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I was willing to wait for the cheap theater for this movie, but Ric was in the mood, and after all, summer blockbusters are meant to be seen with some decent sound and projection. This sequel to Transformers takes place a couple years after the first movie, when Sam is ready to head off to college. As he packs his things, a shard of an important artifact from the first movie is discovered, which can basically animate any machine, including Sam's mom's kitchen appliances. When Sam comes into contact with it, it imprints him with some important information that the Decepticons would like to get hold of so they can eventually bring back the Fallen and aid him in destroying the sun. The Autobots ask for Sam's aid, which is begrudgingly but inevitably given.

The movie begins with a barrage of action and special effects so loud and outrageous that I couldn't wait for it to take a breather. I think the importance of a first impression was a little overemphasized, and then the movie did learn to breathe and found its footing as it continued. Surprisingly enough, I heard a lot of negative reviews of this movie, and was expecting the worst. Instead, it seemed like a logical step for Michael Bay - how does one top a Transformers movie? Make it bigger and louder, of course! And anyway, all of my childhood memories of boys playing with their Transformers was of them smashing a bunch of robot figurines against each other. That is the essence of this movie, and so I think it accomplishes what it sets out to do.

In the first Transformers movie, the parents and John Turturro's character were too much for me to stand. The parents' uncomfortable shenanigans were annoying. John Turturro was so out there that I couldn't believe I actually hated an actor I usually love. Thankfully, in this movie, while those characters all return, they seem a little more subdued and a little bit funnier, although Turturro did make me cringe once.

As for acting, as Megan Fox so nicely pointed out, that's not exactly what a Transformers movie is about. She's given little to work with, and does fine with it. If anything, it's the mannequin-like make up she wears that bothers me (that's the M. Thompson in me coming out, I guess). Shia LaBeouf does well with his crazy rambling. I actually liked his mental meltdown scenes. The two of them somehow manage to seem like a real couple in the movie. The one thing that made me laugh throughout the movie is that they always have to run while holding hands. And when Shia's not around, Josh Duhamel takes over. Apparently girls aren't allowed to run from danger by themselves.

And as for music, it's the return of Linkin Park yet again, but also, they managed to make us listen to the same Green Day song three or four times in one movie. Yikes.

Anyway, I was surprised to find that this movie entertained me and didn't annoy me, although there are obviously some laughable moments in it (let's just mix some Mystique with a terminator and make her a sexy Decepticon!). It's a popcorn flick, and does what it's supposed to.