyk and Frances McDormand—playing an excessively terse U.S. National Intelligence director—are so over-the-top in their roles that they undermine the more serious portions of the film. Like when the world is ending.

Additionally, John Turturro’s Agent Simmons character is wackier than ever, while protagonist Sam Witwicky’s mom, played by Julie White, uses her brief time onscreen to talk about the size of her son’s penis and the importance of cunnilingus. I wish I was kidding.

The new girl
After Megan Fox compared Bay to Adolf Hitler in the press, Bay and executive producer Steven Spielberg were understandably unhappy with her, especially considering the fact that it was the original 2007 Transformers film that made her a star. With Fox out of the picture, Victoria’s Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whitely stars opposite Shia LaBeouf as Carly Spencer, Sam’s wealthy British girlfriend.

Huntington-Whitely does just fine in the role, although the circumstances of Sam’s breakup with Fox’s character, Mikaela, are a bit hackneyed at best. Plus, it’s hard to feel bad for Sam at the beginning of the film when he whines to Carly about not being able to find a job after college. Mooching off a hot rich girl doesn’t seem like such a bad gig, but I digress.

Now, I’m not sure if this has something to do with the film being shot in 3D or what, but there were certain scenes where Huntington-Whitely’s lips looked HUGE, and the size of her smackers actually fluxuates throughout the movie. I’m not alone in thinking this was ridiculous, as the audience erupted in laughter during several of her close-ups in the third act. I doubt this was the intended reaction.

The good
Because there are new toys to be made, there are several new Transformers introduced in Dark of the Moon. In addition to returning Autobots like Optimus, Bumblebee, Sideswipe and the foul-mouthed Wheelie, we meet the Wreckers, a group of brawlers bluntly described by McDormand’s character as “assholes.” We also meet a James Bond-inspired techie named Que and Wheelie’s wild-haired new buddy named Brains, who transforms into a laptop.

The most important new addition to the Autobot ranks is the aged Sentinel Prime, voiced by Star Trek icon Leonard Nimoy. Fleeing Cybertron during the planet’s cataclysmic civil war, Sentinel crash-landed an Autobot spacecraft called the Ark on the far side of Earth’s moon. Thanks to a little revisionist history, it’s the discovery of this alien ship that initiates the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1960s. But undiscovered inside the Ark—left dormant as Sentinel slumbered—is precious cargo that could have changed the tied of the war on Cybertron.

No stranger to the Transformers universe after voicing Galvatron in 1986’s animated Transformers: The Movie, Nimoy joins longtime Optimus voice actor Peter Cullen and Lord of the Rings/Matrix/Captain America actor Hugo Weaving (as a battle-ravaged Megatron) in lending some major nerd credibility to the film. Also, I should add that Sentinel Prime is responsible for the coolest twist in the series, and I’m sincerely happy the folks at Paramount haven’t spoiled it in their promotional materials.

The bad and the ugly
Because Dark of the Moon is all about the Decepticons’ last-ditch assault on Earth and the Autobots, we are also introduced to some new evil automatons. Joining Megatron, Starscream and Soundwave are Laserbeak—Soundwave’s pteranodon-esque henchman—the slobbering Igor and the imposing Shockwave. Using a massive worm-like monstrosity as a means of transportation as well as devastation, Shockwave is simply badass.

Cause and effect
“Okay, so the movie’s about Sam not being able to find a job and the Decepticons once again trying to kill and/or enslave the human race … how are the special effects?” I’m glad you asked. Storytelling has never quite been Bay’s forte, but the man sure does know how to blow up a city. In this case, it’s Chicago.

Enhanced by some incredible use of James Cameron’s 3D technology, Dark of the Moon looks great. The transformation sequences are better than they’ve ever been, and the action during the film’s extended climax in the Windy City wonderfully blends CGI and live action.

Also, while I’m sure this was just another example of Bay’s fetishistic fascination with military hardware, there are some cool aerial sequences toward the end of the film showcasing a group of precision skydivers wearing high-tech wingsuits. Pointless? Kinda. But these scenes are fun to watch.

