Plot: The Autobots are scattered around the Earth surveying the planet while the Decipticons are hiding away causing havoc. Meanwhile, Sam Witwicky has a new beau and facing the tough task of trying to find a job.Dark of the Moon is a strange film. A summer blockbuster and the third part of a series based on toys. After the dismal reaction to the second instalment in Revenge of the Fallen, has Mr. Bay bettered himself. Well, Mr Bay knows how to do action and there is plenty of that. There are robots fighting robots, humans fighting robots and humans fighting humans in toilet cubicles. The action is jaw-droppingly amazing and yes pretty darn good in 3D. The epic battle of Chicago which lasts for about 45 minutes is one of the best set pieces in the trilogy.
It turns out the moon landing mission in 1969 was all a ruse to find an Autobot which landing there of on the darkside if the moon, who knew? But where Doctor Who recently played with the past and done it much better, this film tries too much plot-wise and just becomes too convoluted.
What Mr. Bay doesn't know how to do is comedy. There are so many comical characters that it becomes like an episode of Mock the Week. Whereas the quirky comedy worked in the original this time it feels like we are being hit over the head with a joke book every five minutes. Even Agent Simmons (John Tuturro) and John Malkovich who is on good form fails to make the audience raise a smile.
What he does know how to do is piss off Megan Fox as she has been replaced by the curvaceous model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. The camera oggles and perves on her as probably do most of the male section of the audience, maybe some women do as well. She's very pretty but Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) seems to get more emotional when he sees his car. Something's not right there.
This time around the Decepticons seemed more ferocious especially Shockwave who had a giant mechanical worm that tore through buildings. Megatron on the other hand seemed a tad subdued and was experimenting with some fancy headgear which didn't suit him. Never trust a Decepticon and be wary of humans as well for that matter.
Verdict: 2/5 stars
Too long, too much and too unfunny. What could have been a return to form after the disastrous Revenge of the Fallen, Bay has forgotten what was so good about the first one. What next for toy-based films. Well, Battleships is in post-production and Ridley Scott wants to do a film about Monopoly. Can I suggest Mousetrap or Kerplunk. You never know.
