The Transformers media franchise is without doubt one of the most profitable of all time, encompassing a preferred line of reworking mecha toys, a number of animated tv collection, video video games, comedian books, and, in fact, quite a few live-action movies. Regardless of the franchise’s recognition, most of the Transformers motion pictures have proved divisive amongst critics and audiences alike; whereas some launched to rave evaluations, others had been critically panned.
No matter their respective scores from critics, the Transformers movie collection continues to attract audiences in. It began with the 1986 characteristic movie continuation of the animated tv collection, and soared to new money-making heights with director Michael Bay’s 2007 particular results extravaganza.
Within the listing beneath, we’ve assembled every feature-length film from the franchise and ranked them so as of their Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
9
‘Transformers: The Final Knight’ (2017) – 16%
The final of the Bay-directed Transformers movies, Transformers: The Final Knight, can also be the lowest-rated movie (in accordance with the Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes) in the whole franchise, and its underwhelming 43% Popcornmeter from followers additionally proves that Bay and his big-budget means of storytelling was dropping steam with audiences. The film follows inventor Cade Yeager, performed by Mark Wahlberg, on a mission to save lots of the world from a brainwashed Optimus Prime.
‘The Final Knight’ Jumped the Shark For Critics & Followers
Alongside the way in which, Yeager groups up with Bumblebee, a professor, and an English lord, and delves deep right into a nicely of historical Cybertonian lore, together with the truth that the Autobots as soon as fought alongside King Arthur’s Knights of the Spherical Desk. Regardless of the looks of acclaimed actors like Stanley Tucci and Anthony Hopkins in addition to boasting loads of beautiful particular results, this ridiculous sequel is mostly thought of the one which jumped a shark too far.
8
‘Transformers: Age of Extinction’ (2014) – 18%
Transformers: Age of Extinction is the fourth movie within the live-action Transformers franchise and tells the story of struggling inventor Cade Yeager (Wahlberg), who discovers a beat-up truck that seems to be Optimus Prime. The movie options a completely new forged of human characters and actors just like the aforementioned Wahlberg, Kelsey Grammer, and Nicola Peltz, in addition to new transformers, such because the Dinobots.
‘Transformers’ Experiences Main Rising Pains
Though the film was formidable, it sadly did not join with audiences, with many reviewers criticizing Mark Wahlberg’s flip because the lead, and the movie’s poor writing and inflated runtime. As Den of Geek explains, “There aren’t any fewer than three sequences which might have been an appropriate climax for another summer time blockbuster, so by the point the ending really comes, you are numb and doubtless onerous of listening to.”
7
‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’ (2009) – 19%
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is the second film within the live-action Transformers movie collection. It’s about Shia LaBeouf’s Sam Witwicky trying to settle again into civilian life after serving to to save lots of the world from the Decepticons within the earlier movie. As he prepares to start out faculty, an historical evil awakens that pulls him again into the battle.
‘Revenge of the Fallen’ Crushes the Field Workplace Regardless of Detrimental Evaluations
Winner of the doubtful honor of Worst Image on the 2010 Razzie Awards, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen overwhelms with its busy visuals to distract viewers from its underwhelming story. Regardless of such an abysmal Tomatometer score, audiences nonetheless gave the large display extravaganza a B+ CinemaScore and even obtained an Oscar nomination for Finest Sound Mixing. The sequel additionally went on to dominate the field workplace and grossed over $836 million worldwide, surpassing its predecessor and turning into the fourth-highest incomes launch of the yr.
6
‘Transformers: Darkish of the Moon’ (2011) – 35%
Transformers: Darkish of the Moon is one other low-scoring sequel and the third movie within the live-action Transformers collection. It follows Sam Witwicky and the Autobots as soon as once more sticking it to the Decepticons, and culminates in a fiery showdown in Chicago. Megan Fox was notably absent from the installment following her fallout with Bay, with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley showing as Sam’s new love curiosity together with newcomers Patrick Dempsey, John Malkovich, and Frances McDormand.
“Bayhem” Is in Full Swing in ‘Darkish of the Moon’
Though the plot is simply as skinny as Revenge of the Fallen’s, Darkish of the Moon is mostly better-liked for being one of many purest, most unadulterated expressions of “Bayhem”; the ultimate battle in Chicago is so over-the-top that one can’t assist however be drawn into the fray. The sequel additionally grew to become the primary entry within the franchise to succeed in the billion-dollar mark on the field workplace and subsequently grew to become the highest-grossing movie of Bay’s profession, with the actioner incomes $1.124 billion throughout its run.
