The destructive spectacle is real and genuinely impressive, but terrible as a cinematic experience: too many characters, many subplots, comic reliefs that do not work

Rating: 6/10 (25 May 2020)

In 2009, with the success of the first film, Bay did what he does best: more destruction and more explosions. It is difficult to truly like the second film. But, of course, the film again made a lot of money at the box office, making part three inevitable. For those who thought that the second film was just about shots, beating and bombing, you should not have watched "The Hidden Side of the Moon". The plot even anchors at an important moment in the history of mankind, making a fun relationship with historical facts - that the script seeks to tie with archival scenes and digital (unfinished) recreations of US presidents - between the fate of Cybertron, the planet ravaged by the civil war between Autobots and Decepticons, and the space race fought by the USA and the USSR in the 1950s and 60s. This historical stuff and glimpses of the robot planet give renewed interest to the series, even though they disappear there in the middle of the film, right after Buzz Aldrin - himself - shows up.
In the plot, the Autobots, led by Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen), participate in secret missions alongside the humans, where they try to exterminate the Decepticons existing on the planet. One day Optimus discovers that the humans hid something that happened to him on the far side of the moon. It is the fall of a spaceship from Cyberton, commanded by Sentinel Prime (Leonard Nimoy), which triggered the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union in 60s. The Autobots decide to go to the Moon to rescue the old leader, in addition to the capsules that are still in place. At the same time, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) lives with his new girlfriend, Carly (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley), and is looking for a job. He feels diminished, having saved the planet twice and won a medal from President Barack Obama, but none of this seems to help him establish himself in the job market. To make matters worse, Carly earns well and is harassed by the boss, billionaire Dylan Gould (Patrick Dempsey). Shortly after finally getting a job, Sam receives a message from Jerry (Ken Jeong), who works in the same place. Jerry worked at NASA during the space race and is now blackmailed by the Decepticons, who kill him. The fact makes Sam look for the Autobots once again, but despite his past achievements he encounters resistance from the new commander, Marissa Faireborn (Frances McDormand).
The prologue, which recreates the arrival of Apollo 11 on the Moon and the super-secret mission that is the real reason for its existence, is by far the best part of the script, for without something well structured and that really adds mystery to the narrative and robot mythology. However, the solidity shown in the initial 20 minutes completely collapses from there. We are re-introduced to Sam Witwicky (the embarrassed Shia LaBeouf being himself) who, despite having graduated from one of the best colleges in the United States, saved the world twice, winning a Barack Obama medal and winning one second jaw-dropping girlfriend, remains the same loser who gets nothing in life. It is inexplicable as is the rest of the plot.
The relationship of the "Witwicky core" is horrible and, in no way remembers, the great interactions of the first film and even a little of the second. The impression is that Sam's parents, played by the excellent Kevin Dunn and Julie White are there out of obligation. It may seem an exaggeration to disregard the work of the actors, but the feature itself leads us to believe that their role is merely to take us from one action scene to another. Here we have big names, like Frances McDormand and John Malkovich, lending their talent to characters who add little to the plot individually, but who together with the supporting cast make the precarious script work.
Since being announced as the hero's new girlfriend played by Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has been one of the cast's most questionable additions. The first scene of the British serves to show its purpose in the film. The camera follows Rosie - who is wearing only a T-shirt and panties - in a sequence that reminds us of the lingerie commercial in which the director found the then model. Shortly after, the director follows his camera from head to toe while Patrick Dempsey's character describes a luxury car, making the analogy of the perfection of Whiteley's body with the characteristics of the car. In the few moments when he has to act, his performance is reasonable, although this was clearly not the director's concern. The gorgeous model replaces tall Megan Fox - after a string of disagreements with director Michael Bay and producer Steven Spielberg - not that it is too difficult.
New robots are also featured in the feature, both on the side of heroes (Autobots) and villains (Decepticons). The new Decepticons have greater relevance in the plot, especially the hateful Laserbeak. Shockwave, one of the best transformers presented so far, unfortunately has little screen time, but leaves its mark when it appears. Sentinel Prime, widely touted in the promotional pieces of the film, has a disappointing role throughout history - its only appeal is to be voiced by Leonard Nimoy (Lord Spock, from Star Trek). We see a new species of metallic sand worm (that of the Duna book series) controlled by Sockwave, one of the most interesting robot designs created by Bay's creative team.
As in the previous film, the humor remains eschatological and bland. Until the story really starts to pass, almost an hour of projection passes, full of "comical" scenes without purpose and ridiculous subplots. Examples of this are the Autobots attacking nations in the Middle East, crude jokes, stupid quotes to "Star Trek II - Khan's Wrath" and Sam's mother making a joke about the boy's penis size amid an attack by Decepticons .
Michael Bay also ignores something called "rhythm", keeping the feature at a perpetual climax, which ends up tiring viewers. Enduring the whole projection becomes a test of endurance, given Bay's inability to show a consistent narrative. The last hour is a gigantic action scene that just doesn't stop until the last thirty seconds of the film, when it just ends. The final battle has the feat of overcoming the battle of Egypt from the previous chapter of the saga. Chicago is devastated and thousands of people have turned to dust, so there should be at least some notion of shock, but such scenes just don't connect with the audience. The city does not survive the attack of 200 decepticons (including a monster robot, combat ships, four-eyed soldiers, General Shockwave and a disfigured Megatron) in the final sequence, which has 40 minutes of explosions, acts of bravery, phrases of impact and many slow cameras. The latter, a kind of technological halter that the filmmaker found to be able to shoot in 3D. Nothing more than the obligation, since the money invested and Bay's poor reputation can justify that. It is one of the best 3D productions so far. But that's it. The solution works very well: you can appreciate the formidable work of computer graphics from Industrial Light and Magic in detail and high definition, with the thousands of moving parts in each of the robots, interacting with the environment and with the humans around them.
It is interesting to see the work of art direction and especially of photography when managing to portray a scenario of total destruction and even post-apocalyptic with shades of gray and specific lenses. Also noteworthy is another precise work by Steve Jablonski in yet another soundtrack that is consistent and that knew how to maintain tension and adrenaline throughout the film. "Transformers: The Hidden Side of the Moon" will easily make millions, which is perhaps why Bay still roams the hollywood sets. In the choreography of Bay's private war, real and three-dimensional explosions happen simultaneously, while armies collide in a space impossible to be discerned as real or imaginary, in what gives the impression of being the most expensive film ever made, so great its quality. The destructive spectacle is real and genuinely impressive, but terrible as a cinematic experience, the film has too many characters, many subplots, comic reliefs that do not work a script without emotional involvement. It's a great commercial for the effective uses of 3D, nothing more.