DOTM Is Certainly Not Perfect But The Best Of Its Franchise

Rating: 7/10 (30 June 2011)

I would like to start off by saying That Transformers Dark Of The Moon is far from a perfect movie nor an Oscar winning picture, but its a great summer flick that entertains the audience with Eye popping 3D and state of the art Visual effects that doesn't fail to deliver.
DOTM, unlike its predecessor is a more intense and emotional movie and is obviously shown in the seriousness of war and the loss of lovable characters. Although DOTM does have its disadvantages, as well as plot holes and a scrappy, rushed ending that wasn't done right. The conclusion of the film left me thinking it was the end of an episode from the TV show and certainly not a farewell film for Michael Bay and Shia LaBeouf, who are both leaving the franchise.
The ending scene really really bothered me and I'm sure it bothered several others who thought the Transformers franchise deserved a proper farewell (for the time being) not just a quick, abrupt, narrated and almost rushed and heartless ending. The end scene just featured Optimus Prime narrating his epic "speeches" before the scene, not only quickly cuts to the Earth's atmosphere but also Michael Bay's name as well as Linkin Park's great "Iridescent". The movie deserved a proper ending scene, judging that it has come so far (1,2,3). The movie itself was done so well it was ruined by a poorly executed end scenario.
Sure there are some plot holes, not major ones and certainly the element of surprise when Ken Jeong made a funny, yet ironic performance as Wang as well as the sudden appearances of Barricade, of whom we haven't seen in action since cowering away from the fight in the first Transformers. The plot holes are obvious and its always made in the Transformers films as in this movie sudden disappearances of the Doc Bot and the decepticon hatchlings were subject to Bay's "carelessness" as well as some really corny scenes for example when Carly went to give Megatron a "pep talk".
The acting wasn't great, but neither was it bad. I thought Rosie Huntington Whiteley did the best she could, though it isn't great cut her some slack, she's a model. Not an actress. Shia did brilliant as Sam Witwicky once more, with his usual role a "damsel" in distress crying for help from his Autobot friends. Peter Cullen, Hugo Weaving etc. did their characters justice once more and Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Frances McDormand, John Turturro, Patrick Dempsey and John Malcovich where also solid as well as the rest of the supporting cast in the film.
The 3D was brilliant, nowadays 3D is a regular thing and its as if it is a routine to go into a film with ridiculous looking glasses on and watch a movie, sometimes to no avail. But Transformers DOTM sure hit the money with the 3D. At some points it felt almost realistic. I urge everyone to see this picture in an IMAX theater or the best theater possible to get the maximum experience from this flick. I would love another Transformers with not necessarily new characters but a more diverse Transformers universe with additions like Hot Rod, Ultra Magnus and Galvatron with god-like Transformers like Unicron and Primus.
DOTM still has some corny jokes in there, some points unnecessary but at some points its just for laughs. The action sequences were there with great choreography and amazing "Transforming" from car to Robot. Surprisingly enough there was also some emotional scenes that were at the verge of heart breaking such as the scene Bumblebee seems to have given up his will to live as well as the tragic and sudden death of Ironhide. But the movie can't help but feel rushed. Starscreams death was at the verge of pathetic and Megatron's totally abrupt, as if portraying the two main antagonists from the first two films as weak. Shockwave has limited to almost no screen time. He gets a line or two and at some points hes a definite bad-ass but don't let the posters fool you. Shockwave (spoilers) isn't the main villain in this film, the betrayal of Sentinel Prime came as a complete shocker for me and perhaps the whole theater and in the end got what he deserved. The "Megan Fox" issue didn't bother me at all. I actually enjoyed the movie more without her.
In the end Transformers Dark of the Moon is a wonderful movie to watch with some friends at the cinemas. Its a great experience to just sitback, wear 3D glasses and enjoy the action of Transformers 3 as well as its ridiculously epic score and repetitive playing of Linkin Park's "Iridescent" to full effect. A great thrilling ride despite its flaws.