Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon - A Review
Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon is the third installment in the Transformers live-action film series, directed by Michael Bay and written by Ehren Kruger. It is based on Hasbro's Transformers toy line, which features giant robots that can transform into vehicles and other objects. The film was released in 2011 and grossed over $1 billion worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing films of all time. But is it a good film? In this article, we will review the plot, characters, themes, and technical aspects of Transformers 3, and give our opinion on whether it is worth watching or not.
Introduction
What is Transformers 3 about?
The film is set two years after the events of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which showed the war between the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, two factions of alien robots that came to Earth from their home planet Cybertron. In Transformers 3, the Autobots discover a hidden Cybertronian spacecraft on the moon, which contains a powerful device that could end the war. However, the Decepticons also learn of this secret, and launch a new attack on Earth to claim it for themselves. The fate of both worlds hangs in the balance as the Autobots and their human allies try to stop them.
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Who are the main characters and actors?
The film features a large ensemble cast of both human and robot characters. Some of the main ones are:
Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf), a young man who has befriended the Autobots and helped them save Earth twice. He is looking for a job and a purpose in life, while also trying to maintain his relationship with his new girlfriend Carly (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley).
Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen), the leader of the Autobots, who is noble, brave, and compassionate. He is determined to protect Earth and his fellow Autobots from the Decepticons, even if it means sacrificing himself.
Megatron (voiced by Hugo Weaving), the leader of the Decepticons, who is ruthless, cunning, and power-hungry. He wants to conquer Earth and Cybertron, and destroy Optimus Prime and his followers.
Sentinel Prime (voiced by Leonard Nimoy), the former leader of the Autobots, who was thought to be dead but was actually preserved in the spacecraft on the moon. He holds the key to activating the device that could end the war, but he also has a hidden agenda.
Bumblebee, Ironhide, Ratchet, Sideswipe, Wheeljack (aka Que), Mirage (aka Dino), and other Autobots who fight alongside Optimus Prime against the Decepticons.
Starscream, Soundwave, Shockwave, Laserbeak, Barricade, Crankcase, Crowbar, Hatchet, Igor, and other Decepticons who serve Megatron and his plans.
William Lennox (Josh Duhamel), Robert Epps (Tyrese Gibson), Charlotte Mearing (Frances McDormand), Seymour Simmons (John Turturro), Dylan Gould (Patrick Dempsey), Bruce Brazos (John Malkovich), Jerry Wang (Ken Jeong), Ron Witwicky (Judy Witwicky), and other human characters who are involved in the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons, either as allies, enemies, or bystanders.
What are the main themes and messages?
The film explores several themes and messages, such as:
The importance of loyalty, friendship, and trust. The film shows how the Autobots and their human allies stick together and support each other, even in the face of betrayal and deception. It also shows how the Decepticons are divided by greed, fear, and hatred, and how they ultimately fail because of their lack of unity.
The consequences of war, violence, and destruction. The film depicts the devastating effects of the war on both Earth and Cybertron, as well as on the lives of the humans and the robots. It shows how war can cause pain, loss, trauma, and death, and how it can also corrupt and manipulate those who are involved in it.
The value of freedom, choice, and responsibility. The film portrays how the Autobots fight for the freedom of both their own kind and the humans, and how they respect the choices and rights of others. It also portrays how the Decepticons seek to enslave and oppress both worlds, and how they disregard the consequences of their actions.
Plot summary
The secret of the moon
The film begins with a flashback to 1961, when a Cybertronian spacecraft called the Ark crashes on the dark side of the moon. The Ark contains Sentinel Prime and hundreds of pillars that can create a space bridge, a portal that can transport matter across the galaxy. The crash is detected by NASA, which prompts the launch of the Apollo missions to investigate. The Autobots are unaware of this secret until 2011, when Optimus Prime learns about it from his old mentor's dying words. He then leads a mission to retrieve Sentinel Prime and the pillars from the moon, hoping to use them to restore Cybertron.
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The return of the Decepticons
However, it is revealed that the Decepticons have been secretly manipulating human affairs for decades, using their agents such as Soundwave, Laserbeak, and Dylan Gould, a wealthy businessman who is Carly's boss. They have also been hiding hundreds of their own pillars on Earth, as well as a massive army of dormant Decepticons in orbit. Their plan is to use Sentinel Prime to activate the space bridge and bring their forces to Earth, where they will enslave humanity and use them as a workforce to rebuild Cybertron. To do this, they need to capture Sentinel Prime and his control pillar from the Autobots.
