Transformers = Fallen?

I don’t often go to the movie theater. Mainly because of the cost, and then the cost of a babysitter. So when I go, I tell myself the movie either:

1. Must have INCREDIBLE special effects.

2. Be a VERY important movie. (Based on a great literary work of some sort, or sequel of another important movie)

3. Be a movie that my wife wants to go to.

If it doesn’t mean at least one of these criteria, I don’t go.

I’m a youth pastor. Hanging out with teens is a part of my job. So I thought about possibly going to see Transformers with some of them next week. But I want to be careful what I seem to support. I hopped on “Focus on the Family’s” movie review site (which is overly conservative usually, so if they like something I know it’s safe)

Here are a few of their final thoughts:

“The film’s emotional moments felt forced, and its themes of sacrifice insincere. While some films use CGI to set up a story, Transformers reverses the process: It uses a half-hearted story as an excuse to string together some cool special effects….But a much bigger issue than the film’s cinematic failure, for our purposes, is it’s level of crassness and sexual content….

Film critic Marshall Fine put it this way: “This is what we’ve come to: movies based on cartoons that were marketing tools for toys.” He also noted, “It’s hard to exaggerate what a depressing mess of a film this misbegotten monstrosity is. More depressing still, it will attract lemming-like multitudes to multiplexes this weekend, further convincing [director Michael] Bay of his own genius.” “

I’ve not gone to see it…based on this review, I’m considering seeing it in theater still simply for the fact that besides the special effects, there doesn’t seem like any reason to see the movie; and special effects are always best on a big screen….not a dvd at home. If you saw it…what did you think?