More than meets the eye?
Is Transformers: Dark of the Moon all style with very little substance? Sort of, although you’ll care a lot more about what’s going on this time around thanks to the higher stakes and some genuine peril throughout. All that said, the plot is loaded with holes large enough to drive Optimus Prime through, and several potentially dramatic moments that are marred by Bay’s reluctance to portray his human characters as anything more than mugging marionettes and exposition delivery systems.

Nevertheless, the action scenes in Dark of the Moon are undeniably slick, and more than justify the higher cost of seeing the film in 3D. In terms of sheer spectacle, Bay has redeemed himself after the disappointing Revenge of the Fallen, and has delivered what is arguably his best Transformers film yet.

Michael Bay Urges Fans to See ‘Transformers 3’ in 3D

Based on the escalated marketing bombardment over the last few days, you’re probably well aware that Transformers: Dark of the Moon hits theaters worldwide tomorrow. Some of the early reviews are saying this is the best Transformers film yet, and while I’ll never quite forget how soul-crushingly idiotic the last film was, I’m kind of hoping director Michael Bay redeems himself with his third and presumably final Autobots vs. Decepticons epic. Because, hey, the first one was pretty cool.

In anticipation of the film’s release, Bay has been hard at work to ensure that moviegoers are seeing the best version of the film possible. In a posting on his official website, MichaelBay.com, the explosion enthusiast urged fans to see the film in 3D, a format he was vehemently opposed to prior to shooting Dark of the Moon.

“Dark of the Moon has some of the most technically challenging sequences ever shot. And shot in 3D,” Bay wrote. “I must urge you to find the very best theatre and see this movie in that format. 3D was a forethought, not an afterthought in this movie. I’m glad [3D innovator] Jim Cameron and [Dark of the Moon executive producer] Steven Spielberg really convinced me to shoot in this new technology.”

Will you be seeing Transformers: Dark of the Moon in 3D? Do you really think Dark of the Moon makes up for the abysmal Revenge of the Fallen? Sound off on my Facebook page, or continue the conversation by following me on Twitter and using the hashtag #WortReport

Stuff Blows Up in the New ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’ Trailer

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is easily among the most incoherent, rushed, sloppy and audience-insulting films to hit theaters in the last decade. However Michael Bay’s craptastic sequel to the dumb-but-fun original Transformers made a ton of money, allowing the boom-happy director to bring Hasbro’s Robots in Disguise to theaters once more with Transformers: Dark of the Moon on July 1—this time in 3D!

Since we all hated Revenge of the Fallen (and if you didn’t you should), Bay is hoping to redeem himself with an invasion story somehow tied to the 20th century Space Race. This time around, the Decepticons launch an all-out assault on Earth, putting the Autobots and their human allies in their most precarious position yet.

But does the new trailer tell us? There will be explosions, robots fight, and Shia LaBeouf’s Sam Witwicky’s new girlfriend played by Victoria’s Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whitely. Like her ousted predecessor Megan Fox, she will likely spend the bulk of the film looking dirty, sweaty and confused.

Also, judging by the previous film, we can also expect ample amounts of racial caricatures, robot testicles and at least one joke about dogs humping.

Check out the trailer below (via MTV Movies Blog).

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Nerd News Roundup!

With New York Comic Con kicking off this weekend, geeky news and announcements have been particularly abundant over the past few days. Here are the most noteworthy:

Emma Stone Is Gwen Stacy
I have a confession to make: I have a massive crush on Emma Stone. She’s charming, she’s gorgeous and—perhaps most important of all—she has incredible comic timing. Don’t believe me? Watch Zombieland again.

So I was understandably pretty excited when I learned that Ms. Stone would be starring as the romantic lead in Marc Webb’s 2012 Spider-Man reboot. However, I was befuddled when I learned that the redheaded actress would be playing Peter Parker’s blonde (and doomed) first love, Gwen Stacy. Surely, Ms. Stone would be a better Mary Jane Watson, no?