The final battle in Chicago
The Decepticons succeed in their plan by staging a fake peace treaty with the humans, which is actually a trap to ambush and exile the Autobots into space. They also reveal that Sentinel Prime has been working with them all along, having made a deal with Megatron to save Cybertron at any cost. The Decepticons then launch a full-scale invasion of Chicago, where they set up the space bridge and begin transporting their army. However, the Autobots manage to survive their supposed execution and return to Earth with the help of their human allies. They then engage in a fierce battle with the Decepticons in Chicago, trying to stop them from activating the space bridge and destroying both Earth and Cybertron.
Analysis and evaluation
The strengths of the film
The visual effects and action scenes
One of the most praised aspects of Transformers 3 is its stunning visual effects and action scenes. The film features some of the most impressive CGI ever seen on screen, creating realistic and detailed representations of the robots, their transformations, their battles, and their environments. The film also delivers some of the most thrilling and spectacular action sequences in cinema history, such as:
The moon landing scene, which recreates the historical event with a twist.
The highway chase scene, which showcases some of the most inventive and exciting stunts involving cars and robots.
The skyscraper scene, which involves Sam and his friends sliding down a collapsing building while dodging Decepticon attacks.
The final battle scene, which features an epic showdown between Optimus Prime and Sentinel Prime/Megatron.
The score and soundtrack
Another strength of Transformers 3 is its score and soundtrack. The film features an original score composed by Steve Jablonsky, who also worked on the previous films. The score is a mix of orchestral, electronic, and rock elements, creating a dynamic and emotional musical accompaniment to the film. The score also features some memorable themes, such as the heroic theme of Optimus Prime, the tragic theme of Sentinel Prime, and the triumphant theme of the Autobots. The film also features a soundtrack of songs by various artists, such as Linkin Park, Paramore, My Chemical Romance, and Skillet. The songs are mostly used to enhance the mood and tone of the film, as well as to reflect the personalities and emotions of the characters.
The voice performances and humor
A third strength of Transformers 3 is its voice performances and humor. The film features some of the most iconic and talented voice actors in the industry, such as Peter Cullen, Leonard Nimoy, Hugo Weaving, Frank Welker, and others. The voice actors bring life and personality to their characters, making them more than just machines. They also convey a range of emotions, such as anger, sadness, joy, and sarcasm. The film also features some humorous moments and lines, mostly delivered by the robots or by John Turturro's character Simmons. The humor helps to balance the seriousness and intensity of the film, as well as to appeal to a wider audience.
The weaknesses of the film
The screenplay and dialogue
One of the most criticized aspects of Transformers 3 is its screenplay and dialogue. The film suffers from a weak and convoluted plot, which relies on coincidences, contrivances, and inconsistencies. The film also has many plot holes, such as:
How did the Decepticons hide their army in orbit for so long without being detected?
How did Sentinel Prime switch sides without anyone noticing?
How did Sam survive so many dangerous situations without any serious injuries?
Why did Megatron let Sentinel Prime take over his leadership?
Why did Optimus Prime kill Sentinel Prime instead of sparing him?
The film also has many poorly written dialogue lines, which are either cheesy, cliché, or nonsensical. Some examples are:
"You may lose your faith in us, but never in yourselves."
"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."
"From here, the fight will be your own."
"You're a soldier now!"
"I am directly below...the enemy's scrotum."
The runtime and pacing
Another weakness of Transformers 3 is its runtime and pacing. The film is too long, clocking in at almost three hours. The film has too many unnecessary scenes and subplots, such as:
Sam's job hunt and interviews.
Sam's jealousy and insecurity over Carly's relationship with Dylan.
The conspiracy theory involving the Apollo missions and the moon landing.
The involvement of various government agencies and officials.
The comic relief characters such as Wheelie, Brains, Wheeljack, Jerry Wang, etc.
The film also has an uneven pacing, which alternates between slow and fast moments. The film has too much exposition and dialogue in the first half, and too much action and noise in the second half. The film does not have a proper balance between the story and the spectacle, making it hard to follow and enjoy.
The human characters and romance
A third weakness of Transformers 3 is its human characters and romance. The film does not develop or flesh out its human characters, making them shallow, stereotypical, or annoying. The film also does not make us care about their relationships, motivations, or emotions. Some examples are:
Sam Witwicky, who is supposed to be the main protagonist, but is reduced to a whiny, selfish, and immature character who complains about his life and his girlfriend.
