Oh sure, now you post about it :P There's no real way to compare what happened with Dark Knight to what's going on here. that film didn't just have buzz on speed dial it had buzz lock, stock and barreled up against the wall. I can't recall a film of its type or for that matter any type that had such a strong build up that everything leading up to its release (including other films) was like X's on a calendar counting down the days. Twilight was new and I never felt that it had much buzz beyond a lot of teenage girls squealing over it... ok loud squeals I bought earplugs.

Bay's second outing does feel like it's just kinda there. Everyone knows it's coming, everyone knows Megan Fox will be making guys that drool over her drool some more and that Shia's hand really was banged up... oh and there's more big robos! So why isn't there more excitement? Why isn't the air crackling with electricity? This is Transformers 2 damnit! I really don't know. I liked the first film alright but then I disliked it a bit too. I've got the dvd around the house somewhere but I've never watched it and only saw it in the theater one time.

For me and a couple of friends I spoke to at the time, there was just too much robo-guts on display that distracted the eye. The lack of more solid areas made many of the Transformers hard to discern in robot form apart from colors, size and general outline. Toss a whole lot of fast-paced action into the mix and much of it became a blur where tossing a bucket of car parts at just the right angle would have the same appearance as a robot flying by. The first film had the buzz because no one knew what it would be and hopes were high. For a number of people I think those hopes were rewarded but not for all and that may well factor in to how much business this sequel does. Could the marketing be better? Sure but then lesser marketed films have managed to take fire all on their own in spite of advertising. If Transformers 2 is going to be a runaway hit it will be otherwise we'll be here reading how it barely eclipsed The Proposal... imagine that.

Well, the advance reviews, unofficial or not, that have leaked seem to all point to the fact that it is pretty much "just a sequel." It's no Spider-Man 2 or Dark Knight and I didn't expect it to be. Maybe Paramount realizes this and is just accepting that.