Too dull even for (the obviously targeted) teenagers

Rating: 3/10 (20 July 2011)

I am a "child of the 80s" and grew up with Transformers, Ghostbusters, TMNT, ... so i am one part of the target audience. Nevertheless i couldn't get much joy out of this movie.
On the good side i found that the "robot action" is roughly the same than in the previous two movies, so if that's your thing you can cat least enjoy these parts. It's also a plus that they dropped the shaky cam combat shots altogether and added some beautiful slow-mo photography.
Unfortunately i couldn't find more positive aspects of this movie. The dialogue was mind-blowing stupid. The verbal fights between Witwicky and the "intelligence boss lady" Mearing, allegedly a veteran CIA operative, where so childish and doting that several people in the theater where moaning loudly. The plots of the villains (e.g. Dylan) where so one-dimensional and naive that they should be doubtful even for teenagers. No motives explained, no safeguarding, no leverage, ... nothing! Every comic book villain is more fleshed out.
The relationship between Witwicky and Carly Spencer was equally immature and very superficial. Which probably was a good thing...
Probably the worst part of the movie have been the constant comical relief attempts. Agent Simmons even more over the top and unbelievable than in the previous movies, the two small transformers as cliché sidekicks, the stupid "espionage watch" which constantly hinders Witwicky in actually doing some real espionage, the ridiculous behavior at the job interviews, ...
To sum it all up, i can not recommend this movie to anybody past puberty, and even the more clever kids will probably find the plot laughable.
3 stars for the expected "giant robots fighting", which was delivered.