First of all, kids will just love this film. It’s got fast cars and huge robots and a teen protagonist to look up to and identify with. But for adults, while there is some surprisingly fresh funny banter in spots, there’s not much of a story. And what little story there is eventually devolves into virtual nonsense.

Speaking of virtual, the amazing CGI (computer generated image) transformations are sometimes absolutely stellar, especially when vehicles transform into robots while in high speed situations on the road and in the air. It’s simply way cool. But there are also plenty of big expensive visuals (transformations and otherwise) that don’t awe.

Other robot interactions echo the film’s inconsistent nature, sometimes their dialogue is wholly silly and yet, undeniably two of the robots (especially Bumble Bee) endearingly win our affections.

Transformers is like Terminator repackaged as “The A Team” with hints of Live Free or Die Hard and even Iron Giant. It’s at its best when the teen and his car are getting to understand one another -- personal, surreal, sweet, building, but after that not even some unexpectedly funny scenes with the parents can give the film as much weight as the robots seem to have.

So take your kids, but if you feel a bit unfulfilled, rent Iron Giant for the family when you get home. If the kids are unimpressed because it’s an old-school painted cartoon, tell them Vin diesel voices the Giant.

(Interesting tidbit: Peter Cullen who voices the awesome Robot Optimus Prime has also long been the voice of Eeyore of "Winnie the Pooh" fame.)

This film screened at a Laemmle Theatre.

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