By now you know what you’re in for when it comes to a Transformers movie. You also know what you’re in for when Michael Bay is sitting in the director’s chair: explosions, cheap humour, explosions, flashy effects, explosions, and great entertainment.
So rest assured, Transformers: Age of Extinction is not about to upset the formula that’s gained the franchise massive global success and over US$2.6 billion in ticket sales.
That said, there are some changes afoot.
Age of Extinction has taken a darker turn in its story telling for one, (thankfully) dropping the slap-stick antics of Sam “I’m so awkward but still so cool” Witwicky and his hot girlfriend whose name doesn’t matter, in favour of a more mature lead in the form of Mark Wahlberg’s Cade Yeager.
With some intense moments, at least one unsettling death scene and even a few curse words littered about, it’s almost easy to forget this is a movie based on kids’ toys.
Yeager, a struggling inventor and robotics genius (who clearly has plenty of time to hit the gym), searches for scrap to salvage to pay the bills and secure some sort of future for his 17-year-old daughter, Tessa, who will be serving your jailbait eye-candy needs for this instalment of the franchise.
What’s a Michael Bay movie without a damsel in distress?
During one of his salvaging trips, he comes across a beat up semi-truck, which, surprise surprise, ends up being Optimus Prime (it was in the trailer, guys), who once again – though rather begrudgingly this time – gathers the Autobots together to help save the human race from itself and other bad robots.
Ctrl-C, ctrl-V.
Four years have passed since the battle of Chicago (Dark of the Moon) and the world is a very different place for giant alien robots; instead of being hailed as heroes, the Autobots have been grouped with the Decepticons as alien insurgents, and the US government wants them off our world.
To make matter worse, a new group of Decepticons (led by bounty hunter, Lockdown) are also out looking to secure the last Prime – and don’t mind dealing with the devil to get it done.
Lockdown is badass, but he’s no Megatron
If that sounds like a great plot-line to focus on, don’t worry, Cade and Tessa will be there the whole time to provide you with enough inopportune father-daughter drama to remind you that humans are important, or something.
Transformers has never really been too fussed about the finer details of narrative and plot, and doesn’t really mind glazing over the bigger gaps in logic by throwing super-stunning giant robot battles at your face, and Age of Extinction certainly does not disappoint.
There are explosions a-plenty, and enough city-wide destruction and collateral damage to make insurance broker’s weep, as Optimus, Bumblebee, Hound, Drift and Crosshairs (voiced by Urdnot Wrex) run and gun their way from start to finish.
It’s a smorgasbord of CGI, Baysplosions, fan-service and Stanley Tucci. So obviously you’ll want to see it. Just be warned, with a run time of just under 3 hours (165 minutes), it’s going to be a looooong sit-down, and it may feel at times like the characters are overstaying their welcome.
Oh, and there’s also something about Optimus Prime mounting Grimlock and storming into battle or whatever, which may be slightly cool to see (*internal screaming*).
Worth the price of admission alone
What I loved
- Eye-gasmic visual effects (+40)
- No sign of Shia Lebouf (+5)
- Stanley Tucci’s performance (+20)
- OMG GRIMLOCK (+100)
What I hated
- ALL the plot holes (-50)
- The human drama is incredibly stupid (-50)
- 165 minute run time (-10)
Total score: 55
Transformers: Age of Extinction opens today, 27 June 2014.
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