The Transformers explosion-wrangler is the latest derided film-maker to tackle a serious subject. Can he pull it off where these others have failed?
As a director who values sound and fury over tired old elements like story, characters and coherence, Michael Bay is not someone you’d expect – or hope – to handle a story that requires a sensitive (non-robotic) hand.
Yet the guy who brought you Transformers, Bad Boys and lots of other films where things smash into bigger things, has decided to shift his focus from wham-bam frippery to the true story of the 11 September 2012 attack on a US compound in Benghazi. The trailer for 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is a curious mix of Bay trademarks (Lens flare! The US flag!) and an unusually grim tone, which is refreshingly appropriate given that this isn’t based on a set of toys but an actual thing that happened.
But will Bay manage to stay away from leering horndog shots of scantily clad women and questionable gay jokes to create something that audiences over the age of nine will be able to enjoy? He’d be wise to spend an afternoon on Netflix, taking notes from other directors who suffered similar night sweats over their decision to change their frantic ways.
