'Transformers: AOE' more advertisement than film

In just 11 days Transformers: Age of Extinction has broken the 1.4 billion yuan ($224 million) box office record that Avatar set after holding the top spot for 10 weeks in the Chinese mainland market.

However, high box-office does not necessarily ensure critical acclaim. Opening up to weak reviews, so far the film has been extremely polarizing among Chinese fans since its debut on June 27.

Long before the movie premiered moviegoers' interest in the film was piqued when it was announced that Chinese actors like Li Bingbing and Han Geng would be joining the cast. Later announcements that expanded this Chinese roster, only proved to further wet the Chinese audiences' appetite.

However, compared to the first Transformers film, which realized many fans' dreams of seeing their beloved animated characters brought to the screen, Transformers: AOE's lame storyline and obvious Chinese product placements make it feel like Michael Bay is focused more on making money than making a film. As the franchise continues to lose it's allure, Age of Extinction may come to be more than just a movie title.

Come to sugar daddy!

Product placement is everywhere in this film, ranging from the blatant to the ridiculous. When Stanley Tucci's experimental prototype that can turn into anything transformed into a Beats speaker, that was forgivable; when a speeding car hit a beer truck spilling Bud Light bottles all over the street and lead star Mark Wahlberg picked one up and drank it, I found even that bearable; but I just couldn't get past the question of why a bunch of Americans who live in Texas would be using a China Construction Bank card to pay for things or why after being chased to the roof of a building in Hong Kong, Tucci's character would suddenly open a fridge and pick out of box of Yili Shuhua Milk from all the other things he could have chosen and suddenly drank it down like a cold refreshing beer. The audience in the theater burst out laughing when the camera deliberately closed in on his face as he drank, as if the director was afraid we wouldn't have the chance to read the brand name on the box.

Although product placement is common in TV shows and movies, it only really works when it fits with the plot or sits in the background. But when product placement becomes so obvious that it takes you out of the movie, it basically ends up becoming a joke in and of itself. And not a funny joke either, tons of fans on the Internet have taken to posting on social networks explaining how they regret paying money to go to the movies just to watch a giant advertisement.

Moreover, from the zero number of Chinese advertisements in the first Transformer film to the seven Chinese adverts planted in the fourth, it's quite clear that the higher ups at these companies spent a small fortune to have their brands get time in the limelight. These adverts weren't even limited to products you can buy in the stores, Beijing's Pangu Plaza and famous scenic spots in Wulong, Chongqing had their time in the sun. It really seems that China has become Hollywood's new sugar daddy.

Walk-on roles

Since Fan Bingbing's short appearance in the "special" Chinese version of Iron Man 3, domestic fans have made fun of the small walk-on roles that Chinese actors have been playing in Hollywood movies. While a bit longer, Fan's performance as Blink in X-Men: Days of Future Past certainly didn't make things any better.

Learning that this time Chinese actors would be playing significant roles in Transformers: AOE, Chinese audiences were eager to see how this would play out. But again, many of these appearances were little more than small walk-on roles; especially that of Chinese heartthrob and superstar Han Geng, whose only contribution to the film, a single exclamation of surprise, broke fans' hearts throughout the nation.

Fortunately, Li Bingbing's role wasn't completely meaningless. Li has explained in several interviews that she discussed the role with Michael Bay and actually made successful changes to how her character was portrayed. While a small step forward, it's a good start for Chinese actors and actresses to get more actively involved in Hollywood blockbusters.

All show, no substance

So far, the only thing that hasn't been mocked is the film's outstanding visual effects. However, while most audiences don't head into commercial blockbusters with high expectations when it comes to story, they still need something beyond continuous explosions to get them through an over two-hour-long film such as this one.

A good story and splendid visual effects can co-exist in a blockbuster film. Just look at what Christopher Nolan did with the Dark Knight franchise, audiences were still able to find some meaning behind this blockbuster portrayal of a comic book hero.

So far the Transformers: AOE only has a 17 percent rating by critics on Rotten Tomatoes, a pretty clear message that the franchise has lost its allure for many. On the other hand, the film keeps taking the top spot at the box office in China and is set to break the 2 billion yuan mark soon. It seems Chinese audiences are happy to see Hollywood action films so long as they don't just destroy New York, London or Paris, but also bring in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing.

It's interesting, back in 2009 when Transformers 2 was shown in the Chinese mainland, all references to Shanghai were removed, but now it's perfectly okay to blow up several blocks of Hong Kong when the film is a coproduction where China is footing part of the production bill.

Whether or not the film is any good aside, the Chinese market has long had Hollywood salivating. However, while Age of Extinction has certainly succeeded in bringing in Chinese investment and adding Chinese elements, maybe next time it would be better to do it in a less profit-orientated way and instead incorporate things more naturally into the story. Until then these numerous product placements and shallow storylines that exist in Transformers: AOE will continue to make this franchise nothing more than a giant money absorbing machine rather than a decent work of film.