Evidently, as reported by First Showing, Stone’s a natural blonde, so the casting isn’t as bizarre as it would seem. Cosmic. (Via First Showing)

Zack Snyder Will Direct Chris Nolan’s Superman
Say what you will about 300 or Watchmen, it’s hard to deny the fact that Zack Snyder is pretty good at creating compelling visuals. His actual ability as a storyteller, however, is often questioned by critics.

Be that as it may, Warner Bros. has confirmed that Snyder will be taking the helm of the studio’s Superman reboot, which is being produced by Chris Nolan (The Dark Knight, Inception) and written by frequent Nolan collaborator David S. Goyer.

This could be cool, assuming that Nolan, Goyer and Snyder refrain from simply rehashing the Richard Donner series, one of the predominant flaws of Bryan Singer’s 2006 attempt at a franchise reboot, Superman Returns. However, it’s rumored that the villain in the Man of Steel movie revival is Superman II baddie General Zod.

Aw, crap. (Via Heat Vision)

Transformers 3 Has a Title
Managing to somehow sound simultaneously pretentious and idiotic, Michael Bay’s third Transformers movie—due out next summer—is apparently called The Dark of the Moon. Wow, Pink Floyd is gonna be pissed.

I guess it’s better than Bay’s rumored original title, Transformers: F*ck You, Megan Fox. (Via Seibertron)

Transforming an Opinion

These days, Transformers fandom is typically dominated by people complaining that director Michael Bay has, through his last two Transformers films, engaged in a number of violent sexual acts with their childhoods. It’s refreshing, then, that legions of Autobot aficionados and Decepticon devotees now have something to celebrate: Transformers: War for Cybertron is a great game.

“Hold on,” you might say. “A licensed game that’s actually playable is rare enough, but there’s a good Transformers video game on store shelves?” There is, dear reader. And while I appreciate your enthusiasm, talking aloud to your computer monitor simply isn’t healthy.

War for Cybertron has nothing to do with Bay’s films, but if it did, it would take place long before Optimus Prime befriended an excitable Shia LaBeouf or Bumblebee gave John Turturro a golden shower (about which he was certainly not excited). Based on the fan-favorite Generation 1 continuity, the game follows the civil war between the heroic Autobots, led by Zeta Prime, and the devious Decepticons, led by the power-hungry Megatron. Players participate in both sides of the war, taking control of iconic characters such as the heir apparent Autobot leader Optimus (voiced by cartoon and film voice actor Peter Cullen), Bumblebee, Ratchet, Megatron, Starscream and Soundwave. The campaigns aren’t long, clocking in at about four hours each, but the gameplay is so frenetic and fun you’ll be compelled to play through both sides of the war at least once.

Like last summer’s Arkham Asylum—which made the most out of the Batman license while delivering an overwhelmingly satisfying console experience—War for Cybertron similarly serves as a love letter to fans of its franchise while showing off some surprisingly solid play mechanics. Developer High Noon Studios put gameplay first, building this title as a strong third-person shooter that just happens to take place in the Transformers universe. When these titles are developed the other way around, as licensed products that just happen to be video games, then things get problematic.

Playing a lot like Gears of War, War for Cybertron ditches that game’s cover system in favor of the ability to transform your character from robot to vehicle form at any time. This might seem gimmicky, as was the case in previous Transformers games, but transforming in this title is incredibly fluid and organic, allowing players to approach firefights and other challenges in a variety of ways.

Like most shooters these days, there is a sizeable multiplayer component in War for Cybertron, including a number of competitive and cooperative online game modes. Although I haven’t had the time to dive too deeply into the multiplayer, something tells me the single-player campaigns were originally designed for more than one participant (the game supports three-player online co-op). I’m not complaining about the game’s difficulty, even though it does get frustrating at times and ammo seems scarce, but certain moments in the campaigns seem more overwhelming on the medium difficulty setting than they were likely intended to be.