Carly Spencer, who is supposed to be Sam's love interest, but is portrayed as a bland, passive, and objectified character who only serves as a damsel in distress.
Dylan Gould, who is supposed to be the main human antagonist, but is revealed as a generic, cowardly, and unconvincing villain who has no clear reason for betraying humanity.
Charlotte Mearing, who is supposed to be the head of the National Intelligence Director, but is depicted as a bossy, rude, and incompetent character who does not listen to or respect the Autobots.
William Lennox and Robert Epps, who are supposed to be the main human allies of the Autobots, but are given little to no personality or character development.
The film also fails to create a believable or meaningful romance between Sam and Carly. The film does not show how they met, how they fell in love, or how they overcome their differences. The film also does not address the fact that Sam had a previous girlfriend in the first two films, Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox), who was abruptly written out of the series. The film expects us to accept that Sam and Carly are in love, but does not give us any reason to care about them or their relationship.
Conclusion
Is Transformers 3 worth watching?
In conclusion, Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon is a film that has some strengths and some weaknesses. It is a film that can appeal to fans of action, sci-fi, and robots, but it can also disappoint or frustrate viewers who expect more from a story, characters, and dialogue. It is a film that can entertain and amaze with its visual effects and action scenes, but it can also bore and annoy with its screenplay and dialogue. It is a film that can deliver some themes and messages about war, freedom, and loyalty, but it can also contradict or undermine them with its plot holes, inconsistencies, and clichés. It is a film that can be enjoyed as a popcorn flick or a guilty pleasure, but it can also be criticized as a flawed or mediocre film.
How does it compare to the previous films?
The film is generally considered to be better than the second film in the series, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which was widely panned by critics and audiences for its incoherent plot, offensive humor, and excessive action. The film is also generally considered to be worse than the first film in the series, Transformers, which was praised by critics and audiences for its originality, charm, and balance between story and spectacle. The film is also generally considered to be on par with the fourth and fifth films in the series, Transformers: Age of Extinction and Transformers: The Last Knight, which were also criticized for their plot, characters, and dialogue, but also appreciated for their visual effects and action scenes.
What are the future prospects of the franchise?
The film is part of a larger franchise that includes other films, animated series, video games, comics, toys, and merchandise. The franchise is one of the most successful and popular in the world, having a loyal fan base and a huge cultural impact. The franchise is also still ongoing, with new projects and spin-offs being developed and released. Some of the recent and upcoming ones are:
Bumblebee, a spin-off film that focuses on the origin story of Bumblebee, one of the most beloved Autobots. The film was released in 2018 and received positive reviews from critics and audiences for its nostalgia, humor, and heart.
Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy, an animated series that depicts the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons on their home planet Cybertron. The series is divided into three parts: Siege, Earthrise, and Kingdom. The series is streaming on Netflix since 2020 and has received mixed to positive reviews from critics and audiences for its animation, voice acting, and story.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, a sequel film that will introduce new factions of robots such as the Maximals, Predacons, and Terrorcons. The film will be directed by Steven Caple Jr. and written by Joby Harold and James Vanderbilt. The film is scheduled to be released in 2022.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Transformers 3:
Q: What is the name of the device that can end the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons?A: The device is called the Matrix of Leadership, which is a legendary artifact that can grant its bearer immense power and wisdom. It can also activate the space bridge pillars that can transport matter across the galaxy.
Q: Who is the new female lead in Transformers 3?A: The new female lead is Carly Spencer, played by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. She is Sam Witwicky's girlfriend who works as a personal assistant for Dylan Gould, a wealthy businessman who is secretly working for the Decepticons.
Q: What is the name of the giant worm-like Decepticon that attacks Chicago?A: The name of the Decepticon is Shockwave, voiced by Frank Welker. He is one of Megatron's most loyal and powerful followers, who can control a massive cybernetic beast called the Driller.
Q: What is the name of the Autobot that dies in Transformers 3?A: The name of the Autobot that dies is Ironhide, voiced by Jess Harnell. He is one of Optimus Prime's oldest and closest friends, who is known for his bravery, loyalty, and firepower. He is killed by Sentinel Prime, who shoots him in the back with a rust cannon.
Q: What is the name of the song that plays during the end credits of Transformers 3?A: The name of the song is "Iridescent", performed by Linkin Park. It is a rock ballad that expresses hope and resilience in the face of adversity.
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