What is it with trilogies?

Rating: 4/10 (30 June 2011)

Since the late 80s, the common perception has been that there are two ways to make a trilogy (if you absolutely must): the continuity-based, 3 act Star Wars type, or the "keep the main character, throw out the rest" Indiana Jones approach. Why Matrix and Pirates of the Caribbean chose to follow the former, I will never know, but that proved their undoing. Now Transformers follows that same path.
Transformers I was simple, light fun. It seemed perfectly comfortable with the fact that it had giant robots based on a toy-line, and Spielberg's stamp counterbalanced Michael Bay's beautifully. Transformers II tried to be "Empire Strikes Back" when it could have gone "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom". It deliberately ignored the fact hat we came for the giant robots, and to a lesser extent, Shia LaBouf's Sam Witwicky. And it didn't want to hear how little we cared about the military team or Megan Fox's plastic girlfriend.
Along comes Transformers III, a case study in Michael Bay's strengths and flaws. When it allows itself to be silly or crazy-violent (collapsing buildings, Optimus slapping the crap out of something, John Malkovitch) it works, it really does. But when it tries to be a Homeric drama, it stumbles badly. There are changes, many of them improvements on the dismal and bloated "Revenge of the Fallen": Megan Fox is replaced by another piece of plastic, less spunky but arguably more likable. People who accused part II of racial stereotyping will find less to hiss at. And there are no giant robot balls.
The flaws are the same: the messy plot and bloated running time leave more room than they should to question some gaping plot holes: the "cunning trap" allowed many effective moments to strike out at the autobots, and none were taken. The main villain's motivations only half make sense. And the historical revisionism is mostly pathetic, as is the omnipresence of flapping flags and Optimus delivering one too many sanctimonious speeches.
So see it if you want to see the series to its probable ending. But see it with low expectations, and if your idea of good 3D is stuff lurching out the screen at you, you can skip the extra expense here.