TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
It should come as no surprise that Transformers: Dark of the Moon is a bad movie. What is surprising is how distinctively, ecstatically bad it is. Michael Bay is not man willing to settle for second worst and, over the course of 164 long minutes, he’s going to prove it. Sam Witwicky (Shia LeBeouf) once again finds himself caught in the middle as freedom-loving muscle cars and evil communist fighter planes battle over a mysterious plot device. It’s the same deal as last time except that now the plot seesaws even more violently between grim earnestness and dick jokes. Nonetheless, in the right mindset Transformers 3 is a uniquely entertaining experience as some kind of demented, hyper-ironic depiction of American life. (NG) **
