The Energon Pub

[Slashercon]

Saw it for the fifth time, yesterday. I actually kind of felt its length, this time. I'm still glad it's almost 3 hours long, though. I now, however can see how some people might have gotten confused by all that was going on. But, that's still no excuse to stop paying attention.

You also have to consider that you are Transformers savvy. You're used to this kind of TF stuff having been accustomed to it by external fiction and are more familiar with it as a more-than-casual fan. Ordinary non-fan moviegoers and critics, however, aren't as well versed in all this as we are, so it's not that surprising for any of them to get confused by or lost in all the stuff going on in this movie, and there is, without question, a LOT that goes on in this movie.

An example of something from one of the previous films that we TF fans are familiar with and have come to accept, but that non-fans aren't familiar with and weren't so accepting toward, was the scene from ROTF that many non-fans have dubbed "the Robot Heaven scene" in ROTF. Since we fans have had the concept of a Transformers afterlife introduced to us prior to these films, beginning with the Beast Machines cartoon in 2000, we were more familiar with it and could accept that scene better since we could recognize what was going on. But to everyone else, it was something that had no lead up, no explanation, no rationality for why the very idea of it even exists presented to them by the movie, and thus was met with far less-than-friendly reception. After all, to the average non-fan, who would ever even consider that these inhuman robots would have their own equivalent of Heaven? The very idea would easily be viewed as nonsense to those who aren't into the greater lore like us fans, and who instead only see the TFs as fully secular alien robots with no cosmology.

Simple put, we fans who are Transformers savvy can and tend to follow the content of these films better than the less experienced non-fans. And if non-fans are having as much difficulty at keeping up with and understanding the content of these films as there seem to be, including those who do pay full attention when watching the films, then the fault would lie with the films for not being as understandable as they ought to be for the casual non-fan audiences, since it is the non-fan masses that these films are trying to appeal to.

A completely reasonable response. Remember everyone...consider what everyone else may view depending on multiple variables and don't be so quick to judge others based on their opinions.

[SlyTF1]

Saw it for the fifth time, yesterday. I actually kind of felt its length, this time. I'm still glad it's almost 3 hours long, though. I now, however can see how some people might have gotten confused by all that was going on. But, that's still no excuse to stop paying attention.

You also have to consider that you are Transformers savvy. You're used to this kind of TF stuff having been accustomed to it by external fiction and are more familiar with it as a more-than-casual fan. Ordinary non-fan moviegoers and critics, however, aren't as well versed in all this as we are, so it's not that surprising for any of them to get confused by or lost in all the stuff going on in this movie, and there is, without question, a LOT that goes on in this movie.

An example of something from one of the previous films that we TF fans are familiar with and have come to accept, but that non-fans aren't familiar with and weren't so accepting toward, was the scene from ROTF that many non-fans have dubbed "the Robot Heaven scene" in ROTF. Since we fans have had the concept of a Transformers afterlife introduced to us prior to these films, beginning with the Beast Machines cartoon in 2000, we were more familiar with it and could accept that scene better since we could recognize what was going on. But to everyone else, it was something that had no lead up, no explanation, no rationality for why the very idea of it even exists presented to them by the movie, and thus was met with far less-than-friendly reception. After all, to the average non-fan, who would ever even consider that these inhuman robots would have their own equivalent of Heaven? The very idea would easily be viewed as nonsense to those who aren't into the greater lore like us fans, and who instead only see the TFs as fully secular alien robots with no cosmology.

Simple put, we fans who are Transformers savvy can and tend to follow the content of these films better than the less experienced non-fans. And if non-fans are having as much difficulty at keeping up with and understanding the content of these films as there seem to be, including those who do pay full attention when watching the films, then the fault would lie with the films for not being as understandable as they ought to be for the casual non-fan audiences, since it is the non-fan masses that these films are trying to appeal to.

A completely reasonable response. Remember everyone...consider what everyone else may view depending on multiple variables and don't be so quick to judge others based on their opinions.

