Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

The Transformers franchise has got to be one of the most infuriating in all of Hollywood. On the one hand, you have some of the most exciting and innovative action set pieces, not to mention some seriously impressive CGI which really sells the idea of robots disguised as various transport vehicles. On the other hand, you have some of the most excruciating dialogue this side of Twilight, corny humour which would make your dad cringe, and a guarantee of a bum numbing running time of at least 2 and a half hours.

And so it makes sense that Transformers: Dark Of The Moon follows the exact same template as the previous 2 movies. The action is fun, the CGI is the best it has ever been and the script is completely nonsensical. The story, for what it is, revolves around the 1969 moon landing. In Bay's universe, Neil Armstrong and Co. landed on the moon, but rather than being a simple exploration mission, they were actually researching a possible alien sighting. This of course turns out to be an old Transformer – one which the Decepticons (the bad guys) have been searching for and it's up to the Autobots (the good guys) to stop them. That's about it really, but Micheal Bay manages to pad out the story with a wholly unnecessary subplot involving Sam Witwicky and his low self esteem. It's as exciting as it sounds and only serves to distract from the admittedly impressive action.

This is the main problem with this, and the other Transformer movies; it's just too long. There are a number of misguided attempts at humour and Sam's love interest has all the charisma of a cardboard box. And yet, by the time the epic 45 minute finale kicks in, you will forget about all the wasted time and revel in the destruction that he so masterfully weaves as the Decepticons launch a full on invasion of Chicago. It's easily the best extended sequence of the entire franchise and would have benefited even more if we didn't have to wade trough so much unnecessary exposition.

A disappointing entry, in that Micheal Bay doesn't appear to have learnt from his previous mistakes. The good news is, he has also not lost his flair for explosive action and, in these moments, Transformers: Dark Of The Moon is every bit as entertaining as its prequels.