__ 1. What's it about?__
Robots in disguise. The Autobots are fully integrated into American society when a discovery is made in Russia that leads to a secret buried on the surface of the moon -- a secret from planet Cybertron's past that could have turned the tide in the war against the Decepticons. Now it's a race to claim a powerful weapon before they do, but there's more going on than meets the eye.
2. Can I arrive a little late?
You can, but you'll miss the incomparable Peter Cullen in one of Optimus Prime's legendary exposition monologues, and some pretty cool fictionalized history.
3. Will my kids like it?
Cool robots and high-octane action. They'll probably be begging you to take them.
4. Will I like it?
If you liked Tom Cruise's War of the Worlds or either of the previous Transformers films, or enjoyed the animated series as a kid, go for it. (Remember Shockwave, the cool purple Decepticon with one eye and a laser-gun hand? He's back.) Dark of the Moon is easily the best of the three Transformers movies: The scale is bigger, the dialogue is less ridiculous (considering the subject matter) and the human characters finally get a chance to shine.
5. Aren't there some new cast members?
In addition to returning heroes Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson, Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy), John Malkovich and Frances McDormand appear, along with The Hangover's Ken Jeong and Firefly's Alan Tudyk. Leonard Nimoy (Old Spock from Star Trek) has a significant voice role, and famed astronaut Buzz Aldrin plays himself at one point.
6. Is it worth seeing in 3-D?
Not unless you are obsessed with the phenomenon, or you're really into 3-D title sequences. The execution isn't what it could have been considering a major American city gets leveled before your eyes. It's supposedly opening exclusively in 3-D and IMAX, but should be in conventional theaters the next day. Save your money for the snack bar.
7. What is it rated?
PG-13 for intense prolonged sequences of sci-fi action violence, mayhem and destruction, and for language, some sexuality and innuendo. It's definitely the most violent of the series, and there's more human carnage and more humans hurting humans (when will we ever learn?). There are a few lewd comedic scenes, but nothing that will be too demanding to explain -- even the silly bathroom scene. Speaking of which ...
8. When's a good time to head to the bathroom?
There's a pretty slow and predictable chunk of the movie around the middle when all seems lost that's filled with the good guys regrouping and plotting what to do next. At 155 minutes, that's your best bet.
9. Should I stay for the credits?
The other films in the series have been known for their many multiple false endings -- but there's only one this time around. After that, roll out!
