Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) [Movie Review]

Transformers. Every new iteration of Michael Bay's Transformers finds a new origin of these aliens. In the 2007 film, this was the first time the aliens landed on Earth. In the 2009 film, it turns out that these aliens had in fact played a tiny role in something from Egypt. In the 2011 film, it turns out these aliens actually sparked the space race. And finally in this film, it turns out the aliens had arrived even before the era of humans! It is becoming a tired trend watching the same concept done in ever one of these films. While it's not a huge turn-off in and of itself, when it's coupled with the many other things that are wrong with this movie, it's slightly harder to look past.

In this film, there is an awkward mix of things changing and things staying the same. And by that I mean that almost everything changes, except the visual effects. We boast a new cast, though thankfully the same voice cast, with literally no mention of the prior cast. The Autobots built such a great bond with the Witwicky family and the military team they worked with. It is odd to me that not one of the Autobots - especially Bumblebee - wouldn't even make a quick reference to them. Also, Bumblebee's speech function is becoming a bit overused as well. My point here is that just about everything in this series has changed. Except it's visual effects. The effects look the exact same as the effects we saw in the 2007 film. And while those effects aren't really all that bad, it's been seven years and the budget has skyrocketed, is it too much to ask for a better effects as opposed to more?

I would like to point out that change in cast was appreciated. I'll take Mark Wahlberg over Shia LeBeouf any day. Throwing in Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammar and a few other great performers was another great change. The old cast will be missed - and I have hear nothing of what Transformers 5 has to offer - but if we keep this cast for a little longer, I will have no complaints.

The biggest complaint I have for this movie, and I have to imagine that other people feel the same way, is the length of this movie. It could have been a full hour shorter without missing any important plot piece, but Bay insists we sit through several lulls of the story until we reach the final battle that doesn't really have anything special. Optimus Prime riding Grimlock was obviously fun, but that was seemingly their most advertised bit of the movie. There was little excitement for it because everyone expected it.

But all in all, if you've seen any of the other Transformers movies, you know what to expect. The audience was not fooled in any way that this would be different - and it wasn't. It is, as was it's predecessors, a mediocre action flick.

Rating: 6/10

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