Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)

Directed by: Michael Bay | 155 minutes | action, adventure, science fiction | Actors: Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Hopkins, Josh Duhamel, Laura Haddock, Santiago Cabrera, Isabela Moner, Jerrod Carmichael, Stanley Tucci, Liam Garrigan, Martin McCreadie, Rob Witcomb, Marcus Fraser, John Hollingworth, Daniel Adegboyega, Ben Webb, Glenn Morshower, Gemma Chan, John Turturro

Michael Bay has done it again: producing a noisy, stupid and incoherent film that has been burned down by the critics but has the box office ringing. However, metal fatigue is now gradually starting to appear among the normal moviegoer, because the yields of this film were significantly less than those of the previous parts in the ‘Transformers’ series. And rightly so, because while the previous film – ‘The Age of Extinction’ – was actually surprisingly entertaining, with a lot of impressive spectacle, quite a bit of successful humor and even some tension, the positives of ‘The Last Knight’ are unfortunately hard to find.

For almost the entire movie you’re waiting for the real, overwhelming kick ass action to kick in, a cracker of a joke comes along or you can seriously empathize with the characters. Only in the final – the last approximately 30 minutes – does it get interesting, but then the film can no longer be saved. And if a movie with a significant role for Anthony Hopkins isn’t worth peeking at, then you know you’ve really screwed up as a filmmaker.

The absurd elements in the story will be familiar to many people by now. It turns out that the Transformers played a decisive role in important confrontations in history. They not only assisted King Arthur and provided the ‘magic’ for wizard Merlin (a drowsy Stanley Tucci), but also single-handedly got rid of one Adolf H.. There is nothing wrong with some refreshing falsification of history, but it adds little here. Yes, the whole Arthur story has important ramifications for some (human) characters, but it wasn’t necessary for creating the threat. It’s just a contrived way to get people involved in the end. Plus, it doesn’t make the Transformers themselves any more impressive; quite the contrary. Getting involved with that mob on Earth more and more often makes them appear less awe-inspiring. While the makers seem to have the opposite in mind.

Perhaps the viewer is used to all those big machines fighting each other, but it doesn’t help that they seem to become less machine and more human, with their one-liners and typically human appearances. They become a tad too cuddly. Ironically, this makes them more colorless and less unique.

The biggest missed opportunity is probably the storyline around the great Autobots boss Optimus Prime. It’s no spoiler to say that he soon plans to betray the people and in fact moves to the ‘Dark Side’, kind of like in the last ‘Fast and Furious’. It is not very original, but exploit this fact. It’s almost a crime to keep Optimus out of the picture for half the movie. And then when he reappears, so ridiculously little is done about his threat and “conversion” that they might as well have left it out.

Actually, the whole movie is a prelude to the real action and confrontation, and to a real plot that is worth watching. Michael Bay seems to think it’s enough to fill the film with car chases, gimmicks, a tough man and a woman in a tight or low-cut dress (or “stripper dress” as Mark Wahlberg calls it). The relationship between Cade Yeager (Wahlberg) and his daughter is brought forward sideways, but without any foreknowledge this is of little use to the viewer. And the surrogate daughter – a feisty, feminine version of Cade – is a nice idea but hardly comes into its own. The humor of Stanley Tucci, which provided some pleasure in the previous film, is unfortunately largely absent here. Tucci briefly figures in the beginning as a drunken Merlin with unnecessary dialogue, and then disappears from the film permanently.

Yes, there is certainly still some successful action in the film: the bombastic ending and a few moments earlier in the film sometimes make you sit up straight, but unfortunately it is too little. It’s only when Cade and Vivian (Laura Haddock) set out on their mission together, dependent on each other and chased by Decepticons and soldiers, that the story really gets going. Then there’s focus, fun interaction and even something you might call tension. Only nearly two hours have passed. Unfortunate.