Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

So here is the second part of my IMAX contrast, with this one centering on the habit of using the format as a premium way of seeing major blockbuster films.  With at least one major film released in IMAX every month, it’s hard to believe that this is a habit that only really began a decade ago.  It began with films getting a IMAX re-release and limitations in the format at the time meant that the films had to be trimmed to meet time restraints.

However, as IMAX technology improved, releasing feature length films became much more normal and these days it’s hard to remember a time when major releases DIDN’T get released in IMAX.

So today I saw Transformers: Dark in the Moon in IMAX 3D, while my reviews for the previous two Transformers films went straight to the point, I feel a bit more obliged to talk about this one.

It seems fairly apparently that this film is meant as a finale of sorts for the trilogy and there are plenty of casualties for both the Autobots and the Decepticons.  The climax of the film takes up at least a third of the running time and it’s definitely action packed (with some great 3D effects that look awesome on the IMAX screen).

Speaking of the running time, it’s probably the biggest criticism I have about the film.  There is plenty of filler material early in the film (featuring appearances by John Malkovich and Ken Jeong), which, despite being funny, could have been trimmed, considering a running time that runs nearly two hours and forty minutes long.

One aspect of the film that I was expecting to hate, but was pleasantly surprised was Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as the new female lead, replacing Megan Fox.  While she is still pretty much eye-candy and her character was shoehorned into the plot, with little to no explanation for the absence of Fox’s character, she definitely seemed to be a more relatable character (even though it’s completely unbelievable that an Average Joe like Shia LaBeouf would date, not one, but two model-esque women).

In the end, I have to say that the film was very action-packed conclusion to the Transformers trilogy.  Whether this really is the end remains to be seen, but if it is, it definitely went out with a bang.

9/10

This also concludes my IMAX contrast.  The format was originally meant to be used as a format for large-scale 45 minute documentaries (a use that continues today), but has since expanded into the ultimate premium movie-going format.  While the IMAX brand was diluted a bit in the last couple year with the opening of digital screens that aren’t as big as the traditional screens, a true IMAX experience is definitely worth checking out at least once.