I haven’t seen Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen and nor do I plan to. I had vowed not to see another Michael Bay movie ever again after The Island but I was invited to see the first Transformers as for some reason Paramount thought it needed the publicity, so I went along for the free ride.
Though I never reviewed the film, I certainly made my feelings about Michael Bay and that movie known at least a dozen times. So I wasn’t surprised that this time I wasn’t invited back, and there ain’t no way I was paying to see it. And in reality, any of you guys that fuel this kind of nonsense really deserve to be fed shit summer in, summer out, if you keep coming back to this series.
So I don’t really know much about the apparenat racism that is at the forefront in Bay’s movie in regards to a couple of robot characters, apart from what I read online.
/film though do a good job of explaining…
The characters in question are Skids and Mudflap, who after an initial appearance as a ratty old ice cream truck are upgraded to be green and orange Chevys. More to the point, both characters speak with voices that sound like urban black stereotypes, have big ears and buck teeth and proclaim that they ‘don’t do much readin’‘. Skids even has a gold tooth.
Unnecessarily stupid characters to go with, I’d say. But where does the buck for them lie?
Screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are quick to claim it wasn’t them, admitting to their astonishment and embarrassment by what Bay put on the screen. From an interview with Film School Rejects…
It’s really hard for us to sit here and try to justify it. I think that would be very foolish, and if someone wants to be offended by it, it’s their right. We were very surprised when we saw it, too, and it’s a choice that was made. If anything, it just shows you that we don’t control every aspect of the movie.
For those who have seen the movie, I would love to hear your take on these characters and whether the criticisms against racism are relevant.
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11 Comments
I think people are overreacting a bit. Yeah they are racist stereotypes (very close to how it was done in the old cartoons in the 40/50s) but in my opinion it has power only if we give it to them. We don’t have to associate them with people. The caracters presented in the movie don’t realy exist in real life so why bother being offended? Especialy that there was no intention of being agressive against the black people. Just be laid back and never mind the stereotypes and that way they will have no power over you.
BTW. I still think the outrage is usefull as any flame directed toward Bay is a worthy cause.
Norbert
People named “Norbert” are inbred, child-molesting idiots who should have their kneedcaps power-drilled and their teeth ripped out.
Don’t be offended at that. I’m not aiming those remarks at YOU, rather at people NAMED “Norbert.” Hell, how many inbred, child molesting people named Norbert can you even think of.
Just be laid back and never mind the stereotypes and it will have no power over you.
BTW, if you get offended it’s only because you’re afraid it might be true.
I imagine Bay giggling in the editing room over those two characters, not because they are actually funny (they aren’t), but because he has this warped view of black people. Bay has made the comment that those voices and character accoutrements were put in there “to add more character.” That pretty much sums up Bay’s view of things like character – don’t develop it! Just slap on a caricature!!
Kurtzman and Orci cannot weasel their way oyut of blame, however. Even if they weren’t totally responsible for those characters, they still had a hand in the huge sections of this poorly plotted and poorly written film.
JaySmack I think the comparison is a bit far off the stereotype in the movie. There is a difference between agigating to rip someones teeth off and pointing it very specific and a very overdrawn, unreal and stupid stereotype that anyone in their right mind won’t treat serious.
Going with your train of thought I should be offended by Borad as the caracter is based on east europe and he uses a sentence that actualy has a meaning in my language but it’s so unreal that it would be stupid to be offended.
I see for you the movie robots are equivalent that we need to kill all the black people (or what is the politicaly correct for that will not offend anyone).
I’m really curious how people see it in continental Europe where you can be sued for everything, and everything is politicaly incorrect, stereotypical or sex molestation.
Man we have much more negative stereotypes around here and still people don’t get go berzerk at every little thing that bugs them.
BTW. If you haven’t got that. I’m not defending Bay as I hate the guy but I think the outrage is silly. Us people should rather direct it at the % of jobless or imprisoned black people. For me a bigger reason for outrage was the documentary about crips and bloods (don’t remember the exact title) than 2 stupid robots. If you really want to change something change something that has any meaning.
Man we have much more negative stereotypes around here and still people don’t get go berzerk at every little thing that bugs them.
Norbert, I think what is bothering everyone is the extent of the stereotyping going on here. It’s not just that the robots use language that readily identifies them as a particular race (which seems completely unnecessary since, you know, they’re robots!), they also are apparently illiterate (which is beyond insulting) and just generally portrayed as being poor and stupid. That’s why people are mad. Because that us flat out racist.
I know but the scale of the stereotype is so far off that it’s in my opinion hard to be treated seriously. Especialy a stereotype in a Bay movie with dog humping jokes. When an Idiot makes a stupid remark you don’t give him attention.
But maybe I’m wrong and I’m still curious if the whole thing will leave the internet film community and be really able to backfire at Bay.
Norbert, when your mouth has dug you into a hole, it’s time to keep it shut.
I agree with Muzzy. I saw it, I was entertained for over two hours. You don’t necessarily pay a prostitute for her insight. No, you pay her to entertain. As long as she’s paid, things are good. Michael Bay is a prostitute, but I enjoyed the movie all the same. It’s a movie. Nothing more. Now all of you put your bickering to good use and go cure AIDS and cancer.
Muzzy, read the last line of Ray’s EXCELLENT review/obit for Transformers 2 and I’m sure you’ll see much of yourself in it.
You guys are over reacting!!! Micheal Bay is not racist!! Come on! He made BadBOYs 1 and BadBoys 2…with Will Smith! Micheal Bay touches on humour that we all can relate to….There’s worst out there… Family Guy for one…and how about Star Wars Phantom Menace….Jar jar?…there’s stereo typing there…Look around there a Mcdonalds and Kentucky in every low income neighborhood in America….leave summer action movies alone and find more important issues in the world to gripe about…I’m going to watch Transformers 2 at the movies! Right Freakin’ NOWWWWW!!!! lol
Superfly, Justin, Muzzy, and Norbert are completely correct. There’s a big difference between racism and stereotyping. Don’t try to equate the two because whether you want to admit it or not, they are NOT THE SAME! Racism is “I hate you, wish you were dead, want to put a bullet in your brain because you’re black and I’m asian, and asians are better.” Stereotyping is a form of identifying a certain race with certain traits, NOT a form of hatred for a certain race because of what they look like. Throughout the entire movie, stereotyping occured. There was even an asian stereotype in the Shanghai scene with the old man eating with chopsticks and asian music played in the background after the transformers wrecked his house. I, an asian, even laughed at that because I knew Michael Bay wasn’t showing he hated the crap out of asians. Please stop blowing this out of proportion and yelling “RACIST!” at every little detail.