The best Popcorn movie of the summer?

Rating: 7/10 (4 July 2007)

It is hands down the best summer popcorn flick this year.
Basic premise, a cube of enormous power lands on earth, Megatron tried to get it in the 19th century and failed, now the Decepticons want it to use it against Earth (as a launching point to ruling the universe), while the Autobots want to keep it out of their hands, and destroy it if they have too.
This movie is a cut above the others because it doesn't leave out the human factor. It would've been easy for director Michael Bay to simply focus on the robots and use the humans as cannon fodder, but humanity actually has a say on the Autobot/Decepticon showdown. Shia LeBeouf, who is the main character, excludes charm and sardonic wit as does minor character John Turturro (nice undershirt pal!) who plays a spoof of Will Smith's character from MIB.
There were many problems with the movie. While Shia Lebeouf is in fine form (the comedians in this movie were the best - Bernie Mac and Anthony Anderson), some characters were cardboard stereotypes (Megan Fox and Josh Duchamel and his men).
Another issue was some of the fighting scenes. It was hard to make out who was who and the first fighting scene with Bumblebee and Rampart was virtually unwatchable (I mean, all this is CGI, why are the robots out of focus and off centre!?) Also, you can't really tell the difference between Ironhide and Rampage when they are robots.
Another issue is the inclusion of a "Michael Bay" eye-rolling moment. Whether it is the sappy exchange in Pearl Harbour (okay half the movie is sappy) or the animal cracker scene in Armaggeddon, why is there tender moment in the middle of a fight? However, these issues are minor complaints to a movie that doesn't aspire to be what it is (and it actually has a shout out to Hasbro in the credits). It is an engaging, funny and spectacular spectacle.