I have been waiting for the new Transformers movie for about 20 years. No that crappy animated one with Orson Welles voicing one of the Decepticons doesn’t count. Though it was pretty cool when they all danced around that campfire… and by cool I mean creepy.

Chicago Sun Times movie critic Roger Ebert wryly noted: “I think Michael Bay sometimes sucks (”Pearl Harbor,” “Armageddon,” “Bad Boys II”) but I find it possible to love him for a movie like “Transformers.” It’s goofy fun with a lot of stuff that blows up real good, and it has the grace not only to realize how preposterous it is, but to make that into an asset.”

The New York Sun says that director Michael Bay did an alright job considering the fairly cheesy premise, and notes: “It’s worth seeing Mr. Bay’s well-mobilized schlock now before someone makes the concept look like a video game in a bad way.”

A lot of people besides me have noted that this movie is about 20 years too late. It’d be like if they did a 3rd Ghostbusters now. You’d sit there saying “Well, that’s great, but where was it 15 years ago?” or “That’s terrible, but where was it 15 years ago?” depending on your point of view. But either way, why now? I guess they’re going with a later is better than never approach, and it’s never too late to make some money off an old concept.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Here are some pictures from the film, thanks to AllMoviePhoto. Shown are Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, and some good and evil Transformers.