Does Transformers 2 take a swipe at Obama ?

[Servonaut]

I thought about putting this in GD,

Mods move it if you think it's necessary.

http://www.wilshireandwashington.com/2009/06/transformers-a-swipe-at-obama.html

Variety's David Cohen saw the latest "Transformers" movie --- "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" --- and filed this report on its reference to President Obama, but not, at least in his eyes, in a good way.

Cohen writes, "So as usual in these movies, the federal bureaucrats are portrayed as annoying if not villainous. The President's man, "Galloway," is a bespectacled blowhard who becomes an obstacle to our brave fighting men and their alliance with the noble Autobots. Operating specifically under presidential authority, he makes all kinds of mischief. He says the President wants to try "diplomacy" against the evil Decepticons and hints the President would consider handing over Shia LaBouf's character to be killed by them. He eventually is ditched by the fighting men (tricked into parachuting out the back of a transport). All this is par for the course in this kind of movie. In the first, there was a Rumsfeldian secretary of defense (played by Jon Voight) and a bit of dialogue from "the President" clearly meant to be Bush, with an obvious Bush impression on the dialogue.
 
"However, if memory serves, no real politicians were named in the first movie. The SecDef isn't Rumsfeld. The president is not called by name.
 
"In this movie, exactly one real-life politician is named: "President Obama." They went out of their way to make sure they named the craven, obstructionist president as Obama."

So what gives? I haven't seen the movie, so I am relying on David's take. But it strikes me as a bit unusual given the popularity of the president and the fact that so many people involved in the pic contributed to his campaign.

I guess I have to go see the movie.

[thundley4]

I thought about putting this in GD,

Mods move it if you think it's necessary.

http://www.wilshireandwashington.com/2009/06/transformers-a-swipe-at-obama.html
 

I guess I have to go see the movie.

Could this be why so many critics are panning this movie?

[Duke Nukum]

Could this be why so many critics are panning this movie?

Don't Michael Bay movies usually get panned?  I loved Armageddon but  I remember it getting panned in favor of the other meteor crashing into earth movie, Deep Impact.

I love the scene where they are chucking golf balls at Green Peace and I love the scene where they agree to do the mission as long as if they survive they never have to pay taxes again.

[thundley4]

Racist robots? Jive-talking twin Transformers raise questions about racial stereotypes
"LOS ANGELES (AP) — Harmless comic characters or racist robots?

The buzz over the summer blockbuster "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" only grew Wednesday as some said two jive-talking Chevy characters were racial caricatures.

Skids and Mudflap, twin robots disguised as compact hatchbacks, constantly brawl and bicker in rap-inspired street slang. They're forced to acknowledge that they can't read. One has a gold tooth.

As good guys, they fight alongside the Autobots and are intended to provide comic relief. But their traits raise the specter of stereotypes most notably seen when Jar Jar Binks, the clumsy, broken-English speaking alien from "Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace," was criticized as a caricature." http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sns-ap-us-film-transformers-jarjaragain,0,5395244.story

Maybe another reason for being panned in the liberal press?

[NHSparky]

Actually, a lot of Michael Bay's movies DO suck, witness:

Pearl Harbor
The Island
Bad Boys II
Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

[asdf2231]

Actually, a lot of Michael Bay's movies DO suck, witness:

Pearl Harbor
The Island
Bad Boys II
Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

[youtube=425,350]_pM8PrqY5Rg[/youtube]

The genius that is Matt Stone and Trey Parker.