Additionally, although the visuals in this game are solid, Cybertron doesn’t offer a whole lot of variety in terms of locations. I don’t expect the Transformers’ homeworld to be lush and vibrant, but one does tire of brown and gray metal corridors. Perhaps an Earth-centric sequel will rectify this issue.

You might at first dismiss Transformers: War for Cybertron as a lame, licensed cash-in title, but it’s a lot more than that. If you’re a longtime Transformers fan (and what child of the 1980s isn’t?) then this is the proper Transformers game you’ve been waiting for. For everyone else not steeped in Cybertronian lore, it’s easily a worthwhile rental. And who knows? This could transform (ha!) you into a fan of the property in ways Michael Bay could not.

I didn’t want to sign off with a cliché, but it’s pretty irresistible at this point. Ahem: Unlike other licensed games, Transformers: War for Cybertron is certainly “more than meets the eye.”

Yeesh. Now I feel dirty. Where’s Bumblebee with that shower?

3D or Don’t?

Nintendo recently announced that a 3D version of the DS, predictably called the Nintendo 3DS, will hit shelves sometime in the next year. And while some gamers are no doubt rejoicing that they will be able to enjoy 3D graphics on the go—and without 3D glasses, no less—the news got me thinking about this whole 3D trend. We’ve already got 3D televisions. Just about every blockbuster movie going into production is getting the 3D treatment, while others released over the next few months—Clash of the Titans, for example—are getting a post-production 3D makeover. Even the iced coffee I’m sipping as I type this is in 3D! When will the madness end?

Look, I’m no Luddite. Clearly. I thought the 3D in Avatar was masterfully done, and I’m always supportive of new ways to play, watch and immerse ourselves in the things we love. But with studios, developers and consumer electronics manufacturers cramming this new technology down our throats following Avatar’s commercial success, I wonder whether this hurried, across-the-board 3D media upgrade will do more harm than good.

Since audiences have proven that they’re willing to pay more for content if it’s in 3D (3D Avatar tickets were about $5 more than standard ones), an increasing number of consumer electronics manufacturers, studios—and now game designers—are exploring the exploitative potential of 3D everything, which is very likely a move in the wrong direction for the entertainment industry as a whole. That extra dimension is expensive, but it won’t always be worth it.

I’ve yet to see Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, the first big post-Avatar 3D release (like Titans, the 3D was added in post), but most of my friends that have said the film itself wasn’t great but the 3D was “pretty cool,” almost apologetically. Interestingly enough, I remember the same reactions to the mind-numbing Transformers Revenge of the Fallen when it hit theaters; just replace “3D” with “CGI.” CGI (computer-generated imagery) is used masterfully by some (like Pixar), while an unfortunate majority use it as pretty packaging for a mediocre product. Can anyone argue that 3D will be any different?

Humorously enough, Avatar director James Cameron—lauded as the progenitor of this 3D revolution—is among its harshest critics.

“After Toy Story, there were 10 really bad CG movies because everybody thought the success of that film was CG and not great characters that were beautifully designed and heartwarming,” Cameron told Deadline Hollywood’s Mike Fleming. “Now, you’ve got people quickly converting movies from 2D to 3D, which is not what we did. They’re expecting the same result, when in fact they will probably work against the adoption of 3D because they’ll be putting out an inferior product.”

Cameron added that, as was the case with Avatar, the decision to release a film in 3D should be a creative one made by the director and not a cash grab by the studio.

“This is another example of Hollywood getting it wrong,” Cameron said. “Sony says, ‘We’re doing Spider-Man in 3D.’ The director doesn’t say, ‘Hey, I want to make the movie in 3D.’ The studio says, ‘You want to direct this movie? You’re doing it in 3D, motherfucker!’ That’s not how it should be.”

Nope, it’s not; not in film, not in television and, no, not even in video games. Although, I have to say, this 3D coffee is delicious.

