Very very silly but very good fun.

Rating: 8/10 (29 September 2008)

OK i'll get this out of the way early on. This isn't a great piece of cinema, it's not a particularly good story, the characters aren't great and the acting is mediocre to poor. Generally that would mean disaster but fortunately it doesn't really matter.
Transformers works despite these flaws because it is an unashamedly populist action/adventure movie aimed almost exclusively at 15-30 year olds who want to be entertained without having to think. It serves up a constant menu of explosions, car chases and fight scenes, supplemented by hot cars, girls and some good jokes. This adds up to a movie that's very easy and enjoyable to watch. The effects on said explosions/fight scenes are superb, and the Transformers themselves are fantastically animated.
What really stands out in this movie though is the comedy. It's surprising that a movie that appears to take itself very seriously, and has a plot line featuring the potential end of the world, would be filled with so many gags. It's a smart move by Director Michael Bay, who has clearly followed 'The Pirates of the Caribbean' recipe in creating an action movie that is semi-serious and therefore doesn't disappear up it's own backside. The comedy is pretty good throughout, and doesn't descend into Jackass/American Pie territory, which is a relief. The biggest compliment I can pay is that I saw 'The Simpsons Movie' and Transformers in consecutive days, and Transformers got far more laughs.
There are, of course, problems within this high-action teen based formula. We could have certainly done without the cheap black stereotyping in the Jazz character, and Optimus Prime's rather cheesy speeches seem to be fawning to be the comic book crowd a little too much. In addition there is too much schmaltz, particularly at the end, but then Spielberg did produce.
But ultimately Transformers prevails because it sets out to entertain and thrill it's target audience. Had Bay and co set out to produce a completely straight-laced realistic movie like the Dark Knight it would have been complete rubbish. This may be the most stupid movie ever, but it's also great fun to watch.