Transformers is “more than meets the eye.” No, it’s not some cheesy 1980s cartoon series inspired by the Hasbro toy line. No, it’s not a nerdy, childish, sci-fi obsession of a robot-fixated generation. Surprisingly, it’s the very definition of a successful, modern, summer action motion picture.

Transformers possesses all the goods to please multiple demographics — including the young, the old, and the non-biological extraterrestrials. With a solid story, impressive action, seamless CGI effects, and lowbrow humor, Transformers is a loud, metal-clashing funfest for your average moviegoer and a lubricating dream for Transformers fans.

When high school student Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) goes to buy his first car, he is immediately drawn to a 1977 yellow Chevrolet Camaro with racing stripes. What’s more shocking is the car is also drawn to Sam. Once the purchase is made, the car communicates via radio and assists Sam in getting to know his crush, Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox).

Sam soon realizes that his car is really an Autobot named Bumblebee, sent from the planet Cybertron to protect him. With this discovery, Sam enters the world of transforming alien robots. Optimus Prime (Richard Cullen), a Peterbilt truck, leads additional Autobots and assists Sam and Mikaela in locating the Allspark, a powerful cube that is the key to human survival. But, where there is good, there is also evil.

Megatron (Hugo Weaving), leader of the Decepticons, remains cryogenically frozen underground. But his fellow Decepticons (including Barricade, a police interceptor and Starscream, an F-22 jet) intend to revive him and take over the world. As the Autobots and Decepticons collide in an all-out brawl for control of the Allspark, it is Sam who carries the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Notorious for earsplitting, larger-than-life, explosive motion pictures, director Michael Bay fortunately remains in his pigeon-hole with Transformers. “This is easily one-hundred times cooler than Armageddon,” shouts one of the film’s extras when the Autobots rain onto the Earth like meteors. Much like with Armageddon, Bay succeeds in treating audiences to a dynamic storyline with heart-pumping action.