Michael Bay Promises Less Robots, Explosions in Transformers 3

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times’ Hero Complex blog, Michael Bay vowed that there would be less robots and fewer explosions in the forthcoming third Transformers film, seemingly forgetting that pyrotechnics and giant robots were among the only things that actually worked in the first two movies. However, he did say that there would be more emphasis on character this time around.

“There will be a nice crescendo ending,” Bay said. “It gets much more into the robot character. The last time you kind of met a few of the robots; this time you’re gonna get a much cooler landscape.”

Sounds great, as long as Bay lays off the toilet humor, needlessly complicated plotting, lame comedy sidekicks and not-so-subtle racism in Transformers 3 (spoiler alert: he won’t). Sure, Revenge of the Fallen grossed more than $834 million worldwide, but can you imagine how much more successful that film might have been if it didn’t insult the audience’s intelligence outright?

Transformers 3 is scheduled to hit theaters in July 2011.

Zombieland Writers Mobilize for G.I. Joe 2, Deadpool

I might be in the minority on this, but I actually really liked Stephen Sommers’ G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. It was dumb and ludicrously cheesy at times, but it was also far more enjoyable than Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, last year’s other mindless, toy-based summer blockbuster.

Despite near-universal criticism, G.I. Joe was moderately successful, bringing in more than $300 million worldwide not counting revenue earned through home video sales and merchandising. As one might expect, Paramount Pictures is readying a sequel.

IESB.com reports that Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick—who wrote the uproariously entertaining horror comedy Zombieland—are on hand to write G.I. Joe 2.

Do these names seem familiar? If you’ve been following movie news recently, you might have read that Reese and Wernick are also penning Deadpool, a film based on the popular Marvel Comics character.

Great writing was one of Zombieland’s many strengths, so this is promising news for fans who vehemently exclaimed “No, Joe!” when the first G.I. Joe movie hit theaters last August.

Michael Bay: Megan Fox’s Character Won’t Be Killed Off in Transformers 3

While the tension between Megan Fox and her Transformers director Michael Bay is the stuff of legend at this point (she has reportedly compared him to Hitler), the explosion enthusiast rushed to his leading lady’s defense at a recent Victoria’s Secret fashion show.

“She called me [after the Hitler comment] and goes, ‘It’s all bullsh—t, Mike,’” Bay told USA Today’s Andrea Mandell. “The press, they just like to prey, and stalk, and pounce and find a good little juicy thing. But she’s always wanted to do these crazy comments. That’s just her. She’s great.”

As for those rumors that Bay’s going to kill off her character, Mikaela Banes, in the next Transformers sequel? “No, no, no,” he said. “She gets enough of that already.”

The USA Today piece points out that Bay directs commercials for Victoria’s Secret, which is a bit of a shock. That being the case, I’m surprised we haven’t seen more pyrotechnics and giant robot genitals in our lingerie ads.

Transformers 3 Set for 2011

This may not necessarily be the most awesome news for those of us who sat through the barely coherent (albeit pretty) Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, but director Michael Bay announced October 1 on his Shoot for the Edit site that he has a “great Transformers 3 story,” and that the release date of the sequel has been moved up to July 1, 2011 from 2012.

According to his blog, Bay has already had a five-hour meeting with visual effects powerhouse Industrial Light & Magic in San Francisco, and is in talks with Transformers toy manufacturer Hasbro about new character designs.

Bay ends the post with a shot at franchise star Megan Fox, who has described him in the press as being “like Hitler on the sets” among other widely publicized insults. Despite this apparently rocky professional relationship, she will be returning in the next installment.

He writes:

P.S. Megan Fox, welcome back. I promise no alien robots will harm you in any way during the production of this motion picture. Please consult your Physician when working under my direction because some side effects can occur, such as mild dizziness, intense nausea, suicidal tendencies, depression, minor chest hair growth, random internal hemorrhaging and inability to sleep. As some directors may be hazardous to your health, please consult your Doctor to determine if this is right for you.

