transformers adverts in disguise

the original transformers for reference

I saw transformers yesterday and I have a lot of mixed feelings about the experience. One of my most cherished visuals from childhood is the old transformers cartoon. I can still see the image of the transformers going to the gas station and filling their energon cubes with gas. I can still remember the subtle environmental message embedded in the transfomers mythology. the story was of robots that had destroyed their own planet by consuming the energy and laying the planet to waste. they had crash landed on earth thousands of years ago and come back to life taking the form of cars and other machines in order to blend in. In the new movie much of this plot is erased. In fact the new movie seems to be more of an advertisement for machines, cars and general tech culture. The movie, in a similar move to live free or die hard, featured a prototypical computer geek as a main character. It was hard to suspend disbelief with transformers since what little dialogue was present involved the uttering of brand names, nokia this, chevorolet that, mountain dew here. The most peculiar thing about the movie, other than the premise of transforming cars, was the way the camera was used. Every image in the movie seemed in constant motion. The 2 minutes of dialogue that were shot straight on with a still camera seemed to slow the movie down. The only other times the camera seemed remotely still was when it was trained on a product placement, or at one point when a trasformer actually says that he only speaks through xm satellite radio. I know I am asking more of this movie than it was asking of me but that is what I demand from my media. That being said I did enjoy some of the movie, but really missed the subversive message of the original transformers which has been replaced in this version with a not so subversive message about how great the american military and the american car is. oh well I am really looking forward to getting the key for the studio on friday so i can get back to work.