“The most influencing entry in the entire Transformers franchise”

Dir: Michael Bay
Prod: Ian Bryce, Mark Vahradian, Steven Spielberg, Michael Bay, Don Murphy
Writ: Ehren Kruger
Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whitley, Tyrese Gibson, Josh Duhamel, John Turturro, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Patrick Dempsey

Transformers: Dark of the Moon is supposed to be the third and final installment in the Transformers franchise. However, due to its box office success, a sequel was released three years later but that is a different story. Today, we’re focusing on Transformers: Dark of the Moon, which stands as the most satisfying and epic finale in the series. Filled with numerous references to earlier films, it’s a movie that makes every Transformers fan say, “Whoa, that’s a reference!”

I say this is the most influential film in the series because it’s the first action movie where the first two acts serve primarily as a buildup to the story, setting the stage for a satisfying conclusion. Then, in the third act, it shifts entirely into pure action for an hour and a half. The fact that these elements influenced later films like 2021’s No Time to Die, 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick, and even the first Avengers movie (with its use of an alien ship and sky beam) really shows how much of an impact Dark of the Moon had on blockbuster filmmaking.

As for the plot, it follows the usual Transformers formula: Sam struggles to find a job, his girlfriend Carly gets caught in a love triangle with Dylan, John Malkovich’s character plays a comedic and tan boss, and there’s a military subplot. Sam’s colleague turns out to be working for the Decepticons, and John Turturro’s character returns to work on the “Dark of the Moon” conspiracy. All these subplots are crammed into the movie’s 2 hours & 35 minutes runtime. Some of them work, but others feel unnecessary. Despite this, I’d still say that, in terms of its epic scale, action sequences, and overall execution, this film is the most satisfying in the Transformers franchise. The movie’s visual style, scale, and action are all impressive even if the scale is smaller this time around, the stakes feel higher, and the story, while simplistic, mostly works for a film like this.

One flaw, however, is the romance subplot. While Top Gun: Maverick successfully incorporates a similar dynamic, here it feels forced. I don’t understand why Michael Bay and Ehren Kruger felt the need to introduce a love triangle and romantic subplot with Sam. If they had just made him single, it might have made for a better film overall.

The third act is an absolute spectacle, with explosions everywhere. It’s also worth noting that this is the first Transformers film where Hans Zimmer was involved though he chose to remain uncredited, and Steve Jablonsky still receives the credit. Given the film’s scale and its supposed status as a grand finale (much like No Time to Die), it’s unfortunate that they continued the franchise after this, as it would have been a fitting end.

Overall, if you’re looking for a big, extravagant, epic, and satisfying conclusion to the Transformers franchise and want to avoid the fourth and fifth films, Dark of the Moon is the best choice. I’d strongly recommend it.

My Rating: B-