Ouch.

G.I. Joe Tops the Box Office with $56.2 Million Debut

Yo Joe! Despite a decidedly frosty critical reception, Paramount’s G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra earned $56.2 million domestically during its opening weekend, according to studio estimates. The Associated Press reports that the film earned $44.3 million overseas, bringing its worldwide total to $100.5 million.

Based on overall harsh reviews for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen—yet another Paramount film based on a Hasbro action figure line—the studio decided not to hold pre-release screenings of G.I. Joe for critics.

“The thing we saw from Transformers is that with these kind of movies, at times critics have a hard time getting their arms around them,” said Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore. “But the audience got exactly what it was. A fun summer movie, a great way to end your summer. You just relax and have a good time. You don't have to worry about global politics or global warming.”

While I’m not entirely in support of this “critics don’t matter” rationale, I will say that G.I. Joe is an exhilarating—albeit mindless—time at the movies and is a far better summer blockbuster than Revenge of the Fallen. It’s not necessarily a “good” film, but it’s a lot more entertaining than a lot of us thought it would be.

Look for my full review on Broken Frontier.

Ice Age 3 Ties Transformers 2 Over Holiday Weekend

Over the Fourth of July weekend, box office newcomer Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs tied for first place with blockbuster smash Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, with both films earning $42.5 million domestically since Friday, July 3, according to studio estimates and reported on by the Los Angeles Times. Dawn of the Dinosaurs grossed $67.5 million since its Wednesday opening, with Revenge of the Fallen raking in $65 million during that same time period. Overall, the Michael Bay-helmed Transformers sequel has earned $293.5 million in U.S. theaters since its June 24 release.

Michael Mann’s Public Enemies—starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale—came in third with $26.2 million for the weekend and $41 million since opening Wednesday.

Worldwide, Revenge of the Fallen has earned a staggering $591.4 million, making it the biggest movie of the year in domestic and foreign markets. I think Bay just bought a new country: Explodistan.

7/6 Update: Actual studio figures released on Monday morning showed that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen narrowly beat Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs for the top spot at the box office, earning $42.4 million compared to the latter film's $41.6 million (via The New York Times).

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Scores More Than $200 Million in Five Days

Hate it or love it, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen raked in $108 million domestically over the weekend, earning $200.1 million since its June 24 opening, The Associated Press reports. The Michael Bay sequel had the second-best five-day gross of all time, trailing behind 2008’s The Dark Knight by just $3.7 million.

Despite being panned by critics, word-of-mouth on Revenge of the Fallen has been surprisingly positive. It seems as though most filmgoers are willing to overlook the film’s pacing, storytelling and continuity flaws in order to lose themselves the spectacle of it all. I wish I could join them.

It’s not that I hate this film. I still thoroughly enjoy the original Transformers and I think the action scenes in this installment are some of the best we’ve seen in quite some time. But it’s a fairly entertaining 90-minute film that’s stretched out to a mind-numbing two-and-a-half hours. And far too much of that time is dominated by pointless and often irritating filler material.

Read my full review at Broken Frontier.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Has Record-Breaking Opening

Despite being pummeled by critics, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen opened strong on Wednesday, June 24, earning $60.6 million in ticket sales, The New York Times reports. The sequel, directed by Michael Bay, has set a new record for a Wednesday opening, besting 2007’s Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which earned $44.2 million on its opening day.

Most critics are calling Revenge of the Fallen loud, cluttered and downright stupid. In his review, Roger Ebert describes it as “a horrible experience of unbearable length, briefly punctuated by three or four amusing moments.” He adds, “If you want to save yourself the ticket price, go into the kitchen, cue up a male choir singing the music of hell, and get a kid to start banging pots and pans together. Then close your eyes and use your imagination.” Ouch.

However, Paramount Pictures said audience opinion has been overwhelmingly positive, with exit interviews on opening day showing that 91 percent of ticket buyers thought the film was better than or as good as the original Transformers.