Well, they should take the time to research.

[Sabrblade]

Well, they should take the time to research.

No they shouldn't. No movie should ever require a person to do research to prepare for watching it. That would be ridiculous. It's a movie, a leisure activity, not a test.

[SKYWARPED_128]

Saw it for the fifth time, yesterday. I actually kind of felt its length, this time. I'm still glad it's almost 3 hours long, though. I now, however can see how some people might have gotten confused by all that was going on. But, that's still no excuse to stop paying attention.

You also have to consider that you are Transformers savvy. You're used to this kind of TF stuff having been accustomed to it by external fiction and are more familiar with it as a more-than-casual fan. Ordinary non-fan moviegoers and critics, however, aren't as well versed in all this as we are, so it's not that surprising for any of them to get confused by or lost in all the stuff going on in this movie, and there is, without question, a LOT that goes on in this movie.

An example of something from one of the previous films that we TF fans are familiar with and have come to accept, but that non-fans aren't familiar with and weren't so accepting toward, was the scene from ROTF that many non-fans have dubbed "the Robot Heaven scene" in ROTF. Since we fans have had the concept of a Transformers afterlife introduced to us prior to these films, beginning with the Beast Machines cartoon in 2000, we were more familiar with it and could accept that scene better since we could recognize what was going on. But to everyone else, it was something that had no lead up, no explanation, no rationality for why the very idea of it even exists presented to them by the movie, and thus was met with far less-than-friendly reception. After all, to the average non-fan, who would ever even consider that these inhuman robots would have their own equivalent of Heaven? The very idea would easily be viewed as nonsense to those who aren't into the greater lore like us fans, and who instead only see the TFs as fully secular alien robots with no cosmology.

Simple put, we fans who are Transformers savvy can and tend to follow the content of these films better than the less experienced non-fans. And if non-fans are having as much difficulty at keeping up with and understanding the content of these films as there seem to be, including those who do pay full attention when watching the films, then the fault would lie with the films for not being as understandable as they ought to be for the casual non-fan audiences, since it is the non-fan masses that these films are trying to appeal to.

Well said, Sabr.

Sometimes us fans know far more about the TF universe than we assume non-fans would know.

Also, no one is--nor should they be--obliged to read up on TF lore in order to enjoy a TF movie. The responsibility falls on the writer(s) to introduce the viewer to the fictional world of Transformers, and not leave it to him/her to read up on the subject matter.

The same applies to all works of fiction, obviously. The Wolverine had this same problem where the director and/or writer expected the viewer to know who Jean Gray was, and the significance she played in Logan's life. Those who were too young when the first X-Men movies were shown would have no clue what was happening.

[Sub-Prime]

One thing I found annoying was the volume level in the movies was kind of low and hard to understand some things that was being said. The Blu-Ray version of this movie will be way better as I don't have to deal with noisy adults and kids while watching it.

[SlyTF1]

Did anyone else notice how after Drift threw his sword, it was gone for the rest of the movie? I liked that. It reminded me of how Ironhide dropped his guns in ROTF and they were gone for the rest of the movie and in DOTM.

[Sabrblade]

Did anyone else notice how after Drift threw his sword, it was gone for the rest of the movie? I liked that. It reminded me of how Ironhide dropped his guns in ROTF and they were gone for the rest of the movie and in DOTM.

To be fair, it probably would have cost a bit more to put the swords back onto him without him doing so himself first, so the less there is to animate on the CG model, the better financial-wise.

[skidflap]

Did anyone else notice how after Drift threw his sword, it was gone for the rest of the movie? I liked that. It reminded me of how Ironhide dropped his guns in ROTF and they were gone for the rest of the movie and in DOTM.

To be fair, it probably would have cost a bit more to put the swords back onto him without him doing so himself first, so the less there is to animate on the CG model, the better financial-wise.

