(A bit late, but bare with me)

In 2007, famous action director Michael Bay did what seemed like a Hollywood impossibility. He took a dated toy property and turned it into a multi-million dollar franchise. Sure he had some help, primarily from teenage boys wishing to catch their glimpse at a certain actress, but the original Transformers film will forever remain as a great summer blockbuster.

In 2009, the same director, cast, and writers did the exact opposite. They created a spectacular failure of a film. A nonsensical plot, soulless human characters, and absolutely horrific humor made Transformers Revenge of the Fallen an exercise in just how bad sequels can get. A movie Rolling Stone labeled as one of the worst films of the entire decade.

Bay has labeled this latest, and probably final, installment his apology for the second film. Transformers: Dark of the Moon certainly does improve upon its predecessor, but is not without its own pratfalls.

Dark of the Moon opens up two years following the previous film. The Autobots continue to fight the remnants of their Decepticon foes. Meanwhile, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) attempts to move on with his life with his new girlfriend, Carly (Rosie Huntington Whiteley). However, Sam despite having saved the world twice finds it difficult to find a career. Sam's search does last long. The Decepticons have returned and this time become involved in a conspiracy that stretches back to the space race.

When it comes to the scale of its story, Dark of the Moon is easily the strongest of the three films. The conspiracy, which is shown spectacularly in the first ten minutes of the film, proves to be an interesting backdrop to the robot action. The plot also features some unexpected twists that make the film more engaging in some ways than both its predecessors.

What Dark of the Moon lacks is a compelling human story. While the overarching plot and the robot centered segments are engaging and filled with spectacle, the human storyline has none of this. This is unfortunate seeing as a good hour of the film follows Sam Witwicky's attempt to find a career. It is just difficult to care for any of the characters Bay presents to us.

This is made even worse by the absolutely awful humor. Although not racist or as crude as the previous film, the script is packed with some of the least affective and brainless humor seen in years. The Hangover 's Ken Jeung is the worst offender of this. He appears in a brief stint that borders on unwatchable. What makes matters worse is that this idiotic humor takes up a solid hour of the film.

However, Michael Bay takes his billion dollar franchise to a new level of intensity. When it comes to delivering spectacle, the famed master of explosions does not disappoint. The visual effects are easily some of the most impressive ever seen. Each of the machines glittering and shifting parts is rendered beautifully. The same goes for the 3D effects, which rank as the best since James Cameron's Avatar.

When the humor has died down and the plot finally reaches its head, the action begins. And what a sight it is. Visceral, grand in scale, and unmatched in scope, Dark of the Moon delivers fantastic action set piece after set piece. One moment, robots are locked in a Western style standstill. Next, characters are sliding and diving through a collapsing skyscraper. Then, Optimus Prime, who reaches levels of unbelievable cool in this film, jetpacks through a crowd of enemies slicing and dicing. Once it gets started, the action never lets up, which for a Michael Bay movie is not a bad thing.

When it comes to performances, there are few to truly write home about. LaBeouf is on par with his previous roles in the franchise. Huntington-Whiteley fares better than Megan Fox but never exceeds mediocrity. However, Leonard Nemoy does provide an interesting voice role for Optimus's new mentor Sentinel Prime.

Perhaps the unsung hero of the film is Steve Jablonksy's heroic score. Jablonsky originally wowed in the original 2007 film with tracks that have become staples to the franchise. He expands upon these beautifully here, creating an audio treat amidst the bullets and explosions.

Ultimately, as a summer blockbuster Transformers Dark of the Moon does deliver. It may be a tad too long and lack a soul, but when it comes to flat out action and spectacle you are unlikely to do better this season. Just make sure to brain bleach out those jokes.


Score: -B

It appears that we will have more then one franchise of giant robots from the 80's in coming years. While we have already seen the success of Micheal Bay's Transformers franchise, it appears that another popular cartoon is about to get the big budget treatment.

While a film adaptation of Voltron has been rumored for years, it had been assumed for years that the project had hit a dead end. However, these rumor seemed to be disproved yesterday when JoBlo.com uploaded concept art from the upcoming feature. Apparently the film is also being scripted by Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer.

With the Transformers franchise rounding out production later this year, it appears that the master of explosions Micheal Bay has begun searching for a new project.

According to Heat Vision, Bay has put his sites on a new science fiction project written by newcomer Bobby Glickert. This new project has been referred to as a mix between Cloverfield and Paranormal Activity, and will feature Area 51 as a plot point. Bay will produce the project along with Paranormal Activity 2 producer Steven Schneider.

With shooting of the third Transformers film well underway in Chicago a wealth of information has come up about the upcoming Michael Bay blockbuster and his future projects.

First off, picture above is one of many set photos from the film, this depicting the aftermath of a major battle between the warring factions of the Transformers universe.

Later in an interview with Comingsoon.net, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura confirmed that this will indeed be the last Transformers film that he and Michael bay will be working on. However, he did mention that there are certainly numerous possibilities for Hasbro and Dreamworks to continue the series. di Bonaventura mentioned that the film will touch upon the absence of Megan Fox's character confirming that Rosie Huntington Whiteley will be playing a separate character.

Finally, di Bonaventura mentioned that Bay and he have already begun planning stages on their next project, an adaptation of the classic video game Asteroids: "When I was called about the property—I was called because of what I'd done with 'Transformers' and 'G.I. Joe,' Atari reached out to me and said, 'We have Asteroids,' and I had an immediate reaction 'Yes.' The reason was not because playing the game, we thought somehow that game could be translated into a movie, it can't. The word 'Asteroids' connotates a large-scale experience, so the challenge, which was great, was 'Okay, so how do you get a mythology that will support that?" We really went after a mythology on the level of 'Star Wars' and we'll see if we succeeded or not but it's not a simple thing of the asteroids are going to hit the earth. We never come to earth. The entire movie takes place in the asteroid field. We do some homages to the game for sure, but I like the sense of scale."

