Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2009

25%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Michael Bay's sequel trades the first film's fun for crude jokes, chaotic action, and a plot that makes zero sense—even the robots are confused.

6/10

19%

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Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

movie

PG-13, 2009

25%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Michael Bay's sequel trades the first film's fun for crude jokes, chaotic action, and a plot that makes zero sense—even the robots are confused.

19%

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6/10

19%

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Screenwise Verdict

Here's the truth: this movie is a mess. It takes everything fun about giant robots and buries it under crude humor, incomprehensible plotting, and visual chaos. The first Transformers had charm; this sequel has a dog humping a robot's leg.

Parents were rightfully upset when they took their toy-loving kids to see this and encountered sexual objectification, racial stereotypes, and violence that goes way beyond PG-13 norms. The critical consensus is brutal (19% on Rotten Tomatoes) because the movie genuinely doesn't work—it's loud, long, and lacks any coherent story.

If your teen is begging to see it because they loved the first one, fine, but set expectations: this isn't enriching cinema, it's a 150-minute headache with robots. Younger kids should skip it entirely. The WISE score reflects reality—this is not a strong recommendation by any measure.

Age Fit

Common Sense Media recommends 14+ and they're right—this is too intense and inappropriate for younger kids despite the toy tie-in. Even teens might find it exhausting and incoherent. Adults who enjoy turning their brain off for explosions might tolerate it, but nobody's calling this a good movie.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Crude humor dominates throughout, including racial stereotypes in robot characters, objectifying camera work on female characters, and a dog humping scene played for laughs. The tone is chaotic and aggressive rather than emotionally healthy. Multiple parent reviews cite 'unfunny humor' and inappropriate sexual content that undermines any positive messaging about teamwork or heroism.

Imaginative

Giant transforming robots and ancient alien mythology offer visual spectacle, but the creativity is buried under explosions and noise. The cryptic symbols plot device hints at mystery, but the execution is more bombastic than thought-provoking. It's imaginative in scale but not in substance—kids won't leave wanting to build or explore ideas, just recreate fight scenes.

Safe

Rated PG-13 for good reason: intense metal-on-metal violence with robots being torn apart, sexual material including objectifying shots and crude jokes, drug references, and coarse language throughout. Common Sense Media rates it 14+ and explicitly warns it's 'edgier and less kid-friendly than the first.' Parents report being shocked by inappropriate content they didn't expect in what seems like a toy-based franchise.

Enriching

Critically panned (19% on Rotten Tomatoes, 35 on Metacritic) for incoherent storytelling and lack of substance. One parent review calls it 'a disaster...indulgent, obtuse and the script is a cacophony of poorly developed characters.' There's no meaningful character growth, ethical lessons, or cognitive value—just relentless action. Even entertainment value is questionable given the 2.6/5 Letterboxd rating.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Massive visual spectacle with giant robots fighting in epic set pieces—if you're here for explosions, you'll get explosions
Ancient Transformer mythology adds some world-building depth to the franchise lore
Teens who loved the first film might enjoy seeing their favorite Autobots and Decepticons return

⚠

What to Watch For

Sexually objectifying camera work and crude humor that's wildly inappropriate for the toy-buying demographic
Racially stereotyped robot characters (Mudflap and Skids) that sparked significant controversy
Intense violence with robots being brutally dismembered—far more graphic than the first film
Incoherent plot that even adults struggle to follow; it's 150 minutes of noise
Drug references and coarse language throughout

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think the filmmakers made jokes about women's bodies in a movie based on toys? How did that make you feel?"
"The movie shows a lot of violence. Do you think there are better ways the characters could have solved their problems?"
"What did you think was actually happening in the story? Could you follow the plot?"

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