Synopsis: In 2003, the Beagle Mars Rover was launched. We were told that it crashed. It’s final transmission was classified top secret. It was the only warning we were given. Now the dueling alien races of the Autobots and the Decepticons have brought their battle to Earth and the future of humankind is hanging in the balance. It’s their war, but it’s our world!

Early footage – our reaction: Okay, so there’s the official line. But we can tell you that Transformers looks set to become one of the biggest hits of the summer.

Directed by Michael Bay and produced by Steven Spielberg, the film is an update of the ’80s cartoon series and movies that spawned a massive toy industry. It opens on July 27.

But IndieLondon was lucky enough to catch an early showing of four scenes from the film as a taster of what to expect. Screened at the Odeon West End on Friday, and introduced by co-producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura, they look nothing short of spectacular and succeeded in taking everyone’s breath away.

Scene one involved a mystery military helicopter entering a US base in the desert and wreaking havoc once it had been threatened with destruction. It rocked!

Scene two found inept hero Sam Witwickly (Shia LeBoeuf) attempting to impress super-babe Megan Fox with an impromptu ride home. It suggests the film offers a nice mix of humour and action with characters worth rooting for. LeBoeuf looks like an engaging lead, while Fox provided some fine eye candy.

Scene three again involved LeBoeuf and Fox as they attempted to hide Optimus Prime and his friends from Sam’s family, leading to an awkward situation in his bedroom. Again, it demonstrated that the film will probably have a keen sense of humour.

The best was left for last, another scene involving the military as they flee from Deception Scorponok, a scorpion-like robot that seriously doesn’t look like it’s going to be messing around.

What is evident from the action sequences is that Michael Bay is completely in his element. The only question concerns what certificate he’s aiming for, given that the nasty Transformers look capable of wreaking some seriously adult carnage.

But if the buzz is anything to go by following the screening, he has a serious hit on his hands that should capably compete with the likes of Captain Jack Sparrow, Spider-Man and Harry Potter for a share of the summer box office spoils.

Most critics were gushing and what looked like a possibly gimmicky blockbuster when it was first announced last year, now looks set to be one of the must-see movies of 2007. And one of the best guilty pleasures of the year.

Roll on July 27…

Watch the trailer
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