It's cool seeing those designs. I kept thinking maybe they were cool. But they were just dark gray swirls in a sea of darkness and rain in the movie. I do really like them, though.
Maybe you are getting cynical...but I don't know. I thought I was...but I think it's just these movies that have come out, had no heart or soul, or any kind of passion what so ever. They felt like products to me. Big loud products.
This movie felt like Del Toro spluging all over the screen with his soul, and everything he stands for and loves. And you have to appreciate that.
I do think this is an important distinction. It was clear there was a lot of heart in this movie. I think that's why it worked so much better than some of the clanging snooze-fests the Transformers films can be. The action scenes were well rendered for the most part, only falling pray to crazy-what-the-hell-is-going-on cam at times. There was a heart and soul to this movie... I just wanted a more original story.
Now, switching gears to a more general reply...
Not to put down anyone in particular
here, but I feel like the people on the internet in general who had issues are giving more articulate and thoughtful responses to the film. While, generally, the people who like it are just saying "OMGZ - LUVZ MOVIE! People stupid haterz who don't luvz! Big Robots go pew-pew!" (I know, I know, welcome to the internet.)
Now, believe me I love big robots who go pew-pew. I loved these robots that go pew-pew. It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it. But rather than writing off alternate opinions, maybe more of those who totally loved it can try to engage people who had issues with it?
I think if people can just, sort of, "turn part of their brain off" and not care about the story and let it just wash over them, more power to them. I sort of wish I could do that more. I wanted to just love this movie unconditionally. But I'm not 12 any more and I'm not sure I can do that. And even when I was 12, I wasn't very good at that. I liked to engage with the story too much. I just expected a little more for the adult side of my brain to chew on while the kid in me loved the fights. I think the story that was there got the job done. And, really, these days that's almost sadly commendable for a summer blockbuster. But with Del Toro, I just am programmed that I'm going to get a bit more story. I think if I were less familiar with his work from Cronos on I might not have had the same expectation and maybe enjoyed it more for what it is, though.
I'm really happy that people are loving it, though. I do love the basic idea of this project and I would go see another one.
