FILM REVIEW: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Sam Witwicky has come a long way—and yet not far enough. He's survived high school, college, oh and two alien wars. And what does he have to show for it? A useless college degree, three alien robot pets, and an interchangeable hot girlfriend (from Megan Fox's Mikaela to model-turned-actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's Carly). He's as unimpressed with himself as we are. He thinks he should be out there with the Autobots, working for the government, running covert operations, and kicking some ass—alien or human. But instead, he's a glorified intern while his girlfriend gets paid bank by her doting and obnoxious boss Dylan (Patrick Dempsey from "Grey's Anatomy").

But why is that? Did he not major in the right course? Did the government not officially recruit him and give him a number of career path options or even army training? I mean, maybe the first time he saved the world from the Decepticons was a fluke, but after the second time I think it's pretty obvious that he should be considered an expert in alien invasion and evasion, because if anyone could do it, they wouldn't need his help every time.

Luckily, Sam gets to prove his worth, not only to the government but himself for the third time when a sneaky Decepticon assassinates two of his coworkers and attacks him. He stumbles into a conspiracy involving Dylan and proceeds to do what he does best:  
Step 1: Frantically uncover the evil robot leader's agenda.
Step 2: Successfully escape their first assault.  
Step 3: Give up hope.
Step 4: Regain hope, gather allies and go on a death-defying mission.  
Step 5: Almost die a million times while giant robots fight to the death all around him.
Predictable, but still very enjoyable.

My favorite scene was when the building was devoured by the blender-like robot known as Shockwave as they slid down into its mouth. It was like watching a futuristic Jurassic Park. I also tend to love any scene where the armed forces perform real life maneuvers, like jumping out of a plane and gliding through the sky, like flying squirrels, into a war zone. My favorite new component was the weaponized arm attachment created for Sam that gives him a fighting chance against a machine. As for his other new accessory, I think Whiteley did pretty well for a first-time actress. She managed to not be as robotic as her metallic costars, and she she functioned well as the eye candy. Although, there wasn't enough time to make her as likable as Mikaela. Of all the Transformers, this is my second favorite, but with each one, the action and visuals get better and better.