You should watch the first one, but just because of the spectacle of it, if you're into that sort of thing. The effects are amazing, way better than a lot of movies that have come out in recent years (looking at you 'Cats'). The plot is pretty lame, the same thing we've all seen a dozen times in Saturday morning cartoons alone (Smoggies, The Raccoons, Captain Planet, etc.). For anyone who will argue, "The Company" as it's referred to in the movie, is after is called 'Unobtainium'(to me, absolute comic gold, but certainly not the filmmakers' intent). What I do is turn it on, shut my brain off, and just stare at the screen and let my magpie brain look at the pretty pictures.