This is the kind of situation that really puts parents in a
bind. Young kids love playing with Transformers 
It doesn't help that all of the merchandising is aimed at young kids, too. Movie-related toys and deals with Burger King kids' meals and M&Ms are all part of the marketing campaign, so it's no wonder your younger kids are clamoring to see it.
So what do you do when there's age-inappropriate marketing surrounding something that's not for kids?
Remember the old saw: "If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do it, too?" The fact is that rules are different for every family. A movie like Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is full of violence, and the more violence young kids see, the more desensitized they become. Younger kids aren't developmentally mature enough to handle it -- even if they think they are.
Talk to your kids about the concept of age-inappropriate marketing. Ask them why they think that the movie received a PG-13 rating and yet the toys, food, and other ads are clearly directed at younger kids. Do your kids think this is fair? Raising media-savvy kids gives them the advantage of viewing marketing efforts skeptically. And while it may not make them happy about your decision, some kids really resent being manipulated by advertising.
You also have to be practical. If you don't go to see the movie on Friday night, you'll have a few hours to kill, so you might as well make the best of it. Here are some of our most successful tips for avoiding age-inappropriate movies:
Family movie night. Have your kids choose an age-appropriate flick, get into your pajamas, pop popcorn, and snuggle.
Mini-golf, anyone? Do something your kids are always bugging you to do but you never get around to.
Host a game night! Invite friends over and play all the old favorites: Apples to Apples, Monopoly, and Scrabble are all fun family faves.
Plan a fun distraction. Cook something, plant something, manipulate photos with photo-editing software, or visit freerice.com and compete with your kids for correct answers to the site's quizzes.
For more reviews and parent tips, check out CommonSenseMedia.org