MANILA, Philippines?For weeks now, ?Transformers? buffs have been eagerly awaiting the release of the new film franchise?s sequel, ?Revenge of the Fallen.? That?s why, on the film?s opening day last June 24, the movie did SRO business at many theaters. But, how well does the production hold up as a film?

In the sequel, Shia LaBeouf?s character, Sam, has opted for a more ?normal? life, so he puts his efforts to save the world on hold in favor of his college studies. Of course, nobody believes that he can settle for a life of normalcy and obscurity, especially since the evil Decepticons have returned to wreak further havoc on the world.

In no time at all, our hero is thrust into the center of the new struggle, especially when he?s made the conduit of a mysterious series of coded messages intended to reveal a way to save the world from global destruction.

Early on in the sequel, La Beouf establishes his firm hold on the movie as its protagonist. In contrast, his leading lady, Megan Fox, has to settle for a relatively decorative role, despite her involvement in a number of action scenes.

Even LaBeouf has to work hard to avoid being upstaged by the production?s many Autobots, Decepticons, Devastators and other digitized transformers. In fact, there are so many digitized creatures here that a traffic jam quickly ensues, and it?s difficult to sort things out in the movie?s many battle scenes.

Some digitized villains even assume human form, like the sexy coed who flips over Shia?s character?only to reveal her true villainous nature when she attempts to strangle him by way of her long mechanized tongue.

It?s a good thing that some key characters manage to assert themselves in the clangorous din, like Ramon Rodriguez as the Latino student who becomes Shia?s sidekick, and the brainiac who helps him decipher the coded messages that enable him to foil the Decepticon?s plan to snuff out the planet?s sun.

The new sidekick appears to be the production?s way of plugging into the profitable Latino demographic, proving that there?s sweet method to the new film franchise?s digitized ?madness.?

Among the new Autobots, the most striking is the ancient throwback to an earlier age who?s resurrected in the nick of time to help the good guys just as they?re about to get zapped to kingdom come.

The old coot is a ghost of his former self, but he?s got enough sass and energy left in him to make a big difference. Even better, before he makes his big, dramatic exit, he does something heroic that helps turn the tide of the movie?s final battle.

These and other grace notes come in the nick of time, because the production?s seemingly endless series of battles eventually get to be a pain in the posterior. Yes, the movie is too long and more than occasionally redundant, which is why we welcome the movie?s more human and empathetic touches.

At film?s end, it?s these moments of shared heroism and empathy that ?make? ?Revenge of the Fallen? a viewing treat. Which just goes to show that digital virtuosity and slam-bang action scenes are great, but nothing beats the warm, human touch?and good guys really worth rooting for.

?Year One?

In their latest starrer, ?Year One,? comedians Jack Black and Michael Cera go way back?to the very dawn of the human race. They play a couple of lazy hunter-gatherers who are banished from their primitive village. They then set off on an epic road trip through the ancient world?to change the course of history! Harod Ramis (?Ghostbusters?) directs.

Dark secrets

In ?Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,? Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) gains possession of a book of potions that once belonged to the mysterious Half-Blood Prince. The book?s multitude of personal notations give him an edge in class experiments, but it also reaches much deeper and darker.

As Harry grows increasingly stronger and more confident as a wizard, Dumbledore relies more on him. In addition, the movie?s young leads experience a heightened sense of teenage longing and emotion. The new Harry Potter film opens on July 16.