ROTF then

 

Okay got me there. ROTF and DOTM were alright as far as "Autobots vs Decepticons" as a central part of the plot, unlike the first movie where it's like 4th priority.

What I should have said was "I want a better movie about the Autobots vs the Decepticons."

 

Now, to be sure, I did make a disgusted snarling lip curl when I read that Bumblebee will again be doing his "talk through the radio" shtick that was old after the first film. There's a golden opportunity for development of Bumblebee's character here, with almost no other Transformers to steal his focus, and then the writers kneecap themselves with this terrible "character trait." With the fervent continuity nose-thumbing they've done everywhere else, this one ill-advised attribute is one they decided had to stay? To this, I do say "meh."

 

I'm excited for a Transformers film not directed by Michael Bay.

 

I am far more (cautiously) optimistic for this film than I have been for any of the other ones.

It's actually a shame Bay did five of these movies, because now it's left such a bad taste in people's mouths that they might've otherwise given it the time of day.

When promo starts, I think Paramount needs to be really play up the fact that Travis Knight is directing this.

I recall reading something the other day where Knight was comparing this to the earlier Amblin films like ET? Hearing this, my theory is Knight/Paramount are going to be going down that 'Stranger Things' type path (just as a comparison to something more modern that could sit along side something like an 'ET') though perhaps a little lighter in tone.

Hiring this director just wouldn't make sense unless they REALLY wanted to go in a completely different direction. I really feel like this may be testing the waters for a soft reboot.

 

Blackout opening, Scorponok desert battle, Bumblebee v. Barricade chase, Frenzy at the dam, "Decepticons, mobilize", all of the final battle

 

Well, since you mentioned it...

An essential scene at the start of the movie to show what a Decepticon is.

*AROUND 30 MINUTES LATER*

A robot bug (that doesn't speak or transform) chasing soldiers in the desert. This could have been in hundreds of sci-fi action movies.

Nearly an hour into the film, the first Autobot vs Decepticon fight happens, it lasts maybe a minute. Barricade hits Bee 3 times and then they jump into a ditch.
The focus immediately cuts to Frenzy chasing Sam, we don't even get to see how the Barricade fight ended.

The majority of Decepticon screentime, what precious little there is, is given to Frenzy. Imagine if you had never seen the movie before and someone told you this.

A 30 second scene where they don't even get to speak their lines in English. Then Bonecrusher fights Optimus, this happens another hour after the Barricade fight and also lasts 30 seconds.

The end of the movie which HAS to use the Decepticons.

The most generous thing I can give it, is that each Decepticon gets to have at least 1 scene dedicated to them. That's better than TLK, but not by much.

 

What about Brawl?

 

I'm counting that part where the Autobots gang up on him as "his scene". This lasts nearly two minutes, and by TF2007 standards that's fairly generous.

 

I wonder if the general public is excited or meh? Kind of seems like if places want clicks these days they drop some rumor about superhero movies instead of dropping Transformers rumors. Some days it feels like you have either have to be a superhero movie or Star Wars to generate much buzz.

With it being so hard to generate buzz anywhere else and Paramount wanting to trim cost it could be near the release date before there is any kind of concentrated effort to promote the Bumblebee movie. Heck I've not even expecting a Super Bowl teaser ad this year.

 

I'll be excited if it's just straight up 80s cool vibes, loads of G1 references and give us the cassette bots. However the movie will probably ram down our throats the bullshit bumblebee barricade RIVALRY and moar humans!

 

True.

 

Hm, that's fair. They had plenty screentime for my taste though. (not in TLK, in TF) Felt like a truly foreboding, ominous force.

 

I caught the Looper video on YouTube where Bumblebee didn't make the list of 22 movies to be excited for in 2018. Now it's just a Looper video so no need to read too much into it, but damn not even a mention on such a long list of movies. Looper completely forgot that Incredibles 2 comes out next year and you would have to be crazy to think the Incredibles fans aren't hyped for a sequel in the age of movie superheroes.

It seems like not only does the production team have their hands full attempting to change opinions about the franchise but marketing is really going to have to work like mad to build up the buzz in a busy year for releases. Paramount doesn't want to burn their marketing budget too early but they need to at least get the movie on the radar of ticket buyers. They might also need an amazing trailer at some point to make a run for a good spot on the 2018 box office chart.

 

Definitely, absolutely everything promoting the movie will need to be 10/10 (and preferably, the movie itself as well) and will need to maintain a consistent brand image that shows it is completely different from the Bay pentalogy.

 

Not really, I'm cautiously optimistic since they've got someone new directing, but I'm not expecting it to be the smash hit 07-AOE was.

 

I’m sort of the same. I’d rather they get to TF6. Then worry about spin offs. I want to se unicron!

 

I'm cautiously excited, as (at one point or another) I enjoyed the films.

The general public? I think they are getting tired of superhero/big action films altogether. If not now, then very soon. Infinity War will be the last straw IMO.

This website? You aren't the only one, lol.

 

A Transformer / Fast & Furious crossover would surely fill some seats at the theater.

Dwayne in Optimus
Vin in Bumblebee
Etc.

Not sure if the movie would be any good, but it would surely make money.

Come to think of it, such a *cameo in a teaser *trailer would already "drive" some people into a "frenzy".

 

You're not alone.

"Meh."

Unless Will Friedle voices Bumblebee, there's no news.