WORLD EXCLUSIVE Transformers: Dark of the Moon Review (4.5/5)

Michael Bay solidly kickstarted a franchise in 2007 with the release of Transformers (3/5), then quickly beat that success into submission with the woeful Revenge of the Fallen (2/5) in 2009. That leaves us with a single question: does Dark of the Moon, the final instalment in the trilogy, restore the glory of Hasbro's fine robot figures? The short answer is a definite yes, I'm very glad to say! More than before, there's a plot which any viewer can easily understand, deep and layered yet instantly accessible to newcomers, and better still- although the pacing is way off in the first half of this epic 150-minute spanning piece- the climax is a really satisfying pay off not just to the build-up found here but in fact to the entire series. Seriously, if you have been here since 2007, you have no choice but to go and see this, to close off a mixed but ultimately brilliant chapter in your film life. Part of the enjoyment of Dark is that director Bay seems to have totally embraced his slow mo, explosion heavy battles that keep the excitement of these films running more than the forgettable human cast (Shia LaBeouf and new crush Rosie Huntington Whiteley give it their all, but they've got nothing on James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender in X-Men: First Class), and of course the absolutely stunning special effects, show-stopping 3D (this is the best use of the tech I've seen so far) and a great soundtrack featuring songs from Lincoln Park only add to the already thrilling experience. Dark of the Moon is by no means perfect, though: for the most part, the plot feels like little more than a rehash of the first film, its twists and revelations near identical in tone to those of the original, and the wealth of cameos from stars like Ken Jeong, John Malkovich and Leonard Nimoy are more cringeworthy than they are gag producers. However, these minor shortcomings and the nagging sense of familiarity are more than overshadowed by the brilliant climactic battle, a fittingly enthralling end to a trilogy of blockbuster movies laden with visually demanding setpieces. Fans of action/war films, look no further than Transformers: Dark of the Moon, the Summer's biggest feature so far!