"Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon" is not as remarkable as the original 2007 release, but it is still so much fun to watch.

Rating: 7/10 (1 July 2011)

Many critics who hated the second "Transformers" movie will probably shout about this movie, "Go away Michael Bay! We don't want to see you and your big-ass explosions again!" Personally, I like Michael Bay's films. "Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon" is not as remarkable as the original 2007 release, but it is still so much fun to watch. There's much to mention in this review, so I'll be direct.
Like the other "Transformers" films, there are big explosions, sweet action sequences and CGI. However, unlike the prior films, they are more memorable, much longer, and more awesome. I mean the city Chicago becomes a massive war zone between Autobots and Decepticons. For this sequence alone, my eyes were glued to the screen. Michael Bay's ability to put a viewer into this scene as well as with the aid of the outstanding visual effects by IL is purely astounding.
Though purely a work of fiction, the screenwriter delivers a comprehensible story. I like how the film's plot ties in the NASA landing on the moon as a "cover up" to retrieve data from a crashed Autobot ship. This is pretty clever. To push this conspiracy theory attitude, the editors throw in archive footage of the moon landing, and of Presidents Kennedy and Nixon.
Much of the cast is the same, yet they are different than in the previous films. There's less humor and more drama. Instead of running and screaming for 2 and half hours, Shia LaBeouf actually does some butt kicking. He even takes on a Decepticon all by himself—Sam's really grown up. John Tuturro as former Agent Simmons, now a very successful published author, provides much of the comic relief. He's such a character. As usual, Tyrese Gibson and Josh Dumahel kick butt as soldiers. Julie White and Kevin Dunn as Sam's parents deliver clever one-liners, but they are kept to a minimal in this film, which is a good thing since they hogged up too much in the second feature.
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley replaces as Sam's girlfriend. She does a better job than Megan Fox. She is both more attractive and delivers better as a more believable character. John Malkovich jumps on board as Sam's boss, playing his eccentric self. Warning: he does not like the color red. Frances McDormand joins too as the new government official that oversees the Autobots. I honestly did not recognize her until the credits rolled; this just shows how well an actress can transform oneself. Even so, Malkovich and McDormand seem out of place in this film. They're characters have no purpose. The only actor whom I consider annoying is Patrick Dempsey. He's a handsome guy with charm, but this not a film for him. He needs to go back and do romantic comedies and chick flicks. The robotic villains are not as up to par either. Shockwave and his snakelike partner appear within the first fifteen minutes of the feature, and then disappear for nearly two hours. Starscream doesn't do anything—then again he never did much. Likewise, Megatron is very inactive until the very end.
In addition, the humor is sparse and much of it borders on juvenile sexual innuendo and stereotypes. Innuendo isn't an issue for me, but I don't need to see African-American stereotypes in the middle of a "Transformers" film, specifically during an action sequence. The film's ending is also very abrupt—there's hardly an epilogue following the forty plus minute war scene. Now I'm getting nitpicky. For big action lovers like myself, "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" is a wise choice. Michael Bay mentioned he will not do a fourth film. In fact, the ending leaves it so that there won't be another one. If God forbid there is another "Transformers" movie, I'll be in line to see it.
My rating: *** out of ****