Need For Speed (2014 English)

Stuntmen turning directors is apparently not an alien concept in Hollywood (http://www.hollywoodstuntcoordinator.com/blog-post/stuntmen-turning-directors-in-hollywood/).  The Waugh family has a notable mention with father and sons both finding mention in this article.  Closer home, our very own Veeru Devgn has also directed Hindustan Ki Kasam (1999) after choreographing stunts for nearly 150 movies.

Transformers Revenge of the Fallen

It was quite obvious at the end of the first edition of Transformers in 2007 that the sequel was only a matter of time away. And 2 years from the original is near perfect timing for any sequel. Not a rocket scientist in these matters but it kind of gives enough runway for the movie to settle down in people’s minds and with the correct marketing that starts about 6 months before the sequel you have created a solid platform to cash in on the hype that is created. All of this of course on the back of a successful first movie of course. And Transformers 1 left quite a mark on most of its audiences with superb use of special effects and more importantly, a tech breed of super heroes which no one has seen before. And especially so in India where the Hasbro Toys probably went on sale only after the movie released. I am not sure if the comic books were in circulation before. I hadn’t heard about the Transformers till I saw the movie – probably a deprived childhood I guess ;).

Transformers – Revenge of the Fallen (TROTF) takes us back a few millennia where the ancestors of the current Transformers have been searching the universe for more sources of Energon - Energon is the life source of inhabitants of Cybertron in case you have forgotten, through something called the All Spark. The Dynasty of Primes as they are called – probably because they were the first few ones – built a machine that would go from planet to planet and harverst / drain the energy from the suns / stars of the respective planets and convert it to Energon which would power the All Spark. They also decide that all life bearing planets would not be used for this purpose. However, one Prime decided that it was a silly rule and constructed a harvester on earth. Needless to say, the rest of the Dynasty wasn’t too pleased with this and tried to stop him. Left with no choice, they take the Matrix of Leadership – the key to the harvester – and hide it in a secret location. To protect it further, they build a tomb around it with their own bodies thereby making it untraceable. The defector Prime has since been dubbed – The Fallen. The dynasty does leave some clues about its existence through some markings and that’s where our heroes Sam (Shia LeBouf) and Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) come in. The former to crack the code and find the matrix. The latter because only a Prime can kill The Fallen.

TROTF would make one believe that it has almost been inspired in Star Wars style where in Episode 5, The Empire Strikes Back. Also clearly indicating in Star Wars style that there will be another one to follow where the “Jedi Return” in all probability. One would not be too far away from the truth but the essence of the 2nd edition, I believe is to familiarize people with what happened before and more importantly set you all up for a fantastic 3rd edition. Not a movie with stellar performances in any way. Just brilliant effects on lines of the first edition. Continued emphasis on sound which was the hallmark of the first edition and continues to be so even in TROTF. Whether the 3rd one turns out to be as good as part 1 or better remains to be seen. Transformers – Dark of the Moon releases today in India. Considering that the combination of Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg are still involved, I am betting on it being as good as the ones before. TROTF gets a 6 on 10 from my side. Little lower than the first part but quite solid.

Watch the trailer of TROTF at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2982019609/ and TDOTM at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi543989017/

Transformers

Four years since the first edition of Transformers too this world by storm if I were to put it very mildly. The world was introduced to characters which weren’t seen before and which were fascinating and unimaginable to say the least. Cars which converted themselves to robots which were larger than life itself and ditto for airplanes and cranes in fact anything to do with automobiles. We were introduced to the fascinating existence of Cybertron and its inhabitants – The Autobots led by Optimus Prime and The Decepticons led by the vicious Megatron. As the story goes, a war between the 2 major tribes or so to speak in a galaxy far far away leads the Autobots to flee with their immense source of power – the AllSpark – and hide it in our very own planet earth. The All Spark has the immense capability of giving life to all technology be it a mixer grinder or an air conditioner or a computer. All of this was over 150 years back. In the current day, the Autobots are back to claim what was rightfully theirs in the first place – The All Spark – and yet again, they are not alone coz the Decepticons have gladly joined the party. Fasten your seat belts folks cause if you haven’t seen this one then you have missed one of the best ever Sci Fi / Action movies made to date.

