Tried and tested

Transformers
Director: Michael Bay
Writers: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman

Starring: Shia Labeouf, Josh Duhamel, Bernie Mac, Tyrese Gibson, Jon Voight
Genres: Action, adventure, sci-fi
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 144 minutes
Seef Cineplex II  at  11am, 2pm, 5pm, 8pm, 11.30pm

This movie is ACTION. I say this first because if you think this movie will be anything more than this, you will be disappointed on some level (as I was). Frame for frame this movie screams Michael Bay.
Now that’s out of the way, there’s a lot of stuff here that works and a lot that doesn't.
Seeing autobots and decepticons in glorious photo-realistic CGI is enough to wring out any childhood fantasy.
Whether it’s transforming on the move, bashing the living daylights out of each other, or just standing and talking, these guys alone make the movie work. And unlike the other blockbusters that have came out this year, these effects have a sense of weight that adds so much to the visual satisfaction.
As for everything else, well ... that’s when things start to go downhill. In typical epic fashion, this movie contains a sprawling cast.
Jon Voight’s Secretary of Defence character completely baffles me, which makes me think that audiences responded positively to the President in Independence Day doing aerial dogfights.
However, the cast has got it where it counts. Shia Lebeouf plays an important part in selling the reality of the robots as the lead character Sam.
Another major gripe I have is Bay’s ADD editing. Although it does keep the movie constantly moving, it creates some issues with continuity and distracts from some of the action.
Overall, the film delivers where it really matters.
And if you grew up with the toon, it’ll be a fun ride down memory lane – in a Chevrolet.
– Jedi Junny