As Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 will begin casting its spell in Australia on Tuesday, July 12, Michael Bay's summer tentpole Transformers: Dark of the Moon, is set to conquer the local box office for the second week in a row.

Marketed by Paramount as the best 3D film this year and the best since James Cameron's Avatar, Dark of the Moon has generated third biggest global opening ever. Moon's US$379 million in box-office receipts for June 29 to July 2 is the third biggest opening in history, just behind Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (US$394 million) and Spider-Man 3 (US$381.6 million), according to Box Office Guru.

In Australia, Transformers 3 grossed AU$12.4 million in its opening weekend, the biggest so far this year. Though critically panned and minus Megan Fox, audiences haven't been fed up with the third serving of the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons and the destruction of everything in their path. This 154-minute movie is not for critics but for audiences content with non-stop action and explosions (city of Chicago reduced to rubble!) and the Shia LaBeouf together with the Victoria's Secret model who replaced Fox.

"Its special effects -- and 3D shots -- are undeniably impressive, but they aren't enough to fill up its loud, bloated running time, or mask its thin, indifferent script," according to the consensus at Rotten Tomatoes, which gave a poor 37% rating in its "tomatometer", following 218 reviews.

According to figures provided by Box Office Mojo, Transformer 3 outraced previous week champ 3D toon Cars 2's opening of AU$4.92 million. Comedy film Hangover Part II opened to AU$11.03 million in June, while Johnny Depp's Pirates of the Carribbean: On Stranger Tides had a first weekend gross of AU$9.90 million in May.

The Hangover II and Pirates have been the top two grossing films in Australia this year, each already reporting ticket sales topping AU$30 million. Hangover II, as well as high speed film Fast Five, spent three weeks atop the box-office this year. Cartoon set-in-Brazil pic Rio and Academy Award nominated Black Swan each had a two-week reign on top of the charts.

While so far having the biggest opening in Australia this year, Transformers 3 won't likely keep the trophy for a third straight week with the opening of the eighth and final movie of the Harry Potter franchise.

The first reviews for the Harry Potter, which premiered in London early this week, have been overwhelming. The film, most likely the last of Daniel Radcliffe, and Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson together on screen, has a 100% rating on 14 early reviews posted in Rotten Tomatoes.

"An outstanding capper to the most lucrative film franchise of all time," according to a review by Todd McCarthy of the Hollywood Reporter.

"With its accelerated rhythm, relentless flow of incident and wizard-war endgame, Part 2 will strike many viewers as a much more exciting, involving picture than the slower, more atmospheric Part 1," said Justin Chang of Variety.

"Fans can rest assured -- without wishing to spoil any of the major plot lines -- that their patience will be paid off fully, and some, in the final epic Harry Potter chapter," according ot Elisa Roche of the Daily Express.

The Harry Potter film series, based on the Harry Potter novels by the British author J. K. Rowling, has already grossed more than US$6 billion worldwide. The eight and final film, Deathly Hallows - Part 2 is expected to easily add another US$1 billion to the tally.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 will open, in 3D, as well as the traditional 2D, worldwide this coming week (July 15 for most countries). Deathly Hallows 2 will open in Australia on midnight screenings starting Tuesday, July 12.