By: Hoang Tran

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (DotM) is a loud, long, obnoxious, and an exhausting film that lacks any real plot, development, or seriousness. However, it delivers an astonishing visual spectacle.

Set several years after Revenge of the Fallen, Sam Witwicky (Shia LeBeouf) is now an adult with adult problems. He has a new love, Carly Spencer (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley) who has replaced Megan Fox. Trouble for Sam and the Autobots starts shortly when they discover a Decepticon conspiracy that dates back to the moon landing. The plot gets more ridiculous with betrayals, character deaths, and pure mayhem thrown into the mix.

Mayhem is what director Michael Bay excels at and he delivers on an epic scale. There are visual destruction displayed that have never been depicted before. Scenes such as the destruction of Chicago, the Chernobyl raid, and Optimus Prime’s final battle showcase such pandemonium that it will make your jaw drop but exhaust you at the same time. Bay knows how to frame action pieces and he is at his best when he is allowed to play with his toolbox of robots. However, he suffers during the quieter moments of the movie, moving the camera around too much and never letting it settle. Bay has improved when it comes to the irritating shaky cam work of Revenge of the Fallen. This could be due to the constraints of filming in 3D, which Bay himself claims has changed his directing style.

While I personally don’t like 3D, DotM is made for it. There are hardly any “in your face” gimmicks often found in other 3D films. Bay handles it with finesse and restraint, making the movie a visual wonder. This visual fest is all thanks to the hard artists at ILM. The movie has some of the best special effects I have ever seen. The Autobots and Decepticons fit so seamlessly into the world. Never once was my interest broken. DotM does not falter visually.

DotM falters in many other aspects. The plot is absurd with many of retcons from the previous movies. It feels messy. The Autobots and Decepticons still do not have enough screen time so when some of them are brutally killed, there is very little attachment. The humor is still juvenile but more restrained. Ken Jeong, playing a researcher, provides the most infantile humor, while the rest of the cast plays it safe. Shia Lebeouf is less twitchy but still hyper, playing a more mature Sam. Well, Francis Mcdormand plays the chief intelligence officer with grace and class. The biggest change to the returning cast is Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. While not as pretty, she has a charm to her that Megan Fox lacked. Voice actors Peter Cullen and Leonard Nimoy bring life to the Cybertronians, even if they don’t get as much screen time as they deserve.

DotM is dumb and loud. It makes no promise of being anything else. Enjoy it for the mayhem and the visual splendor. But be sure to turn off your brain.