Transformers
The Island
Bad Boys II
Pearl Harbor
Armageddon
The Rock
Bad Boys

I submit to you the seven released films that Michael Bay has directed (in reverse chronological order).  Looking over that list, would someone PLEASE tell me why this guy has to take so much shit from everyone?  Michael Bay is s*** on every day by thousands upon thousands of net-goers, writers, wannabe directors, movie viewers, and critics.

I get it, sure.  In short, he's significantly more concerned with style than substance.  His characters are flat, he directs bad performances, he's clearly more interested in visuals than story, and on and on.  He has huge flaws.  He does.

I was actually gonna write a long rant here, but I'm too tired.  What I want to know is...why is Bay honestly so bad?  Can anyone honestly say that those seven films are much much worse than all the other action films coming out of Hollywood, winners like Next, National Treasure II, and Paycheck?  Is Bay honestly so offensive, or is he in fact making some of the best action movies in Hollywood, certainly better than some of the garbage given to us by such directors as John McTiernan, Jan De Bont, and Lee Tamahori?  Are there really legions of directors out there who would have made better movies from the same scripts, or is Bay in fact a better action director than most?  Is it really such sacrilege to make fluffy movies that have no depth whatsoever, or do people only object to it when it's loud and action-packed, ignoring fluffy comedy, romance, horror, and even musicals?

I really am curious to hear what people think.

Heretic, I will do better than that and give you 7 reasons why Michael Bay cannot direct...

Transformers
The Island
Bad Boys II
Pearl Harbor
Armageddon
The Rock
Bad Boys

HaHa - Only Joking, The Rock was actually allright!

0 Transformers
+1The Island
-1 Bad Boys II
-9 Pearl Harbor
-9 Armageddon
+1The Rock
-1 Bad Boys
-------------
-18 Total Direction Points

Heretic, I will be a little more serious. I think you are taking this a little too seriously to be honest. The reason why Michael Bay's name gets mentioned so much is that he is someone who is seen by many to represent a breed of directors who make the kind of movies that polarize people. Many many people love brainless action movies and they make lots of money, while more serious movie lovers will tend to stay away. Michael Mann is probably the best of this breed, hence why his name comes up so much - It is a compliment in a way, well sort of.

I myself from your list have only seen The Rock and Armageddon and as I said The Rock was alright. I have got no desire whatsoever to see any of the others. I read plenty of reviews by people who's opinion I respect and I know that these movies are not what I would choose to see. But after sitting through 'National Treasure: Book of Secrets' I know there are far, far worse movies out there and far worse directors (check my sig for an example of probably the worst directors making movies today).

I will honestly say that Michael Bay to me represents what is wrong with Hollywood, but that does not mean I think he is the worst director. And hell he makes more money than me, and made more films than me (for the moment!) But if people love his work then fair enough, each to their own and all that. You can disagree but you cannot stop other people expressing their opinions too.

Michael Bay make easy to swallow pop corn movies - they're usually entertaining but also fairly forgetable.

I will say though that of all the movies he's directed, one stands way above the rest and that's The Rock which is an exellent action flick.

Quoted from The boy who could fly I think it is kinda pointless bitching about people who are more successful than you or me, if you're better, prove it, simple as that, why cry about it, won't change a thing, I know I'm not any better than bay, so I really can't bitch and moan about him till I prove otherwise, there are a lot more important things in life than what movies Michael bay makes, if that is something that bothers you there are more serious issues at hand that need to be looked at.

So you are saying that there should be no such thing as a film critic then? As I bet there is not a single one alive that is more successful than Michael Bay at directing movies.

Are you telling me that you have never, ever offered any criticism to any scripts on this site that were written by better screenwriters than yourself?  if you have then you are either the best screenwriter on this site or the biggest hypocrite.

Everyone is allowed an opinion, there is nothing at all wrong with anyone saying they think an actor cannot act, or a director cannot direct just because they are not successful themselves. part of the whole fun of watching movies is discussing it afterwards and trading likes and dislikes.

After your earlier post today i am even wondering whether you have passion for movies at all because you speak like someone who does not and that sounds strange coming from someone who has made 1356 posts on a screenwriters forum. If someone does not like the directors you love then debate it some or get over it but don't tell people they are not allowed an opinion. If you really care that much tell us why Michael Bay is so good! You never know you may get people to think again at least.

Quoted Text by thousands upon thousands of net-goers, writers, wannabe directors, movie viewers, and critics.

other than critics because someone needs to get paid for giving an opinion... I think most of those are jealousy and bitterness.

Wannabe directors are mad because they can't. net-goers are mad because they can be. writers are mad because they don't understand the film is not necessarily the script that was written by another writer and movie goers think because they paid money that anybody gives a shit what they think.

I respect one persons opinion on MY entertainment and that is me.

Who cares what everyone else says? You paid money to see the movie so it is your own stupidity that brought you to the point where you have an opinion.

Why do people "hate" directors and still pay money to see the films?

Quoted from The boy who could fly ...I know I'm not any better than bay, so I really can't b**** and moan about him till I prove otherwise, there are a lot more important things in life than what movies Michael bay makes, if that is something that bothers you there are more serious issues at hand that need to be looked at. ....If you don't wanna see his movies don't go, if other people like them, so be it, they have that right, I focus on what I like not what I don't like cause it's a waste of energy and time, life's too short...but only bitching and moaning will get you nowhere, look on the bright side, look at what makes you happy and focus your attention on that.  I take what I do seriously, I just try to look at the positive side.

But what is this.....

Quoted from The boy who could fly I thought the omega man was horrible, mostly cause Charlton Heston is an Awful actor

Quoted from The boy who could fly Sicko: The worst documentary ever made, filled with lies disguised as truths, it is so miss informed and manipulative, and it's not even funny, at least fahrenheit 911 was amusing with it's stupidity, this doesn't even have that, just a fat commie a**hole with a camera.

