Action packed! Truly a Michael Bay film =]

Rating: 8/10 (29 November 2011)

Most people attend the movie theater to shut down their minds, becoming immersed in the diegesis of the film being viewed. This by all means is fine, as movies are made as an escape from reality. Transformers (2007) is a wonderful example of this as we are thrown into the plot, and forced to walk in the shoes of the characters. It's the director's job to captivate his/her audience, and Michael Bay definitely achieves this task.
Michael Bay's directorial style in itself is what keeps his audience wide eyed and locked on the screen. Bay is an auteur, his style and personality reflected in all his films. Bay's style is very bold and his own, it's either you like it or you don't. Michael Bay's directorial style is fast edits and visually based (special effects). Having seen a few of Michael Bay's films, such as Armageddon (1998), Pearl Harbor (2001), Transformers (2007), The Unborn (2009), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), I Am Number Four (2011) and Transformers: Dark of The Moon (2011), I have come to know Bay on a deeper, more personal level. Many of his films' genres are action, thriller and sci-fi, resulting in his trademark of numerous fast cuts and visually captivating effects. Transformers (2007) reflects Michael Bay's style in regards to its various action scenes, specifically the intense battles between the Autobots and the Decepticons. With Bay you get the full works: explosions, collisions, weapons, and simply everything action. One action packed scene would be the final battle in the city with all the robots.
Elements such as the film's cinematography, editing, sound effects and the film's overall style reflects Bay's artistic style. Bay's camera angles and movements are very dynamic, for example his use of canted angles and high/low angles. A crucial aspect of Transformers cinematography would be the special effects, especially computer graphics in creating the robots and bullet time during action scenes. Two examples of bullet time effect would be when 1) Bonecrusher charged at Optimus on the highway scene and 2) In the city scene when Ironhide propelled himself upward to dodge two missiles. The editing in Transformers, as present in most of Bay's films, consists of fast cuts galore. Bay's editing style is "BAM! Look here! BAM! Look over there! BAM! What's that?!" There is no slowing down in pace and therefore no room for thinking, just pure entertainment. Most of Bay's sound effects comprise of non-diegetic mood music and sound effects. The mood music is usually suspenseful, intense and/or exciting, paralleling the incredible visual effect. Sound effects are especially used in the action scenes, (the explosions, collisions, etc) and also in regards to the transformation of the robots.
In regards to Bay's other films Transformers is similar in the fact that it's high energy and has stunning visuals. Though his films may not be visionary and plot oriented Bay gives the audience what they want, entertainment. A particular scene that portrays the strongest impression of Bay's personality would have to be the final battle scene in the city between the Autobots and Decepticons. This scene has everything an action scene should have and that's exactly why it reflects Bay. Bay is not a slow paced, quiet guy, but innovative and bursting of energy. A quote by the actor Ben Affleck, who starred in both Armageddon and Pearl Harbor states, "I think Michael is actually an auteur in the true sense of the word. Every movie he makes reflects his personal creative vision. You may like it, you may not—but those movies are him without compromise. There's something to be said for sticking to your guns."
Transformers does not suggest any type of growth in a new direction away from his other films. Bay's films are what they are and cannot be recreated. Either you hate or love Michael Bay's directorial style, and I love it. It's enjoyable, entertaining and visually captivating, everything a movie should be.