Transformers: The Last Knight Review

Transformers: The Last Knight

Release Date: 22nd June 2017 - Australia

Production Companies

Paramount Pictures

Hasbro (in association with)

Di Bonaventura Pictures

Huahua Media

Ian Bryce Productions

Amblin Entertainment (Uncredited)

Platinum Dunes (Uncredited)

Distribution

Paramount Pictures Australia

Genre: Sci-Fi/Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 149 minutes

Budget: $260,000,000

Box Office Gross: $605,425,157 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Humans are at war with the Transformers, and Optimus Prime is gone. The key to saving the future lies buried in the secrets of the past and the hidden history of Transformers on Earth. Now, it's up to the unlikely alliance of Cade Yeager, Bumblebee, an English lord and an Oxford professor to save the world.

Cast

The Humans

Mark Wahlberg - Cade Yeager 

Josh Duhamel - Lt. Colonel William Lennox

Laura Haddock - Vivian Wembley

Isabela Moner - Izabella 

Jerrod Carmichael - Jimmy

Anthony Hopkins - Sir Edmund Burton

Stanley Tucci - Merlin

Liam Garrrigan - Arthur

Martin McCreadie - Lancelot

Rob Witcomb - Percival

Marcus Fraser - Gawain

John Hollingworth - Tristan

Daniel Adegboyega - Saebert

Ben Webb - Hengist

John Turturro - Agent Seymour Simmons

Glenn Morshower - General Morshower

Nicola Peltz - Tessa Yeager (Voice) (Cameo)

Autobots

Peter Cullen - Optimus Prime (Voice)

John Goodman - Hound (Voice)

Ken Watanabe - Drift (Voice)

John DiMaggio - Crosshairs (Voice)

Omar Sy - Hot Rod (Voice)

Jim Carter - Cogman (Voice)

Reno Wilson - Sqweeks (Voice)

Steven Barr - Topspin (Voice)

Tom Kenny - Wheelie (Voice)

Frank Welker - Canopy (Voice)

Steve Buscemi - Daytrader (Voice)

Mark Ryan - Bulldog (Voice)

Deceptions 

Frank Welker - Megatron (Voice)

Jess Harnell - Barricade (Voice)

Reno Wilson - Mohawk (Voice)

John DiMaggio - Nitro (Voice)

 
Others

Gemma Chan - Quintessa (Voice)

Crew

Executive Producer/Director - Michael Bay

Story - Akiva Goldsman

Story/Screenplay - Art
Marcum, Matt Holloway
and Ken Nolan

Executive Producers -
Steven Spielberg, Brian
Goldner and Mark Vahradian

Producers - Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Don Murphy

Co-Producers - Matthew Cohan and Michael Kase

Co-Producer/First Assistant Director - K.C. Hodenfield
Casting Director - Denise Chamian

Production Designer - Jeffrey Beecroft
Senior Art Director - Sebastian Schroeder

Costume Designer - Lisa Lovaas

Director of Photography - Jonathan Sela
Second Unit Director/Supervising Stunt Coordinator - Mike Gunther

Stunt Coordinator: Opening Scene - Rob Inch

Special Effects Supervisor - John Frazier
Special Effects Coordinator - Jim Schwalm

Visual Effects Supervisors - Scott Farrar, 
Jason Smith, Wayne Brinton, Sheldon Stopsack,
Antoine Whyte and Rohit Prakash Gujar

Visual Effects Supervisors: ILM - Julian Foddy 
and Dave Fogler
Effects Supervisor - John Hansen

Animation Supervisors: ILM - Paul Kavanagh 
and Rick O'Connor

Editors - Roger Barton, Adam Gerstel, 
Debra Neil-Fisher, John Refoua, 
Mark Sanger and Calvin Wimmer

Music - Steve Jablonsky

Review

Ten years after the beginning of the 'Transformers' film series tentatively nicknamed by fans as "Bayformers" because Michael Bay was behind its influence. The director unveils a fifth chapter which was his last feature with the toy-line based movie franchise before he could oversee its growth into a cinematic universe. Although Marvel, DC and Star Wars are usually one step ahead of their successes, it doesn't mean that 'Transformers' will continue through a change of direction in a oncoming spin-off and future movies. Though Steven Spielberg and Paramount were the ones that began this explosive series of five movies with an almost fully-capable director. Critics were hostile to the series of its increasing lengths, shaky cams, plotting and lowbrow humour but warmed to the unrealistic action, eye-popping visuals and big explosions. The fans were divided on each movie that was considered the best and the worst with the first instalment being a mild exception. 

Now there hasn't been a 'Transformers' feature this toxic since 'Revenge of the Fallen' came out with a huge critical disdain. 'THE LAST KNIGHT' is outgrowing fans' anticipation as it was a bit self-aware, disjointed, silly and formulaic in its storyline and characterisations. It devoted on the secret history subplot which has been done a few times on the previous films and shown too much screen-time on the humans than most of the Transformers. Even Optimus Prime being brainwashed into Nemesis Prime could have been necessary if it had not been brief for the whole movie. As far as it goes, Bay could be losing his touch with the latest chapter which itself was distinguished by too many writers. It probably wasn't the moment that he was expecting in his send-off for the robots in disguise.

Mark Wahlberg returns as Cade Yeager as well as a few familiar actors like John Turturro and Josh Duhamel from the original three movies are back in this nadir. Newcomers like Isabella Moner and Laura Haddock are welcomed in the newer 'Transformers' movie but their acting wasn't quite up the par with Wahlberg's saving grace of his performance. The other standout player was Anthony Hopkins who was truly a distinguished gentleman whom like John Malkovich and Stanley Tucci are each of the supporting players cast in an instalment of giant robots. Hopkins gets the most fun than they've deserved as he shines in a prominent role as the keeper of the Transformers' hidden origins.

It's time for the franchise to change its gears as 'THE LAST KNIGHT' holds no secrets of being less fun and less exciting in the year's action-packed and power-charged blockbuster. Despite its overhype and shimmering potential, it will soon be the end of 'Transformers', but maybe not. In my opinion, it was subpar and the least unforgettable entry of the series. I'm sorry to say that this is not the movie what fans had wanted to see as the director has worn out of his welcome.

Star rating: (5/10) Average

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