There are few directors working today who get more vitriolic prose spewed at them than Michael Bay. Whether in print or on internet forums, vocal film fans simply love to unleash a torrent of hate towards his movies, often in long-winded digressions which reveal more about the writer of the critique than of Bay’s work as a director. And I always wonder where this hate is coming from. People often point to him as the destroyer of cinema but why? Movies speak to a diverse and wide range of viewers. There are those in the audience who look for subtlety and emotion in film while others simply want to be entertained. Michael Bay movies have never been subtle or emotional, but they sure are entertaining.
It is impossible to argue that Michael Bay lacks vision because there is a clear cinematic consistency from his first film, Bad Boys, to his most recent effort, Transformers. His style is visually assaultive, bombastic and unrelenting. While he has received a substantial amount of criticism for his flashy visuals and fast cuts, this is simply his style which is more appropriate for his target demographic. You either enjoy it or you don’t. And it is clear that he has no desire to change it as it has remained consistent throughout his films. Bay is smart enough to understand that his primary audience is comprised of young men and teenage boys. So he packs his movies with what entertains them: guns, fast cars, beautiful women and action sequences. This often results in his characters lacking dimensionality but that is only because he chooses not to focus on these elements. Bay is an extremely visual director and he makes movies for an audience that enjoys visuals; his films always have beautifully commercial rather than artistic cinematography which can be credited to his commercial and music video background. This focus on visual elements feeds into his strengths at choreographing action and visual effects, both of which are featured prominently in all of his films. He has no shame in attempting to give his target audience what he believes they want to see at the movies and I congratulate him for it because it demonstrates a certain cinematic selflessness on his part. And due to his success, it is clear that there is an audience around the world that enjoys his work.
Michael Bay movies are the definition of tent-pole popcorn cinema. They are events that assault the visual and auditory senses as he tries to entertain you through action and visual effects. Some people see this as shallow. But if you don’t like it, then watch something else. Just because his talent does not appeal to your senses does not discredit his ability to make cinematic entertainment for other viewers. Whether you like it or not, Bay has earned his place as a filmmaker and while there is a very vocal minority who hates everything he does, there is a large majority, of which I am a member, who proudly enjoys the simple pleasures that his movies offer.
It is impossible to argue that Michael Bay lacks vision because there is a clear cinematic consistency from his first film, Bad Boys, to his most recent effort, Transformers. His style is visually assaultive, bombastic and unrelenting. While he has received a substantial amount of criticism for his flashy visuals and fast cuts, this is simply his style which is more appropriate for his target demographic. You either enjoy it or you don’t. And it is clear that he has no desire to change it as it has remained consistent throughout his films. Bay is smart enough to understand that his primary audience is comprised of young men and teenage boys. So he packs his movies with what entertains them: guns, fast cars, beautiful women and action sequences. This often results in his characters lacking dimensionality but that is only because he chooses not to focus on these elements. Bay is an extremely visual director and he makes movies for an audience that enjoys visuals; his films always have beautifully commercial rather than artistic cinematography which can be credited to his commercial and music video background. This focus on visual elements feeds into his strengths at choreographing action and visual effects, both of which are featured prominently in all of his films. He has no shame in attempting to give his target audience what he believes they want to see at the movies and I congratulate him for it because it demonstrates a certain cinematic selflessness on his part. And due to his success, it is clear that there is an audience around the world that enjoys his work.
Michael Bay movies are the definition of tent-pole popcorn cinema. They are events that assault the visual and auditory senses as he tries to entertain you through action and visual effects. Some people see this as shallow. But if you don’t like it, then watch something else. Just because his talent does not appeal to your senses does not discredit his ability to make cinematic entertainment for other viewers. Whether you like it or not, Bay has earned his place as a filmmaker and while there is a very vocal minority who hates everything he does, there is a large majority, of which I am a member, who proudly enjoys the simple pleasures that his movies offer.
By: Baldwin Tong
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