On July 1, the latest installment of the Transformers films will hit theaters. Although the previous two films were met with ridicule for lack of a compelling story and maligned by fanboys who were disgusted with how the live action film lacked any substance and nostalgia, there is a glimmer of hope that Dark of the Moon will be the film that salvages the series. We already know the film will feature great special effects and lots of things blowing up at a rapid pace, but we can only be intrigued with devastation and awesome CGI for so long, especially when other movies are utilizing special effects and creating engaging stories to accompany them.

But there is good news folks (sort of). Early reviews of the movie have been promising with many saying director Michael Bay delivers a summer action blockbuster. While some reviews pan the film for its lack of an engaging plot, others applaud the attempt to surpass the dreadful second installment by at least implementing a storyline that pushes the film along.

IGN gave the movie 3.5 stars out of 5 while stating that the film “definitely has more of a plot than either of its predecessors.”

But the real stars of the movie are the 3-D effects.

Scott Tobias of NPR says “Shot by shot, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, like all of Bay’s work, has a meticulous commercial sheen that’s distinctive and beautiful…” while A.O. Scott of the New York Times says that the film “is among Mr. Bay’s best movies and by far the best 3-D sequel ever made about gigantic toys from outer space.

Of course it isn’t without it’s flaw and the critics don’t hesitate to bash the movie when they feel it deserves it.

Richard Roeper is one of many to verbally flog the film. “Rarely has a movie had less of a soul and less interesting characters,” he says. Meanwhile, his partner in film critique Robert Ebert also lambasts the film’s lack of substance. Transformers: Dark of the Moon is a visually ugly film with an incoherent plot, wooden characters and inane dialog. It provided me with one of the more unpleasant experiences I’ve had at the movies,” he explains.

But really, who cares what the critics have to say? It’s not going to stop moviegoers from dumping their hard earned cash to see the film. Sometimes you want some senseless action and explosions. And as long as the 3-D effects are good, most of us won’t complain. It’s just a matter of how much the film leans on the 3-D crutch that will determine if its worth the time and money spent.

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