The Energon Pub

[Rodimus Prime]

This is just speculation.

The first film was about 2 hrs. and 20 mins. long, RoTF only 4 minutes longer. I think the story in the first movie warranted the time, but RoTF kinda dragged when there was no action. So unless the story is awesome in TF3, I think it would be shorter, though knowing Bay and his penchant for long films, especially this being his final act of the trilogy (most likely) he might go out with a bang and make this a near-3 hour marathon of explosions with story sprinkled here and there.

Your thoughts and preference for length?

[Rodimus2006]

2hrs 35 minutes or 2hrs 45minutes

[Blurrz]

Doesn't matter to me. A movie about Transformers is a gift to the fans and something I'll want to enjoy for as long as it is, regardless of 'popular' criticism.

[G1 Smoketreader]

This is just speculation.

The first film was about 2 hrs. and 20 mins. long, RoTF only 4 minutes longer. I think the story in the first movie warranted the time, but RoTF kinda dragged when there was no action. So unless the story is awesome in TF3, I think it would be shorter, though knowing Bay and his penchant for long films, especially this being his final act of the trilogy (most likely) he might go out with a bang and make this a near-3 hour marathon of explosions with story sprinkled here and there.

Your thoughts and preference for length?

I remember a promotional campaign interview for Aliens special edition saying that ticket prices go up once a film passes a particular time limit-somewhere in the vicinity of 2.5 hrs.I don't recall the exact length, nor do I know if this was effective only during the era that Aliens was made or if it's still a pricing factor today.

I reckon up to 3 hours for a trilogy ender wouldn't go down badly,provided the time was actually needed to close each story hook appropriately.More time than that threatens to have the audience start getting the need to stretch their legs and backs.

One of my mates worked for Sony TriStar and said this was a major non-fan complaint about the Lord of the Rings movies (getting cramped in thir seats and waiting for the story to get on with telling itself). Pleasantly, the major non-fan compliment (not complaint) for Spiderman 1 and 2 was that folks got so involved in the story they actually forgot all about other events.

I noticed two scenes in RoTF which made me think "This must be written for mood based on what the writer learnt at writing school,not what the director learnt at director school", but these are two of the scenes that I feel slow down and rely on unhurried story telling: One is with Optimus and Sam killing off their alliance in the Graveyard setting, and the other is the all-grey warehouse with the all grey Megatron,Doktor, and Grindor inside. A whole bleakness colorscape thing.
It's a good sign,tho,that different writers,when writing different bits,can make a film unbelievable,tho each film needs it's own unique group.Long search there.

[Prime Riblet]

I definitely think the 07 movie had the better flow as well as the better use of time. The 2nd film had some AMAZINGLY cool action scenes, but the overall progress of the movie was hampered by several scenes that could have been scrapped. The movie as a whole was not cohesive, and it really did seem far longer than it was.

I usually want a great movie to last as long as possible. If it is 3 hours of awesome, then I am totally happy. If there isn't enough good material to last a full 3 hours, then I hate to sit through the crap. Even if a movie is an hour and a half of crap, it is too long. So.....I want the movie to be as long as the material allows it to be.

[INVINCEATRON]

if it is 3hrs long, they better keep it going, not dragging on and on. i hope it is action packed with story telling thats not confusing. no matter what, this movie is going to kick some butt!

[NatsumeRyu]

I'm with "whatever length it needs to be." I don't want them to make it three-hours just because of its predecessors (and maybe needing to out-do them), or because of possibly being "the end." I just want whatever time the stuff allows for. That seems the smartest move from an artistic stand point. You don't throw a color in a picture just because others do it. You use it when you need it. But, meh, we can differ on what "needs" to be done.