Is Michael Bay Done With Transformers? Nope.

It was reported last week that pyrotechnic auteur Michael Bay would be leaving the Transformers series after the second film in favor of smaller, more personal projects. Wait, what?

“After the three-and-a-half years I've spent making these movies, I feel like I've had enough of the Transformers world,” Bay was quoted as saying. “I need to do something totally divergent, something without any explosions.”

Many news sources took this to mean that Bay is growing tired of blockbusters, but the director confirmed that the press is exaggerating. Without explosions and visual effects, wouldn’t his movies consist almost entirely of military fetishization, glistening half-naked women and product placement? Not that I’m complaining about glistening women, but this story doesn’t add up.

As reported by FilmDrunk, Bay revealed on his official message board that what he meant was that he needs time off from the undeniably demanding Transformers franchise to pursue other interests, not that he was abandoning action films entirely. He wrote, “Love press how they spin. Never said it—just wanted a vacation is more to the point.”

Phew. I was worried there for a second.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen hits U.S. theaters June 24.

Indiana Jones 5 Is “Progressing”

In a recent interview with the BBC, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen star Shia LaBeouf said that director Steven Spielberg has “cracked the story” for a fifth installment in the Indiana Jones franchise. The last sequel, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), featured LaBeouf as Indy’s son, Mutt Williams, who may or may not headline future installments once Harrison Ford hangs up his fedora and whip.

Fueling sequel speculation is producer Frank Marshall, who told Empire that Spielberg and series co-creator George Lucas are in the early stages of developing Indy 5. However, he says, nothing is “cracked” just yet.

“It’s really about the script,” Marshall said. “Once we see that, we’ll see. We’re not going to wait another 20 years. We’d all love to make another one. I’m anxious to hear the idea!”

He added, “We had a great time making the last one and, as Harrison said, we need to make this one soon. We're not getting any younger.” Ford will be 67 in July.

Further confirming that a sequel is in the works was a June 18 post on his Twitter page, in which Marshall wrote, “The story for Indy 5 is progressing. It is still in the research phase.”

Now, I don’t hate Crystal Skull. In fact, if you read my review last summer, I pretty much liked it when it hit theaters. However, unlike its predecessors, it doesn’t stand up to repeated viewings all that well. So why make another one? According to Box Office Mojo, Crystal Skull earned nearly $800 million worldwide during its theatrical run. I’d say that explains it.

Check Out the New Trailer for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Most fans got their first eyeful of Michael Bay’s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen during its Super Bowl spot, but a full-length teaser trailer premiered on February 13 in front of the Bay-produced Friday the 13th remake. You can catch it online via Yahoo! Movies.

Should you be excited about this? If explosions and giant robots got your motor running in the first film, Revenge of the Fallen looks to take everything that worked before and make it bigger, louder and more intense. I’m sure there’s a plot nestled somewhere amid the metal-on-metal action, but as long as this sequel features good robots fighting bad robots while causing massive amounts of property damage, I’ll be there when Revenge of the Fallen hits theaters on June 24th.

Summer Flicks Take Center Stage on Super Bowl Sunday

Even though most expect this year’s Super Bowl matchup between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers to be a fairly one-sided affair—my money’s on the Steel City winning by a lot—at least the commercials should be pretty entertaining. According to Variety, movie studios are capitalizing on the estimated 100 million U.S. viewers with an impressive lineup of teaser trailers airing during the game. Advertisements have been announced for high-profile summer releases including J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot, Stephen Sommers’ G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and Michael Bay’s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. I could probably point out that the latter two are basically ads for two-hour Hasbro toy commercials, but that would just be downright cynical.

Which commercial am I most looking forward to? I’m gonna have to go with the Transformers sequel. Not much is known about Revenge of the Fallen, and it will be a lot of fun seeing the Autobots and Decepticons in action once again. Oh, and the sequel promises more Megan Fox, so that might have something to do with my excitement. Ahem.

Enjoy the game, Wortmaniacs!