Steven Spielberg could not have picked up a better person to direct the first of his trilogy (to date and hopefully many many more to come). Michael Bay shot to fame with Bad Boys and then The Rock. It wasn’t surprising because not too often do you see a director of an action movie paying as much attention to detail as Michael Bay. He makes use of sound like very few other directors that I have seen – not that I have seen too many very honestly but the use of sound in Transformers especially when the Autobots actually Transform themselves is quite superb. The special effects with Michael Bay are unquestionable and without them it would obviously be impossible to get Transformers to life. All of this was from a bunch of toys which eventually got converted to a comic book series – Incredible!!!!

Don’t look out for much on the acting front although Shia Le Bouf is definitely quite solid. Wonder how they got Hugo Weaving’s voice to sound like it does through Megatron. Amazingly eerie. Megan Fox provides the required levels of eye candy (sizzling eye candy actually).

All in all, Transformers has shows right from the first release that there is room for a sequel and considering that Spielberg had the foresight to sign up Bay for 3 editions, we are on the verge of the release of Transformers Dark of the Moon tomorrow. Have a wonderful time folks. Transformers I gets a 7 on 10 from my side. Hope TDOM is as good.

Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi973209625/ and that of and TDOTM at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi543989017/

World Invasion : Battle for Los Angeles

I had this really bad feeling about this movie even when I was watching the trailers which came in about a month or 2 back. Not that the trailers were badly made. Just that sinking feeling which says, “GAWD not another movie about the end of the world”. And then someone sends you a joke which says, “Ever wondered why in all Hollywood movies, all the aliens of the world attack only the US”? A simple and straightforward rhetoric. So I am guessing that our average director Jonathan Liebesman (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Killing Room) wanted to keep the angle from that silly joke covered. And he started the movie that was about an invasion of the world as the title so aptly indicates. So this one is not just about an invasion of the United States but encompasses most geographies that mean a bit to them such as Europe and South Asia and China and Japan and the likes. But mind you that’s only the beginning. You have to remember that Hollywoods first responsibility is towards the less than 400 million people that inhabit the states. And therefore the second part of the title – Battle for Los Angeles. So there is no lack of clarity that this movie is about a bunch of aliens who invade all of earth together. But since we have less than half an hour, we will no focus on what happened in the city of Los Angeles during this invasion and how there were a bunch of unknown people who turned out to be unlikely heroes thanks to this opportunity that life decided to present to them and eventually succeed in bringing down one of the most technologically advanced aliens to have invaded earth – correction – invaded Hollywood.

The story follows Staff Seargent Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) who is about to be moved into training from a field role. Why is that? Because on his watch 3 seargents lost their lives. A story – on a serious note – that would haunt most of us for a really long time. But SSgt. Nantz’s exit from the field will prove to be short lived due to the sequence of events that have been explained in the previous paragraph of this write up. He is now called back to lead a bunch of marines (gawd – why is it that every US soldier in a Hollywood movie has to be a marine?) to help get back a bunch of civilians who are stuck in an area that has been attacked by aliens. And the rest as they say is history 

Such a short paragraph for the story? But that’s all there is. Yes there are a couple of angles explored about how one of the marines is the brother of another who was killed on Nantz’s watch. And the choice of Michelle Rodriguez who seems to be the only female marine ever to be born in the United States. There is also eye candy in the form of Bridget Moynahan who comes onto screen for all of 3 minutes and 28.5 seconds. Damn!!! Just when you think there is something to look forward to in an otherwise drab and boring end of the world movie, you get reminded that all good things in the world must come to an end. Come on Jonathan Liebesman. Surely you cannot be such a spoilsport. I am glad I got this one out of the way on a Saturday night after India lost to South Africa. Trust me, it made me feel so much better that there could actually be something worse than losing a closely fought cricket game which may decide our future in this world cup. If I were you, I would give World Invasion a pass. I give it 4 on 10 for the solid use of special effects and for some semblances of acting shown by some of the better known names.

Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3897661977/