For centuries, two races of robotic aliens–the Autobots and the Decepticons–have waged a war, with the fate of the universe at stake. When the battle comes to Earth, all that stands between the evil Decepticons and ultimate power is a clue held by young Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf). An average teenager, Sam is consumed with everyday worries about school, friends, cars and girls. Unaware that he alone is mankind’s last chance for survival, Sam and his friend Mikaela (Megan Fox) find themselves in a tug of war between the Autobots and Decepticons. With the world hanging in the balance, Sam comes to realize the true meaning behind the Witwicky family motto–“No sacrifice, no victory!”

The thing about Michael Bay as a director is that you get a lot of good with a lot of the bad. When it comes to a straight up action film that is going to be a roller coaster ride there might be no better director in all of Hollywood. I have liked or loved all his films with the exception of Pearl Harbor because he can mix in more intense action, crazy off the wall scenarios and make it all so believable. You almost have to grip the armrests of your seat as your about to go on an intense, thrilling, action packed ride that doesn’t stop coming at you until the very end credits. He is going to slam you down to the ground and punish you with all that is right in an action movie, all that you would expect from Michael Bay and all that you should expect from a Summer Blockbuster based of an awesome cartoon of the 1980’s.

But that’s not to say that Michael Bay films aren’t without default. One of the biggest problems with his films is he not the master of witty banter yet he thinks he is and all his movies display his lack of talent in that forte. Sometimes when the Autobots are talking you just have to grimace at the sheer stupidity of the dialogue that is being passed off as witty banter. And the human characters don’t manage to escape the onslaught of crummy banter best personified in the character played by Anthony Anderson. His oft used and tired black man against the world, I am a computer hacker cliché of a character makes you want to slap Bay for putting him in the film, he should know better.

The second thing that can be expected from a Michael Bay film and that sadly has become overused and is almost a terrible excuse for film making is the close shots. Everything is so zoomed in that half the time you don’t have any idea what is going on and you want to scream at the screen for them to back the damn camera out and let us see what is happening. I don’t know if this is a budget thing so they can get away with half of the effects shots or if its just Bay’s ego but the close shot technique hasn’t worked in five years yet it is still used constantly. Enough is enough, show us the action, show us what’s going on.

Despite all that was wrong with the film a lot of which can be attributed to Michael Bay I can imagine a better person at the reigns and I can’t imagine someone else doing a better adaptation. The films grabs you by the short hairs and doesn’t let go until the very end of the film. The style and feel doesn’t entirely match that of the 80’s cartoon but it grabs the idea why so many people loved it and runs with it. It’s robots in disguise, it’s more than meets the eye and it’s the autobots and decepticon’s slugging it out with us in the middle in one kick ass summer blockbuster.

I am becoming to think of Shia Lebeouf as one of the finest young actors in all of Hollywood right now. He adds the perfect mixture of humor to his oft bumbling, fumbling teenage of a character. He is the bright light in a film awash with some so-so performances from Anthony Anderson to Bernie Mac. He is the hero that you can find yourself rooting to get the girl, defeat the decepticons and make friends with some other world robot aliens. He is the savior in the film and Spielberg who cast him shows that he still has an amazing talent of finding great young actors. The movie is pure popcorn, it is pure fun and it is a pure action.

Grade: B+