Film Review: Transformers: Dark of the Moon [2011]

The third movie by action director Michael Bay begins with two prequel comic series Transformers: Foundation and Transformers: Rising Storm. Michael Bay was persuaded by Avatar director James Cameron to use 3D cameras for the shots. Bay also stated the story and writing for the Dark of the Moon is superior to Revenge of the Fallen since that script was rushed due to the 2008 Writers Guild of America strike. Now with superior special effects and script Bay promises to direct the best Transformers film yet.

Transformers: Foundation takes place on Cybertron and introduces the benevolent Sentinel Prime who offers Optimus to lead them into the future. Sentinel Prime reveals to Optimus that he is a descendent of the Primes. Megatron believes the Fallen was the true Prime who did everything he could however was betrayed. War breaks out between Optimus and Megatron as Sentinel Prime pilots the ARK that was seemingly destroyed by Starscream. However the ARK crashed on the dark side of the moon in 1962 and the space race was a response to that crash.

While Transformers: Rising Storm introduces Shockwave and Astrotrain who have secretly built something sinister in upstate New York as the Autobots teams up with the Earth organization called NEST. Together they track down renegade Decepticons who sold Cybertronian technology to terrorist organizations. Shockwave has taken down several Autobots and the war continues as the stage is set for Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon.

In 1969 Apollo 11 mission which has landed on the moon and investigates the alien spacecraft on the dark side of the moon. Sentinel Prime lies undiscovered and comatose inside the Ark’s crash vault. Years later the Autobots along with NEST travel to the Ukraine and deal with Shockwave and his mechanical driller beasts. Following the battle Optimus Prime discovers a piece of the ARK inside a Russian nuclear plant. Unknown to them the Decepticon Laserbeak who is spying high above the skies.

In Africa Megatron has disguised himself into a tanker truck as Laserbeak arrives with information about the missing ARK. Optimus Prime demands to travel to the moon to find the missing ARK and their pilot Sentinel Prime. The ARK is carrying a special cargo that will end the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons. The Head of the National Intelligence allows it however Decepticon stowaways are on the flight. After arriving on the moon, Optimus Prime finds his former mentor Sentinel Prime and five pillars which happens to be pieces of a space bridge. Optimus Prime heads back to Earth along with his cargo.

In Washington, D.C both Carly and Sam live with Wheelie and Brains (Transformers: Rising Storm). Sam starts his new job when he meets Wang who gives him information about the dark side of the moon before Laserbeak kills him. Sam heads towards the NEST Headquarters and finds Optimus Prime using the Matrix of Leadership to revile his mentor Sentinel Prime. Optimus Prime tells his former mentor Cybertron is a wasteland controlled by the Decepticons. Sentinel Prime reveals that his secret cargo of pillars design a space bridge, which was meant to transport the Autobots to a safe haven and would have ended the war.

Transformers Dark of the Moon grounds the script to the moon landing in the late 1960s giving a sense of believability to the audience. The complex special effects shots are incredible and a much better film than its predecessor Revenge of the Fallen. Director Michael Bay pulls out all the stops at the end of the film and doesn’t hold back when the city of Chicago is destroyed.

The first hour and a half seems more of a human story and the second half brings on the Transformers. The character of John Malkovich seems totally redundant as Sam’sboss. The character of Sam is pushed to the forefront to explain what is going on instead of contributing something to the story. Would have been nice if the film was shown from Optimus Prime’s point of view from beginning to end to showcase a real Transformers film. The movie needed some serious editing to move the story along however the movie is the best of all three films and a good time at the cinema.

MOVIE HIGHLIGHTS

- Sam finds former Agent Simmons of Sector 7

- Sam discovers that the Decepticons have the other pillars of the space bridge

- Sentinel Prime destroys Ironhide and runs off with the pillars

- Sentinel Prime allied himself with Megatron and planned to meet him on Earth

- Deception deaths include Starscream, Megatron, Shockwave, and Sentinel Prime

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5