by Manny The Movie Guy

Created on: October 30, 2007

Three years ago, when news broke out that Steven Spielberg was going to produce the live-action film of "Transformers," it was welcomed with joyous jubilation by fans of the franchise. But when it was announced that director Michael Bay was attached, fans hissed with disdain.

Who can blame them? Michael Bay, who got his start as a music video director and gasp, crafting "Playboy Video Centerfold" direct-to-cable soft-core porn, was known to be an action director who favors explosions over storytelling. Besides "The Rock," Bay couldn't tell a good story even if his life depended on it.

"Pearl Harbor" could have been a better film but Bay's heavy-handed direction ruined it. The best part of "Armageddon" was the Aerosmith love song. And don't even get me started on the laborious "The Island."

But ladies and gentlemen, calm down. We may have found the best popcorn flick of the summer! "Transformers" has more than meets the eye.

Shia LaBeouf stars as Sam Witwicky, a teenage boy who's more interested in girls and cars than school. He's saving for his car fund that his father promises to match. But Sam's excitement quickly turns to disappointment with the purchase of a beater 1976 Chevy Camaro that appears to have a mind of its own.

When Sam offers Mikaela (Megan Fox), the hottest girl in school, a ride home, the Camaro steers the two of them together. Like Herbie the Love Bug, the car knows just what to do to keep the romantic mood going.

But things are about to change for Sam and Mikaela.

They soon learn that the Camaro is a giant robot named Bumblebee who's a member of the Autobots from planet Cybertron. One by one, other vehicles join them, transforming into enormous mechanical beings who explain that they are on a mission to recover the "Allspark," their life source, before their enemies, the evil Decepticons, can find it.

Suddenly, Sam and Mikaela find themselves in the middle of a gargantuan tug of war between the Autobots and the Decepticons. With the world hanging in the balance, it's now up to Sam to save the world by finding the true meaning behind his family's motto "No sacrifice, no victory!"

Based on Hasbro's Transformers Action Figures, the film is blessed to have LaBeouf as the main actor, and the guiding hands of Spielberg.

LaBeouf, who's this generation's Tom Hanks, has such an openness about him, and an aw-shucks charm that you can't help but root for his character. He also has a great sense of comedic timing that can make some of the script's goofy lines

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