Saw it at the Arclight Hollywood with Jim Sorenson, Marty Isenberg, and Bill Forster on the 23rd. Bonus on that was seeing Optimus, Ironhide, and Bumblebee in the car forms again - additional bonus was the Corvette Centennial Concept that is Sideswipe. Shiny and gorgeous piece of metal, though I'd be loathe to even drive him. Inside the lobby were two display cases: two mannequins displaying the combat uniform worn by NEST members with the patches "If I told you, I will have to kill you" (will have to check). XD Another pair of mannequins were that of Leo Spitz's "The Real Effing Deal" green jacket and Mikaela's black jacket over white shirt she wears at one point. Saw ROTF again at Universal Citywalk's IMAX theater (and multiple times in the future).

Optimus' voice on intro? Can I say hearts floating above my head? You da bot, Peter Cullen. The following transition to the Shanghai sequence, what with portions of Linkin Park's "New Divide" alongside seeing Arcee's hologram forming and Ironhide transforming as the camera pans around him? Wonderful. Optimus doing an airdrop from the C-17, transforming from truck as he falls before transforming back to vehicle to catch up with their target? Jaw dropping. Hearing the human military call out their names was a another excellent touch, such as them yelling out for Sideswipe (who is dangerously cool), Arcee, and the Twins that are Mudflap and Skids. On the Twins, they're kinda growing on me, so I don't mind them as much as critics otherwise claim it. I see them more as gangsters wannabes, and I've seen non-blacks act like gangsters. Toss in that while Reno Wilson (Mudflap, 2007 Frenzy) IS black, Tom Kenny (Animated Starscream) is White and voices Skids, who has the gold tooth. Give me a break.

Visually, it's an onslaught on your eyes. The gears, the parts, the close-ups on the Transformers... If it's one thing about ILM, they really stepped petal to the metal, even with how their poor computers keeled over during the process. The forest battle sequence is one of the most incredible portions, because you have trees, dirt, and other material that's normal in a forest, interacting with metal and non-organic things, as well having to put in Sam running about the whole place.

Musically, minor let down. In the film, I felt it was a bit muted, as in that it wasn't as strong as in the first film, but it still works. However, if going by the score itself, they're gorgeous pieces, especially when Steve Jablonsky blended various cues and leitmotifs from the first film. "The Fallen" gives a creepy air and omnious air that is different to "Decepticons" in the first film's score but no less dangerous. "Infinite White" has the jewel of the solo female singer, conveying so various emotions at the same time.

Thematically, like Spider-Man 2, where Sam becomes a reluctant hero on following his destiny and facing the consequences later on. He's also entering the harsher world of reality, which roomate Leo Spitz also learns when he's dragged from the comforts of his "The Real Effing Deal" website on rumors and home-videos of sightings to meeting real alien robots.

Character-wise, I will admit that I wish there was more focus on the TFs, namely the Autobots' interactions with each other, like the interactions between Megatron, Starscream and The Fallen. It'd be wonderful to see more of this Sideswipe as compared to his G1 incarnation, plus how Arcee is portrayed, and even Jolt! Poor guy got only two scenes and no lines.

While there were some portions that made me cringe, opposite to some of the audiences' laughter, I felt that had not for the writers' strike, it probably would've been a lot better plot-wise. However, them's the breaks with how real life goes, so I can't complain too much.

Was I expecting something like The Godfather or Seven Samurai? No. Was I expecting something like Batman: The Dark Knight or The Green Mile? No! Was I expecting to be entertained by explosions galore, giant alien robots beating other giant alien robots, humans interacting and adding in their own way, Optimus being a serious badaft while kicking major Decepticon butt amidst beautiful music, plot and inconsistencies be damned?

YES.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will certainly have its low points, but if you're a fan that wants a form of escapism, spend all that time in the theaters. Preferably IMAX. ;D

In short, reviews from critics like Ebert and "critics" like Harry Knowles can kiss my shiny skidplate.

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