Quoted from The boy who could fly The Invasion:  Never has such talent been wasted on screen, two terrific actors, kidman and craig, stuck in an empty, boring, dull, sci fi thriller, a movie about vomit martians that has not one scene of suspense and the actors seemed just as bored making this as the audience did watching it

Quoted from The boy who could fly Hostel Part 2:  Not as bad as the original, but it is still God awful, no g0od kills other than a castration, no interesting characters, funny dialogue, it isn't even dopey enough to enjoy, it's bad on all levels.

I will stop there because I realize that i am making you look like a dick. Ever heard the proverb about casting stones?

Quoted from Murphy I will stop there because I realize that i am making you look like a dick.

Hey...Jordan can do that all by himself and doesn't need your help, OK?

I kid, of course -- but seriously -- a thread debating the relative worth of Michael Bay is fine for those who desire to do so -- but let's not argue about whether or not one has the right to argue -- because that is just kind of silly.

Michael bay is a terrible director, flat-out. He's got one style that he uses for everything, appropriate or not. He's not the worst director in the world, but he's the one who gets the biggest budgets.

The Rock was my favorite movie when I was a kid and I've seen it 30+ times, so it holds a special place in my heart, but Bay's skills as a director are one-note, and his idea of progressing as a film-maker is banging the same note harder with each film instead of playing something else.

A quick review of his films from me:

Transformers = 2/5
The Island = 2/5
Bad Boys II = 1½/5
Pearl Harbor = 1½/5
Armageddon = 2/5
The Rock = 3/5
Bad Boys = 2/5

But people seem to love his movies. I think most of them are beyond boring honestly, but yes, stuff does blow up, so props for that.

I used to hate Michael Bay movies, then I saw Eli Roth & PT Anderson movies. Hated them more.

Bay makes big loud dumb entertainment. He actually has some style and talent in there somewhere, but it always gets lost in favor of making things "cool". I even brought the Criterion DVD of Armageddon and learned to enjoy it on the So Over The Top Ridiculous It's Fun level. I even thought The Island was Ok, an attempt to make a more serious Sci Fi piece, although the messy plagarism accusations are unfortunate.

I'd really like to see him get a truly good thriller script to work with and see what happens.

I like Micheal Bay. He makes fun movies, and isn't what movies are all about? Having fun watching them? Hell, I even like Armeggedon and Pearl Harber! Ha! I said it!

~Zack~

Quoted from Zack I like Micheal Bay. He makes fun movies, and isn't what movies are all about? Having fun watching them? Hell, I even like Armeggedon and Pearl Harber! Ha! I said it! ~Zack~

I don't think it's a matter of having too delicate a taste in movies. If you don't like Bay it doesn't mean you don't like having fun watching movies. I love brainless fun movies. But a Michael Bay movie is only the former to me. There just comes a time when all the explosions in the world can't make up for fundamentally bad storytelling, unengaging characters and a sucky premise.

Isn't that what writing is about? A good story?

The problem with Bay movies is that they're brainless but tries to play it straight. They take themselves so seriously that it's almost impossible to appreciate on an ironic level.

Well, since you asked...

Snakes On A Plane was a popcorn movie. Michael Bay doesn't make popcorn movies. I'd say Transformers and Bad Boys (I and II) are the only movies that fit what a popcorn movie is supposed to be. I think with the rest of his movies, especially Pearl Harbor and, to a lesser extent, The Island, Michael Bay was actually trying to make movies of Steven Speilberg caliber. If Armageddon and Pearl Harbor were supposed to be popcorn flicks, they wouldn't have long drawn-out speeches from the president or subplots about African Americans in the Navy or finding a second love after the first has died. Popcorn directors don't like to dabble in that kind of stuff. Michael Bay takes his movies pretty seriously but has popcorn sensibilities so as a result, he makes movies that wouldn't be nearly as bad if he approached them as "fluff."

So sorry but I don't think the popcorn label stands.

Most people have a problem with the fact that Michael Bay is all explosions and CGI. After a while, that stuff gets to be boring. That's not my problem with him though. The Rock was actually a decent movie. Not great. Decent. My problem is the sentimentalism. The aformentioned presidential speeches or Ben Affleck swinging Liv Tyler around in his arms while his buddies sing "Leaving On A Jet Plane"... this is the stuff that makes Bay movies unbearable. That and Ben Affleck, of course. The Island had all that and a sledgehammer of product placement. You go to the movies so you don't have to watch commercials. Am I right?

If Bay stuck to movies like Bad Boys and Transformers, he'd be fine. Transformers is quite literally "kid's stuff" and Bay is ill-suited for anything else. That's why the movie was as successful as it was. Really, I can see the appeal in it. Further more, if Bay never made Armageddon or Pearl Harbor, people might not even know his name and his noteriety would be nonexistant. But the fact is Bay thinks he's a genuinely good filmmaker and tries to do more than he's capable of. He's not Speilberg and, if you ask me, he shouldn't try to be.

Sorry. That's definitely a rant but I think it's a legitimate and thought-out response to the question.

Michael Bay is right in the middle for me; he's definitely not the best, but he's definitely not the worst.

I've only seen a handful of his films and I have to admit I liked Bad Boys 2 and Transfromers(Obviously not for their stories).  But to be honest, I don't think I'll ever pay to see one of his films(caught most of them on TV and snuck into Transformers after suffering through the worst 5 minutes of my life: the opening of Rush Hour 3).  

Has Uwe Boll's name been brought up yet?  I haven't seen any of his movies, but I hear they're terrible(Source: IMDB message boards).