Transformers: Dark of the Moon

So, the third installment of Michael Bay's continuing Transformers saga has officially hit theatres, and realistically, if you have any urge to go see this movie at all, then you have probably seen the first two and really you ought to already know what you're gonna get walking into the theatre. But for the sake of argument, i'll pretend that there are people out there who have no idea what the Transformers are all about and are drawn to Dark of the Moon out of some sense of morbid curiosity.

DOTM, like the first two movies, centers around Sam Witwicky and his Autobot friends. In this third movie, NASA detects activity on the moon during the era of the Space race. During the first moon landing, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong are sent to investigate the source of the disturbance and find, unbeknownst to them, an Autobot ship that had escaped the war on Cybertron and crash landed on the moon. In the present day, Optimus Prime reveals that the ship is known as the Arc, and contains powerful Autobot weaponry, as well as the body of their first leader, Sentinel Prime. As the implications of this discovery dawn on the human race, the Autobots are thrown into a race to recover the remains of the old ship before the Decepticons can get their hands on this ultimate power.

So, what's new in this latest flick you ask? To be honest, not a whole lot. The most prominent change is the introduction of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who plays the character of Carly, Sam Witwicky's new girlfriend (since Megan Fox got shitcanned). Her introductory shot is of DAT ASS, and oh what an ass it is. However, besides being a nice piece of eye candy as well as a in-film explanation as to why Megan Fox is no longer around, she doesn't do a whole lot. Another addition is Frances McDormand as the head of CIA, and she does quite a good job at portraying the hard-assed, no nonsense Chief Mearing. Patrick Dempsey is also a fresh face, playing Dylan, Carly's boss. The rest of the cast reprise their roles from the first two films: Shia Labeouf as Sam Witwicky, Josh Duhamel as Lennox, Tyrese Gibson as Epps. In terms of acting, the only real difference seems to be in Labeouf's character Sam. Mr. Witwicky appears to have grown a backbone in between the last film in this - his character is seen actually standing up for himself and talking back to people instead of just stuttering awkwardly. Also, I don't think he says "no" even one time in this movie! (If you don't know what I mean, watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IXCK1EyP4s).

It also seems that Mr. Bay has decided to go for a bit more of an actual storyline this time through, resulting in quite a long build-up with lots of backstory. Not to worry though, because there's more than enough wanton destruction to glut even the most hardy action fans. It also seems that he's cooled it a little with the cheesy one-liners, although not entirely. You won't see any robots with a pair hanging down, but there are definitely some facepalm-worthy moments.

The CG, as it has since the first movie, is outstanding, and visually, Michael Bay seems to have lost his hard on for the "shaky cam" effect, making it possible to actually see what's happening in the film. Which is great, because it means you get to see Optimus and Bumblebee kicking all kinds of ass.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon is much in the same vein as it's predecessors. It's a stunning display of computer graphics, backed by a whole lot of action, and at least a little bit more substance than Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. As I said already, if you're interested in this movie you already know what you're going to be getting. For everyone else, don't go into the theatre expecting an oscar worthy piece of cinema - remember, this IS a movie franchise based on children's toys.

Final score: 7/10