"So yes, the article grazes a bullseye when it says, "Michael Bay movies tend to be cynical; they feel like the creative team and interchangeable stars are taking the audience for granted at best, and at worst exploiting our worst impulses. The Fast and Furious franchise, on the other hand, are made by creative teams that are clearly invested in the franchise and care about showing the audience a good time. They're not cynical, they're hopeful, which is a great thing in a huge-budget action film."" - Andrew C (see frenf.it)

"Where we go wrong is in assuming Bay doesn't know what he's doing. He knows EXACTLY what he's doing - it's the audience who often misses his point. " - Andrew C (see frenf.it)

(I'm not sure I believe this, but it's interesting.) - Andrew C (see frenf.it)

I do get that sense, though. The difference between ridiculous in a fun way and ridiculous in a cynical way. Maybe it's also the undergirding politics, too, though. Michael Bay's stuff is coated with a thick layer of grossly obvious American exceptionalism that he may not actually believe in. - Victor Ganata

There's also a thin line between pandering and fan service; I always feel like Bay's pandering, and while I'm not a huge fan, the F&F folks seem to be giving more fan service. They want their audience to /delight/ in what they've done, even if it is cheesy as hell. - Jennifer Dittrich