By now I'm sure you know that the Internet has been "buzzing" with the news that Megan Fox has been booted from your already scripted Transformers 3. If you aren't, read this- I'll wait. OK, all caught up? Good, let us continue. For the last week I've been reading posts and articles like that one, though not as hilarious. Some people say it was a terrible call. Others that it was a victory struck at the heart of evil. But one thing everybody agrees on is this: You better find a replacement- and fast! And then the rumor mills start anew. Whispers about this celebrities girlfriend, or this ex-pop star's daughter... Everybody has their opinion on who should replace her, but I say: Why replace her at all?
People probably don't assume this about me, but I actually like Shia LaBeouf as an actor. Sure, he's been in a couple bad movies here or there -and yes, one of them was part of a beloved franchise- but I challenge that assertion with one of my own. That the movies weren't bad because he gave bad performances. Even in the frightful Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, LeBeouf was trying to sell it. It, just happened to be unsellable. And let's not forget the solid, or even downright good movies he's been a part of as well. He's got the timing, he's got the exposure, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps hasn't made it to Chicago yet but the word is he blows it out of the water. My point is, the kid can act. So what if you ditch the flash formula, and the forced ogle-shots and you let him?
Now, Mr. Bay, I know that's not really your thing. Your more a camera-circles-the-hero-as-he-stands-in-slow-motion-and-the-sun-glares-into-the-lens sort of guy. I get that. But don't you wonder what it might be like? The truth is that buried deep (DEEP) within even the second Transformers movie is the story of a boy becoming a man. There are allusions to it all over the two films; when things aren't blowing up or humping assorted objects I mean... OK, I'm being rude. I'm sorry. But my point still stands.
So how could you go about this approach? One of my thoughts is: this is supposed to be a war, let Mikaela be a casualty. Push your lead into a dark hole and let us spend the third installment watching him crawl out. When he finally arrives he'll be deeper, darker, and more dedicated to the fight then he's ever been. Instead of pounding out a new script that quickly replaces Fox with another visual party favor, what if you let Fox's absence be the lens that brings Sam Witwicky into focus. The catalyst that realizes his transformation from reluctant conscript to confident hero.
The truth is that no matter how much I complain or mock, I'll go see whatever the next chapter in this series brings. Like I told my best friend not to long ago, I'm the kind of movie goer that looks too deep and hopes to hard. It doesn't matter how bad Revenge of the Fallen is, I'm always going hope the next picture is better- right up until the credits role and I know for sure one way or the other. It's a trait that's gotten me in a lot of trouble over the years, but it's one I don't think I could bare to part with. And I assure you, I'm not the only one with it.
There are a lot of things being said about you out here Mr. Bay, and, if you were to even care, I'm sure my way isn't the only way to start wiping them out. But think of all the potential fans you could reign in if you managed to deliver a truly great sequel this time around. It would take some work, sure, and some risk. But it can be done. And maybe the process begins with you looking at the empty space- and doing nothing.
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