Transformers 3

Michael Bay lets it rip again! After he had to take a lot of (justified) criticism for Transformers 2 - which of course didn't diminish the success of the action thriller - he now tries in his third attempt to prove his critics wrong. Although Transformers 3 is not without some dramaturgical and acting weaknesses, but overall Bay seems to have taken the criticism of fans and press to heart. Because his latest (3D) spectacle has not only extremely high show value, but also a great entertainment value.

Much has not been left for Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) since he helped save the world from the Decepticons. True, there was an award from President Obama and he has a new attractive wife by his side in Carly (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley). But he gets no public recognition for his dual efforts in fighting the murderous machines, nor does he manage to find a decent job. Just when he is about to despair completely, the tide seems to turn for Sam. But he can't rest on his success for long, for new danger looms. Over forty years ago, an Autobot crashed his spaceship on the moon, carrying a great secret that could allow the Decepticons to resurrect their world and subdue humanity for good. When it is revealed that humans have known of the stranded spacecraft's existence since the 1960s, and that this was the real reason for Apollo 11's expedition, the Autobots led by Optimus Prime do everything they can to recover their companion before the Decepticons can seize it. A new war quickly breaks out between the robots, with Sam eager to get in on the action at any cost.

Overloaded, frantically edited action sequences, annoying and flat comedy and a barely existent story - these were criticisms Bay had to listen to in the wake of Transformers 2. Criticism that he obviously took to heart, because Transformers 3 is by far the best installment in the series so far. There are three reasons in particular for this. The first is the much more carefully directed action. Since Bay shot this third installment in 3D, he had to take it down a notch. And that really benefits the truly breathtaking action sequences, especially in the final third. What Bay has brought to the screen here is nothing short of magnificent. Whereas in the last film the details blurred into one big mass of metal, here even the smallest details of the individual Autobots and Decepticons really come into their own. It becomes clear time and time again that Bay not only shot with James Cameron's equipment, but also that he took advice from the master on this technique.

Although the Transformers films thrive on their effects, they are only one reason for the third installment's success here. Another reason is that Bay has scaled back the infantile comedy to a tolerable level. Although the two mini-transformers who live with Sam are still rather annoying sidekicks and also Sam's parents provide again for the one or other Fremdschäm-Moment, but especially compared to the predecessor, the whole thing is on an acceptable level. Although humor is still not the great strength of the Transformers films, but especially the character of Seymour Simmons, which was completely overdone in the first two films and which John Turturro embodies again in the third part, makes it clear that Michael Bay has also made a lot more effort in this regard.

The third very successful aspect of movie number three is the character of Sam Witwicky, who has changed from being a hero against his will to a much more confident, convincing hero, who this time deliberately seeks confrontation and desperately wants to become a part of the adventure. As a result, the audience gets the sense that this character is evolving and that the series isn't treading water. And Shia LaBeouf even gets a chance here and there to show off something like acting talent, which he undoubtedly has.

One weak point that Bay hasn't really been able to improve upon so far, however, is his use of the acting potential of his cast. This is, of course, much more noticeable with the likes of John Malkovich and Frances McDormand than, say, Megan Fox stand-in Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who makes her always perfectly styled acting debut here. That Bay didn't hire her for her talent, though, becomes clear right from her first appearance, where the camera first projects her half-naked butt onto the screen in a nifty 3D look. But even though Transformers 3 isn't great acting cinema despite some great actors, that only marginally dulls the entertainment value here.

Because Michael Bay knows how to conjure up great action opulently on the screen like no other. And in Transformers 3 he has finally (again) packed this into a relatively good film with an exciting story, which is heralded with a great opening sequence. Bay has succeeded in making great entertainment cinema, which confirms the rule that sometimes all good things come in threes. After almost two and a half hours of fast-paced 3D action, you might get tired, but the effects in the last third alone are worth the sacrifice. For action fans, the film is therefore an absolutely worth seeing piece of entertaining popcorn cinema!!!

One final word on the 3D visuals, Transformers 3 is one of the few films that really makes great use of 3D. But the movie doesn't thrive on three-dimensionality, so the action loses little of its showmanship in the conventional format!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp