The 2009 Razzie Award nominations are in, and over-hyped sequel Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen has been nominated for 7 awards, including Worst Picture. The RAZZIE awards are the flip side of the Oscars – while the Academy Awards strive to acknowledge good films the Razzies acknowledge films that shouldn’t have been written.
Let’s be clear, I loved Transformers 1. It was a cinematic masterpiece, bringing childhood memories to life in spectacular computer-generated form. The plot wasn’t amazing, but it didn’t have to be. Just seeing a Optimus Prime on the screen, and watching him transform into a truck was jaw-droppingly nostalgic. That’s all Transformers 1 needed to be, but like a magician at a children’s party after a while the magic becomes tedious and start to notice the extra bulky sleeves. So while Transformers 1 could get away with eye candy (both the Transformers and Megan Fox), Transformers 2 couldn’t. It needed something more – a story. Something to engage a now bored viewer.
In many respects, that’s the problem with all sequels – the first film creates such an impression that come the next film the shoes are too big and hard to fill. But you have to at least try. Revenge of the Fallen doesn’t just repeat the formula from the first film (great action + great CGI + average dialog + boyhood memories + ok plot = wow), it strips away most of the good bits and leaves the movie totally unbalanced. Excessive action + great CGI + pointless exploitative motorbike scene – great dialog – engaging plot = epic disappointing fail.
And could Hollywood stop pandering to the 13-year old boy market please? How about an action/sci-fi film for the 25+ age group, eh? Yes we like hot girls and hot guys but this it the age of Redtube, if we want skanks we can find them for free. If we’re paying money for an action movie, show us action. It’s great that you’ve found an attractive woman to star in the movie, but unless she’s playing a tramp don’t dress her up as one.
Marc Fennel, film reviewer for Triple J radio gave what I think is the best review of T2:RotF which he described as “the comedy event of 2009” and “a craptastic spectacular from the Land of No Logic”!
Transformers 2 got the following nominations: Worst Picture, Worst Actress (Megan Fox, also nominated for Jennifer’s Body which is also horrible), Worst Supporting Actress (Julie White, the ditzy stoned mum), Worst Remake/Rip-Off/Sequel, Worst Director (Michael Bay) and Worst Screenplay.
Transformers 2 was joined by Will Farrell’s sci-fi comedy Land of the Lost which also had seven nominations, and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra which had six nominations.
Which films did you hate in 2009? What did you think of Transformers 2?