The Bat Cave

Starring: Shia LeBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro
Director: Michael Bay (Transformers, Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen, Bad Boys, The Rock)

Quick Thoughts: It’s no surprise what you’re getting with a Michael Bay movie: explosions, big action sequences, hot women, and a weak script. Transformers: Dark Of The Moon is more of the same. If you liked the first two movies–and I found them enjoyable–you’ll like this one too. The absence of Megan Fox stings a bit (and is weakly explained), but Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is pretty hot herself. The acting in these movies has always been suspect and the story isn’t any more interesting than it has been in the past. I can barely remember it now. The first landing on the moon also brings about the discovery of the first Transformer robot, a machine that is later resurrected in present time and wreaks havoc on Earth. Okay…

Obviously the action sequences in this movie are superb and the finale is pretty damn climactic. But there’s really no need for a Transformers movie (or any Michael Bay film for that matter) to be pushing 3 hours in length. Just like the second installment, Transformers: Dark Of The Moon suffers from some pretty miserable pacing and a third of the film could have easily been left on the cutting room floor without sacrificing what adds up to a rather weak plot anyways.

One shouldn’t be disappointed with this movie, however. Michael Bay isn’t going to suddenly become a stellar director, so there’s no reason for big expectations. Not quite as good as the original, but not as forgettable as the second movie, Transformers: Dark Of The Moon runs way too long, but is certainly worth seeing on the big screen, although the 3D aspect doesn’t add much to the experience.

Viewings: 1
Replay Value: Any movie I struggle through the first time doesn’t get much replay value from me.
Sequel Potential: The franchise is a cash cow… why stop now?
Nudity: N/A
Grade: 5.5/10 (Worth Watching/Recommended)
RottenTomatoes Scores: Critics: 36% Audience: 90%
IMDB Rating:6.7/10
Recommendation: The Transformers movies are ones you have to see in a movie theater, and as long as you don’t go with unreasonable expectations, you should be satisfied with this installment.