5
‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ (2023) – 51%
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is the seventh movie within the live-action Transformers movie collection, in addition to a sequel to 2018’s Bumblebee. Influenced by the Beast Wars line of toys, comics, and tv collection, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts sees the Autobots teaming up with the Maximals – a faction of Transformers disguised as Earth animals – to defeat a brand new foe who threatens to destroy each Cybertron and Earth.
Ramos Delivers Limitless Appeal because the New Franchise Lead
Though the movie wasn’t a sweeping important success by any means, it did obtain reward for that includes human drama of significantly greater high quality than what was featured in most of the earlier entries within the collection; Anthony Ramos is a succesful lead who imbues the explosive materials with sufficient appeal and pathos to make even the non-special effects-fueled sequences partaking. Regardless of its underwhelming important and business efficiency, a brand new installment is presently within the works with Bay in talks to return as each director and a producer.
4
‘Transformers’ (2007) – 57%
One among explosion knowledgeable Michael Bay’s finest motion pictures, Transformers is an endearing slice of mid-aughts motion filmmaking, and is the film that revived world curiosity within the Transformers media franchise. The trendy-day reimagining tells the story of Los Angeles teenager Sam Witwicky as he finds himself caught up within the brutal struggle between the heroic Autobots and nefarious Decepticons, as the 2 shape-shifting alien robotic factions battle for management of the artifact AllSpark.
Bay Epically Brings Again the Beloved Media Franchise
That includes memorable performances from Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, and the all the time superb John Turturro, Transformers is a well-acted sci-fi spectacular that’s loaded to the brim with beautiful CGI results that maintain up remarkably nicely immediately. The electrifying film grew to become the fifth highest-grossing movie of the yr and nabbed a formidable 85% Popcornmeter from audiences, whereas spawning a model new era of Transformers followers. It could be “dumb enjoyable,” however what else may you ask for from a summer time blockbuster?
3
‘The Transformers: The Film’ (1986) – 62%
The Transformers: The Film is the primary feature-length movie within the Transformers franchise, and a direct continuation of the unique Transformers cartoon collection. With upgraded animation and the voice abilities of Leonard Nimoy, Casey Kasem, Peter Cullen, Frank Welker, Eric Idle, and Orson Welles (amongst many others), the movie introduced the struggle between the Autobots and the Decepticons to the silver display in unforgettable vogue.
Time Has Been Type to the Animated Cult Basic
The animated flick memorably featured Peter Cullen because the fan-favorite character Optimus Prime (as he beforehand had voiced the character within the TV collection), and Cullen would later go on to reprise the function within the Michael Bay live-action collection over twenty years later. Though it was as soon as critically reviled for its surprising violence and general darkish tone, The Transformers: The Film has since been reappraised and is now thought of to be one of many best animated movies of the ’80s.
2
‘Transformers One’ (2024) – 89%
Led by a stacked forged of Hollywood heavyweights together with Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, and Laurence Fishburne, the animated sensation Transformers One explores the Cybertron mythology and serves as an origin story for the sworn enemies Optimus Prime and Megatron, chronicling the early relationship between the 2 highly effective alien robots who had been as soon as as shut as brothers however later grew to become bitter foes.
‘Transformers One’ Delivers on All Thrilling Fronts
Eric Pearson (The Unbelievable 4: First Steps) helped co-wrote the screenplay for the visually beautiful movie, which grew to become a large knockout with each critics and followers alike due to its profitable mix of humor and coronary heart, charming voice performances, and refreshing depth. Transformers One landed an A CinemaScore and phenomenal 97% Popcornmeter from viewers and stays one of many franchise’s best entries, with RogerEbert.com declaring it “so earnest, bringing notes of freshness and innocence to a prequel that, by all rights, shouldn’t have had any.”
1
‘Bumblebee’ (2018) – 91%
Bumblebee is a Transformers prequel about common character Bumblebee’s first arrival to Earth within the late Eighties. The primary within the collection to be made with out Michael Bay within the director’s chair, the film was directed by Travis Knight and stars Hailee Steinfeld and John Cena, with the movie centering on the troubled 18-year-old Charlie as she struggles to get her life on observe and finally ends up creating a profound bond with Bumblebee (Dylan O’Brien).
‘Bumblebee’ Is a Brilliantly Crafted Origin Story
Thought of by many to be the strongest entry within the live-action Transformers collection, Bumblebee got here as an important shock to moviegoers, who totally anticipated to witness one more overlong and explosive sci-fi diversion. What they obtained as an alternative was a intelligent and carefully-crafted origin story that works completely as an important stand-alone film. Within the phrases of Collider, “A box-office and significant success, Bumblebee is a phenomenal, heart-warming journey that you just don’t wish to miss.”