Plus it shows that they lost weapons. If you look at hound in the end he is devoid of weapons, given that he used them all during what I dubbed the "goodman rampage"

[chivesbot20]

Did anyone else notice that this was the first final battle were Bumblebee takes part in attacking the main villain besides prime? I thought that was pretty cool.

[chivesbot20]

Did anyone else notice that this was the first final battle were Bumblebee takes part in attacking the main villain besides prime? I thought that was pretty cool.

[Sub-Prime]

Bumblebee attacked Sentinel Prime in the beginning part of the ending fight in DOTM along with sideswipe and ratchet.

[Autobot032]

Age Of Extinction is now the first 2014 film to cross the billion dollar line, and in 5 weeks! We've reported on it's meteoric rise through the box office, here and here but now that's all been far surpassed by today's news, courtesy of trade publication Variety.

The Michael Bay film is the second picture in the giant robots franchise to hit those lofty heights, after 2009’s “Transformers: Dark of the Moon.” The latest “Transformers” was propelled by a record-breaking reception in China, where the film has earned north of $300 million, a new high-water mark for the world’s second-largest movie market. Its cumulative total includes $763.8 million internationally and $241.2 million at the domestic box office.

You can read the full article here, at Variety.

Congratulations to the cast and crew for their incredible success!

Keep your optics tuned to Seibertron.com for the latest in news and updates, plus the best galleries around!

[OptimalOptimus2]

And this is a surprise?

[Autobot032]

And this is a surprise?

Perhaps not, but it is news.

[noctorro]

Not a surprise, still cool.
I watched it 3 times in cinemas, very excited and great movie.

Loved the characters, Lockdown was a boss.
Didn't notice the loss of weapons.
Did notice that Lockdown is smaller than Prime, which rarely happens in movies where the villain is smaller than the hero. After Prime's sword-upgrade thing, I think he was stronger than Lockdown.

Also noticable, normally, also in the cartoons, Optimus fights Megatron.
In very rare occasions does a hero's ally fight the main villain.

[TheVenocWarlord]

Uhhh, didn't DotM come out in 2011?

[Sabrblade]

Uhhh, didn't DotM come out in 2011?

Yeah, ROTF came out in 2009.

[SpaceSkull]

Me and the family must have put it over the mark when we saw it on Thursday. At an AMC theater in 3D. Place could easily seat 300-400 big. We were the only 3 in there. Had the entire place to ourselves. It was awesome.

Movie was dumb but to see it in my own personal movie theater. Awesome.

[Sub-Prime]

Actually it was the foreign market that helped it out big time!

[dragons]

saw it three times in two d maybe if im in mood to have two pairs of glasses on my face I will see it in 3d

[RSDADDIMUS2]

Can't wait for the BluRay. This is my second favorite Transformer film(Transformers being the best of the four). This was the first,however,that I went to the movie theater to see.I bought the others on DVD as they were released and then watched them. I'll be going back to the theater for part 5.

[TulioDude]

Congratulations to the movie team and everyone involved!They really earned it!

[Darkman20xx]

I wonder if the next installment will be even more geared to overseas markets now. Under $300 million domestic when numerous people here have mentioned seeing the movie more than once. Would be a good time for Nightbird to enter wouldn't it?

[chivesbot20]

I think a battle should take place in Europe, like the small villages,Rome,Somehwere in even Germany. But i have a common thought like a majority that Galvatron is going to be the only main villain on Earth for tf5. But IMO Lorenzo d Boneventuro is really annoying me with his interviews lately. The leader of the autobots goes into space to find his Creators but he says it will mainly ale place on Earth. Also in his opinion no Unicron? We should all just come together and think of a plot idea continuing from AOE

[noctorro]

Offtopic:
As of July 31, 2014, based on 169 reviews collected by the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Age of Extinction has received an overall rating average of 17%

Sharknado received positive reviews. It currently has an 82% "fresh" score at Rotten Tomatoes.

That's why I have so little respect for movie reviewers.