“Dark Side” has Bright Future–Transformers 3 ROCKS!

Transformers 3…. Now that the roar in my ears has settled a bit and I can hear myself think –here’s what I think!   Let’s get the BIG question out of the way right away.  Is Meagan Fox a better fit for the franchise than Victoria’s Secret model Rosie –yes. ( Angelina Joile called and wants some of her top lip back)  However, the movie is about the machines and once again Transformers delivers an amazing array of mechanical marvels with personality, menace, humor and fierce loyalty to their adopted planet Earth.

The movie reminded me a great deal of another man vs alien for all the future marbles flick - Independence Day complete with cheesy patriotic speeches, sprinkles of gallows humor, flags flying as the heroes  come boiling in for the fight…all the clichés that say it’s Summer At The Movies!

About the humor  …on a number of occasions  the entire audience laughed out loud..when they were supposed to!  Mixed in with the AMAZING special effects and several awesome slow motion sequences were some pretty funny moments.

In this edition the bad machines called Decepticons are preparing to take over earth, enslave the people and pillage the resources in order to rebuild their old planet and they start by laying a pretty good hurt on Chicago which seemed only  reasonable.  Along the way we get the usual antics of awkward hero Shia LeBeouf.  Josh Duhamel dashes into battle with courage and dashing leading man good looks.  Speaking of, Grey’s Anatomy TV star Doctor McDreamy Patrick Dempsey does a good turn as a turncoat ,  Frances McDormand lays down the law as head of U.S. Intelligence and the extremely talented and I think somewhat  under  appreciated John Turturro is excellent as the comedic and very funny opportunistic ex spy.

In the end it’s all about the good guys and the good machines –the Autobots shifting into high gear and  kicking butt and there are some fabulous scenery chewing fight scenes.   In short I enjoyed it very much…and I guess I’m not alone…it shut down Times Square at the NY premier.  Star Josh Duhamel called it "unbelievable." Co-star Tyrese Gibson said, "I've never done anything like this in my life!"  It’s predicted the movie could earn  $200 million by Monday!