Say what you will about Michael Bay’s films, the man can, ahem, transform any intellectual property into an audiovisual spectacle. That is where I believe his primary strength as a filmmaker lies. Every film of his that I have seen usually leaves me in awe at the level of spectacle that is possible in modern filmmaking.
Transformers: Age of Extinction, the fourth installment in the series of films-based-on-the-cartoon-based-on-the-toys, is no exception. While watching it, I felt much like the main characters in the midst of the film’s climactic battle sequence. They are eventually reduced to little more than awestruck observers, sitting and staring at parts of the battle around them yet still missing so many details of the action (like the giant debris that almost crushes them twice). At times, I felt like these characters as if Transformers: Age of Extinction was filled with almost too many details vying for my focus. On many occasions, I felt lost in the midst of the chaos,a sensation which only added to my own sense of awestruck wonder.
Perhaps that is how Michael Bay’s films keep proving themselves to be financially successful – by overwhelming his audience to the point of jaw-dropping awe. Unfortunately, there is so much action in the film that it becomes difficult to ascertain if there might be a deeper message hidden amidst all of the action. We catch glimpses of several statements that the film touches on, but none of them are explored long enough to become a viable thematic force through which to drive the plot.
The first act of the film centers around Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) and his desire to create something that will leave the world a better place. However, this becomes more of an afterthought once the action of the film takes off. Other themes only briefly covered include illegal immigration (one of the antagonists describes the Transformers’ species as being on our planet illegally and hunts them down in the name of God and country), paternal love (all of Cade’s actions are done in the best interests of his daughter), and the Transformers’ thankless job of protecting a human species who keeps turning against them (which is also explored in the previous Transformers films).
I also found it interesting that the concept of a soul is brought up multiple times in the Transformers franchise. Transformers: Age of Extinction is no exception. Can robots have souls?
According to this film, they can; Optimus Prime explicitly states it. How might exploring that concept help us to understand our own souls better? I wish this would have been pursued further in this film, but the setup for the next sequel has me hopeful that future installments will delve deeper into anthropological (robopological?) issues with more gravitas.
Overall, I was highly entertained by Transformers: Age of Extinction, mainly due to the visual spectacle which is a staple of the series. The final 45 minutes of the film were delightful to watch, particularly in 3D (one word: Dinobots). Between all of the explosions and slow motion shots of people being hurtled through the chaos of battle, there lies a potential to explore some very powerful themes in greater depth. Doing so could have transformed this film into not just a big-budget summer blockbuster but into something that is more than meets the eye.
