Posted on June 24th, 2009 by Samuel Walters
Overview
Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen is one helluva film. For starters, it’s not nearly as bad as the majority of critics make it out to be. But, then again, no one should mistake this for a really good film, either. The writing and acting are, at times, overly frantic and, at others, rather humdrum – often combining for some rather cheesy and awkward moments. The film is decidedly juvenile. And it slightly overstays its welcome. But it’s also fun. The action and effects are breathtaking and heart-pounding. And if big-action, shoot’em up–blow’em up flicks are your thing, you’ll thoroughly enjoy Revenge. It sure pleased the crowd at the theater. And for what it’s worth, I enjoyed myself, too.
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Posted on August 6th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Machines Season 2 episode, “In Darkest Knight,” is now available:
“In Darkest Knight” has to be one of my favorite episodes of the Beast Machines series. But that’s not to say that it isn’t without fault or criticism. But there’s just something about the long awaited return of Silverbolt that makes the episode worth watching. Add in the consequences of Silverbolt’s experience as a Vehicon and you have an episode that is thoughtful and deep. Add in the subplot of Nightscream and Savage Noble and you’ve got one of the most complex, multi-layered episodes in the series.
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Posted on August 5th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Machines Season 2 episode, “Prometheus Unbound,” is now available:
“Prometheus Unbound” finally settles many of the questions surrounding the character of Noble – his origins and his identity. Perhaps the most frustrating part of the episode is that the viewers can figure it all out long before the Maximals do. And so one is left with a mildly maddening question about why on Cybertron they cannot figure it out more quickly. Even so, this is still a very good episode, punctuated by the return of Megatron – who quickly resumes absolute control over his Vehicons and Cybertron.
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Posted on August 4th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Machines Season 2 episode, “Savage Noble,” is now available:
“Savage Noble” is one of the boldest episodes in the entire Beast Era. In many ways, it’s evocative of “Transmutate” in terms of how it approaches a new life form that is at once misunderstood, beautiful and something to be feared. In the end, the episode’s final revelation directly challenges the idea of what makes a “Transformer” – and it does so in such a way that can clearly draw a line for many Transformers fans.
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Posted on August 3rd, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Machines Season 2 episode, “Fallout,” is now available:
“Fallout” begins the second, and final season of Beast Machines with a thoroughly profound and entertaining episode. The open-ended questions from the end of season one, in terms of narrative and morality, are fully confronted and answered. Whether or not you like the answers may be a matter for debate, but one thing is for certain: this episode covers a lot of ground, very quickly and competently. And it raises issues that will become the basis for the very last season of the Beast Era (Beast Wars and Beast Machines).
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Posted on August 2nd, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “End of the Line,” is now available:
“End of the Line” is certainly an aptly titled episode. All the machinations of season one, particularly of the last few episodes lead us to one fateful moment of choice for Optimus Primal – and for Cybertron. The episode confronts issues of genocide and forces viewers to ask at what point can the ends ever justify the means? Certainly the episode feels apocalyptic. And with its cliffhanger ending leaving many questions unanswered, it was no surprise that it left fans eagerly waiting for the beginning of Beast Machines Season 2.
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Posted on August 1st, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “The Catalyst,” is now available:
If “The Key” was all about a doomsday weapon for technological purity, “The Catalyst” is the counterbalance, offering a kind of organic weapon. That being said, it’s a bit of a shaky premise when your sci-fi series has a weapon based on overgrown flora. Fortunately, the rather shaky premise is tempered by revelations about two more warriors from the Beast Wars.
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Posted on July 31st, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “The Key,” is now available:
“The Key” advances the plot that has hinted at in the previous episode, focusing on Tankor’s discovery of the Oracle. And in that sense, this is a significantly plot-heavy episode. To add some character, we get a sharply contested conflict between Cheetor and Optimus Primal about whose ideas are best suited to lead the Maximals. And actually, while this is merely a subplot, it is the best element of the episode.
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Posted on July 30th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “Survivor,” is now available:
“Survivor” is an episode about Nightscream’s history, his potential value to Megatron, and about his character coming to terms with his past. It also provides a continuing subplot from Tankor that is steadily gaining prominence. On the whole, “Survivor” is a thoughtful, purposeful episode with enough action to keep the story moving at a fairly healthy pace. If there is a criticism, it comes from Nightscream’s character who can be just a little too annoying.
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Posted on July 29th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “Revelations, Part 3: Apocalypse,” is now available:
“Revelations, Part 3: Apocalypse” finishes off the three-part mini-series. The episode is certainly filled with character and narrative moments, along with plenty of action and a healthy dose of mysticism. But much like its predecessor, it doesn’t combine the elements into a seamless whole. The transitions, while certainly understandable, are just too bumpy to help the episode become truly exceptional. That being said, this installment is certainly worth watching, especially for its closing scenes.
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Posted on July 28th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “Revelations, Part 2: Descent,” is now available:
“Revelations, Part 2: Descent” finally tells the story of exactly what happened when the Maximals arrived on Cybertron following the Beast Wars. And, too, we learn about the fate of one of the missing Maximals. The story between Thrust and Blackarachnia also deepens, with tragic consequences. On the whole, a lot of exposition takes place in this episode alongside a healthy dose of action. But the whole mix isn’t especially compelling. Indeed, it’s a little rough around the edges due, in large part, to uneven transitions between the various story lines.
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Posted on July 27th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “Revelations, Part 1: Discovery,” is now available:
“Revelations, Part 1: Discovery” is the beginning of a three-episode cycle in which the Maximals begin to unravel much of the mystery surrounding their arrival on Cybertron – and the true nature of the horror which Megatron has brought to their home planet. This particular episode gives us a few answers, as well as focusing on the continuing story arcs from Cheetor and Optimus Primal.
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Posted on July 26th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “The Weak Component,” is now available:
“The Weak Component” is a story that was bound to happen. The building pressure behind Rattrap’s frustrations was bound to boil over at some point. And in this episode, it happens. What we see is certainly an intriguing result. But the problem with this particular episode is the way Rattrap’s estrangement is contrived. Put simply, “The Weak Component” depends entirely on the rest of the Maximals all acting in the worst possible way toward their comrade – and episodes that depend on everyone acting ridiculously stupid are lazy and, well, weak.
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Posted on July 25th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “Forbidden Fruit,” is now available:
“Forbidden Fruit” is the first tangible step on Cheetor’s character arc in the Beast Machines series. Already, in Beast Wars, we’ve seen him grow from a juvenile kid through adolescence. By the time Beast Machines begins, Cheetor isn’t quite as immature as he was in Beast Wars. But with “Forbidden Fruit” we get see the beginnings of Cheetor growing out of his childhood altogether and becoming more than just a part of the team – we begin to see his leadership abilities.
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Posted on July 24th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “Mercenary Pursuits,” is now available:
“Mercenary Pursuits” is an enjoyable episode that covers a lot of ground. But the one thing it lacks is a central focus for its narrative. The result is an episode that, while still entertaining and fairly well-made, can sometimes feel a bit disjointed. Fortunately, the various elements of the episode are interesting and compelling enough to, for the most part, compensate for the unevenness of the narrative. Ultimately, the true strength of this episode is the groundwork it lays for future installments of the series.
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