A thoughtful review from a TF fan.

Rating: 10/10 (29 June 2011)

OK, so where do I begin here? I just got back from a showing here in Seoul, South Korea in IMAX 3D. I'm simply stunned at what I saw.
I have been a Transformers fan since I was a kid. I used to watch the G1 cartoon with my Dad while holding my Optimus Prime action figure closely. I'm a true fan, I promise.
Now, onto the review! Remember, this is a spoiler heavy review so turn back if you don't want to have anything ruined for you. If you don't mind that sort of thing, then read on!
OK, so most everyone knows the plot of the film so I don't think I need to go into that so much. Was it anything special? No, not really. Did I care? No, not at all... The plot was simply there to move the movie along and it worked well.
The human characters this time around are also playing second fiddle to the Transformers, which was something many fans were concerned about with the other films. I'm happy to report that they get some great dialogue and the movie is mainly about THEM this time.
The dumb comedy is gone. I didn't roll my eyes once during the movie, and that's saying something! Also, the Twins are nowhere to be found and that was fine by me. Wheelie is back, and he brought along another small friend named Brains. They are actually GREAT this time and serve a purpose. Brains particularly is hilarious. I'm not even joking. He had some hilarious lines and was a welcome comic relief that actually didn't feel forced or dumb at all.
Optimus Prime (my personal favorite) and the rest of the Autobots have much more to do this time around. Dino and Q, two of the new bots, both have small parts in the film. You still feel a bit of emotion when Q is executed in front of Bumblebee. "I'll miss you old friend" you hear Bumblebee spurt out from his radio when it happens, adding more emotion to the whole scene.
Ironhide's death is pretty sad. It happens quickly, but it's hard to watch him waste away if you're a fan. He definitely kicks ass in the film and has his moments, but it's hard to say goodbye to him. The only problem I had with his death is that it's not mentioned again after he's killed. It's obvious it happens when Sentinel Prime is wasting everything in sight, so they really didn't have time to react to it, but I still wish they had shown some reactions to his death.
One small gripe I have, is that Megatron is underused a bit. He looks pretty awesome, and has some good lines with Starscream and Soundwave, but he really only plays second fiddle to Sentinel. He does have a definite "Megatron moment" at the end when he attacks Sentinel Prime at the end of the movie, as it was clearly only to secure him as the master of Earth. He's still Megs at heart here, and I think it was perfectly acceptable for Optimus to execute him.
The special effects were absolutely ASTONISHING! I saw the film in Imax 3D and I have to recommend that you ONLY see it in this fashion. I felt like I was on a roller-coaster in a chair that was bolted down to the floor. That's saying something! You really get a sense of depth and just how big everything is. It's definitely worth it to shell out the extra dollars to see it this way. Don't miss out!