Isabel Lucas on her way to class. Credit: Paramount Pictures

Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel
Director: Michael Bay
Screenwriters: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Ehren Kruger
Rating: 12A

After the first Transformers movie grossed over $700 million at the box office it was clear that audiences were crying out for more robot on robot action and this week’s release of the first sequel in the franchise certainly doesn’t disappoint in that department.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen reunites director Michael Bay and executive producer Steven Spielberg with the majority of the original cast. Picking up the action two years after the first film left off, the Autobots are working side by side with the US government to hunt Decepticons, who have been forced into hiding following the death of their leader Megatron. The action kicks off with a no holds barred Cybertronian battle in the streets of Shanghai that leaves a massive wave of destruction in its wake and the revelation that “The Fallen shall rise again�.

Meanwhile, Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf) is about to make the transition to college and, in theory, a normal life, leaving robotic drama behind him. But then he discovers a tiny piece of the Allspark (the first film’s MacGuffin), prompting Sam to see strange symbols and pushing him in to a worldwide quest to stop The Fallen.

If this sounds complicated and over the top, then that’s because it is, but who goes to see a Michael Bay film for an intricate narrative?

The robots are the stars here and Bay doesn’t pull any punches. The transforming effects are stunning and it will be a huge shock if this film is snubbed for the Best Visual Effects Oscar like the first film. The two battles in the forest and around the pyramids stand out in terms of scale and action. Beautifully executed and choreographed, they involve multiple Transformers but never shift the focus away from the human leads. The implementation of the robots within the rest of the plot in general is also more inventive than in the first film.

The personalities of the ‘bots, however, are rather hit and miss. Once again, Peter Cullen and Hugo Weaving bring wisdom and authority to the voice of Optimus Prime and suitable menace to that of Megatron respectively. But characters from the first film, including Ironhide and Ratchet, are grossly underused and pushed aside for new characters The Twins. In a feat which seemed impossible, they succeed in dumbing down the dialogue scenes to the levels of toilet humour and unnecessary swearing. Similarly, aged former Decepticon Jetfire would have benefitted from Gandalf/Dumbledore-like astuteness rather than becoming a foul-mouthed character akin to those played by Ray Winstone.

But let’s not forget there are also humans in the mix here. Shia LaBeouf continues to shine as the unlikely hero and plays a perfect balance of comedy and action, knowing when to switch between the two. Megan Fox is also given more to do and proves that she is not just a pretty face. (Although there are plenty of opportunities to admire FHM’s former Sexiest Woman in the World, including a shot which puts the first movie’s looking-under-a-bonnet image to shame.) The chemistry between the two is light-hearted, breezy and, most importantly, believable. Sam’s parents again provide the comic relief, and Judy White as the Witwicky mother effortlessly exudes a sense of timing.

So Revenge of the Fallen delivers what it promised: more robots, more explosions and more gratuitous shots of Megan Fox wearing not-a-lot. Those looking for an in-your-face action blockbuster where nothing is left standing will be well catered for as the “Bayhem� dial is cranked up to eleven. The plot may be convoluted, it’s half an hour too long and it’s not always easy to tell which robot is which during fight sequences, but in a summer where Terminator has returned to our screens to battle it out for the title of number one robot, on this occasion at least, Cybertron trumps Cyberdyne.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is in cinemas now and is also showing in IMAX

By Chris Mullen