Review: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

A scene from 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon'. Courtesy Paramount Pictures.

If you have not connected with the Transformers movie franchise by now, there’s a good chance you’re not going to like Transformers: Dark of the Moon either. Like its predecessors, it’s a big, loud, mindless summer movie. And now it’s also in 3-D! If you’re like me though, you sit back and enjoy it for what it is, reminisce about your childhood, and get a kick out of all your adolescent dreams becoming a reality on a movie screen.

Similar to the last two films, Dark of the Moon is about good robots (the Autobots) battling bad robots (the Decepticons). Only this time out there’s a secret that has been hiding on the moon that comes into play that could wipe out mankind (the film even suggests the Apollo 11 space mission happened because of this secret and Buzz Aldrin makes a cameo).

Other than the “robots in disguise”, our pal Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) has a new love in his life (played by Victoria’s Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley), and is having a tough time getting a job that makes him feel important (he saved the world twice, he doesn’t want to work the mailroom). He’s also a bit touchy about not being able to hang out with the Autobots now that they are off fighting battles in the Middle East when the Decepticons are not on their backs.

All of this means nothing of course, and is just filler in between awesome giant robot battle scenes.

Michael Bay is a director that does what he wants, and with Steven Spielberg producing, he’s allowed to do it times ten. There is no holding back with this man. Robots don’t just smash through a window to get the person they are looking for; they tear the building in half. And gosh darn does it look and sound amazing when they do it. There is no denying the effects in Dark of the Moon are some of the best we’ve seen from this series, and Bay actually backs off from his usual hectic cutting style at times so we can get a really good look at the action. Even the 3-D worked well and looked great.

Aside from the unreasonable near three-hour running time, I’d say this is the best film in the franchise so far. It was cool, it wowed me, and it made me want more. Kudos to Mr. Bay for sticking with what works.

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