'Fallen' Into Place

This Friday sees the UK release of 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen', the sequel to the 2007 smash hit based on the ever popular 1980's cartoon and toyline. I believe we're actually the first country to get it, which is rather impressive. Especially when you consider how in general Hasbro UK jeks their fans about. Anyway...

I'm hopeful but worried. With the first movie, my criticism was that despite the title the Transformers felt like bit players. I appreciate they only had so much budget and had to sell the general public on the idea by firmly planting it in the familiar, but there seemed to be more focus on humans than robots. Not just the actual important humans but random useless ones who could have been easily removed. This left the bot characters seemingly falling into two camps- bumbling human protectors (Autobots) and monstrous alien threats (Decepticons). It's my hope that the sequel will address this issue. For the longest time I was doubtful, but the information released in the last fortnight has really raised my hopes. I'm still expecting a big mindless some action flick but I get the feeling that the robots are going to get actual character and focus which is key. Transformers fairly unique angle has always been that the robots are alive. They aren't machines controlled by humans but human-like machines. That's what makes them fun, seeing a culture and character close to ours with a distinctly alien edge. You take away that and you lose the very reason this admitedly wobbly franchise is celebrating its quarter of a century milestone.

So here's to hoping that I can look forward to see the Autobots roll out and not want to bail out.