Transforming Perspectives:

So Age of Extinction was released last night, and I have to say that I was not planning nor did I attend a midnight showing of the new film. Its actually funny, I can remember vividly the horrible feeling I had in the pit of my stomach as my flight was cancelled to Botcon 2007. I remember running out to pick up my two tickets for the absolute first showing of the original Bay Movie. I have to say my whole attitude toward the Bay movies has changed though. For the first movie… they had me hook line and sinker. I was in for everything. Each trailer I studied and inspected closely. I took part in all the available media events, including being the first in line for when the Sector 7 trailer rolled in front of my theater. I would do anything to catch a glimpse of what was about to happen. What was funny is the whole time I soaked up all this information, I was completely hating on all of the designs. I can honestly tell you that when I sat in that theater seat, I was excited, but entirely prepared to be completely let down. When Blackout transformed at the military base, all of my expectations were destroyed, and I was completely indulged into the movie franchise. However, the Bayverse has become stale to me. Revenge of the Fallen and Dark of the Moon have sadly become nothing more that summer popcorn flicks. Worse than that the Bay Optimus Prime has completely destroyed the vision of what Optimus stands for in the end of Dark of the Moon. Also the complete lack of interest in keeping characters who could become cool has been ridicules. In the first movie, when Megatron kills Jazz, it actually was somewhat powerful and held meaning. Granted Bonecrusher was a who cares fatality, but the little time we knew Jazz, it was powerful. It meant something. By DOTM all that has been lost. You see them just lay waste to Ironhide for no apparent reason. Then they have Sam take out Starscream because for some unforeseen reason he became the focal point of all the movies. Finally when you reach the execution scene, all power has been removed from character death. They waste characters who basically have no audience reaction except perhaps to tell you their name, and then Bumblebee. Please folks, you know that Bay won’t murder his checkbook… therefore Bumblebee is spared. I have to say that going into Age of Extinciton tonight I really was not thinking that I was going to see in on opening day but I have a scheduled time to check it out. I am somewhat interested to see what will happen in the new trilogy but feel that I am partially seeing this movie in the theater out of brand loyalty. I hope that once again Bay can surprise me and let me leave the theater with complete satisfaction… for some reason I believe that I am going to be let down.