Michael Bay turned to USA Today as a platform to release information regarding his gigantic blockbuster sequel to the Transformers franchise. Bay not only confirmed that the film will be released in 3D (Big surprise), but announced numerous plot details.


First off, Bay admitted that his efforts in the latest Transformers film were subpar (which seems to be a fad these days). Although he blamed his failures on the Writers Guild of America strike of 2007, it is good to see the often egotistical director take some humility. Bay also said that the film will thankfully have a more serious tone then the previous joke filled installment: "One thing we're getting rid of is what I call the dorky comedy." He goes on to confirm that the critically slammed robotic twins Mudflap and Skids will be barely present in the newest outing. However, John Turturro, who played Agent Simmons in the previous films, will return as comedic relief.


Shia LaBeouf's character, Sam Witwicky, will also return, and will struggle with helping his Autobot allies and maturing.


The villain for the latest outing was revealed to be the classic Transformers antagonist Shockwave (G1 design shown above), who became dictator of the planet Cybertron following the events in the previous films.


Bay also hinted at connecting the war between the Decepticons and Autobots to the Cold War between the US and the USSR


My Opinion: While I'm disappointed to see Bay giving into the 3D fad despite claims that he wouldn't, overall I like what I'm hearing. This film, like the second, has a lot of promise. However if I've learned anything from Michael Bay, it is to remain skeptical. Things could still get very, very bad.

According to the Washington Post, comingsoon.net, and the Transformers fansite seibertron.net, the next film in Michael Bay's blockbuster series has begun shooting in the nation's capitol. However, things have not gone smoothly according to the Washington Post:

Plans are underway for portions of the third segment in the blockbuster Transformers series to be filmed in D.C. this September, a chance for the city and its businesses to reap spending on hotel rooms, meals, equipment rentals, taxi rides and temporary jobs from a production budget some have estimated to total more than $200 million.

A dispute with the Park Service, however, over where and what the film crew will be allowed to shoot has producers from Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks scaling back their plans for the city. The companies had planned a colossal number of filming days -- about 14 -- in addition to an expected month or more of time in D.C. for other production needs. Now the period of "principal photography" might be whittled down to less than a week, despite the project having director Michael Bay and producer Steven Spielberg at the helm.

Paramount spokeswoman Gabriela Gutentag said with negotiations ongoing, she did not know how many days the company would end up filming in D.C. "We've gone from two weeks to 10 days to three days to seven days; I don't really know," she said.


Bill Line, Park Service spokesman, said the producers "have asked to do some things that simply are not done on the National Mall," among them staging a "car race" along the Mall's gravel paths and flooding it with artificial light in order to shoot at night.

Kathy Hollinger, director of the D.C. Office of Motion Picture and Television Development, acknowledged that the plans amounted to "a lot more than D.C. has ever been accustomed to in terms of scale and impact," including, for instance, simulated explosions and pyrotechnics at locations along Pennsylvania and Independence avenues.

In addition to this, Seibertron.net has gotten its hands on some images of the vehicles to be used in next summer's action film. These new models include a new take on Iron Hide, Optimus Pride, a Predator Drone, and Ratchet (Pictured Above).

Oh Michael Bay, you had such a good chance to prove yourself! Yet, when given the chance to replace Fox with a decent actor you choose a model with no acting experience at all. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. Michael Bay, director of the Transformers films, announced today to Geekweek that model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley will be replacing Megan Fox in next summers blockbuster. While it is good to know that production will be speeding up again, I am disappointed with the decision. Perhaps Whitely will be a good actor? I will withold judgement until I see the film.

Boys are crying, and Michael Bay and I are smirking, Megan Fox has walked out of the third Transformers film. Reportedly because of the public disagreements between her and director Michael Bay, Deadline claims that Fox's option was not picked up for a third film. The script is now being reworked to include a new love interest for main character Sam Witwicky, played by Shia LaBeouf. Whether this will be a simple recasting or a totally new character remains to be seen.

My Opinion: This news comes as a mixed blessing. While Megan Fox is certainly attractive, her acting skills are subpar to say the least. Her bland monotone and looks of boredom are part of why Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen failed. Now, part of me is also annoyed at this announcement. I have never been a fan of midseries recastings or out of film changes in character, yet I'll stay optimistic. So let's see. No Twins. Both Bay and LaBeouf admitting that the second film was a failure. Now Fox leaves? Looks like Transformers 3 just might have a shot.

Transformers is a film franchise that stands on uneven ground. While the first film is almost widely praised as being a fun and entertaining summer blockbuster, the second is often seen as a complete mess. Devoid of a human element and a coherent plot, the second film, Transformers Revenge of the Fallen, was critically slammed and even won a Razzie Award for Worst Film of the Year.

Today, Shia LaBeouf, who starred in both films, announced to The Associated Press that he is much more pleased with how the third installment is shaping out. "When I saw the second movie, I wasn't impressed with what we did. There were some really wild stunts in it, but the heart was gone," said LaBeouf during the Cannes Film Festival earlier this week.

Transformers 3 is due for release July 1, 2011.

With yesterday's Earth shattering news that Spider-man would now be released as a reboot, lots of rumors have been shooting around about the director for this new enstallment. One infamous name has already been whispered to be attached, explosion obssesed filmmaker Michael Bay. On a more positive note we also have the Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) and Gary Ross (Seabiscuit) rumored to be interested.

Sam Raimi, now gone from the Spider-man franchise, is now moving foward with his adaptation of the Warcraft video game series. No release date has been released so far.