Transformers: The Last Knight – Review

Source: Transformers: The Last Night movie poster http://thesource.com/2017/06/21/jerrod-carmichael- mark-wahlberg-
attend-transformers- last-knight- world-premiere- gallery/

The Transformers film series, beginning in 2007 with the eponymous first instalment, has drawn in
cinemagoers worldwide with its eye-catching visual effects and intense action sequences. It is currently
the 10th highest-grossing film series of all time, having amassed a staggering total of £3.2 billion. But
despite this, film critics have by-and- large responded negatively to the franchise, lamenting director
Michael Bay’s hawkish style as well as the often chaotic and disjointed storylines.

Released on the 22nd June 2017, Transformers: The Last Knight marks the fifth – and apparently Bay’s
final – Transformers film (excluding the 1986 original). With a cast that includes the likes of Mark
Wahlberg and Anthony Hopkins, and a budget exceeding £160 million, Bay is evidently looking to retire as the franchise’s director with a typically jaw-dropping bang. But did he manage to convert (at least some of) his longstanding critics?

Action-Packed

Although we have come to expect nothing less from Michael Bay, it is still worth mentioning that The
Last Knight is an intense and somewhat frenetic experience in which no punches are pulled by the
director. You could argue that it is unavoidable, when pitting transforming robots against one another,
to have a movie bursting at the seams with exaggerated conflict, precarious danger, and all-out ferocity. But let’s just say no attempt has been made to rein it in here.

Source: Transformers fight scene https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/3321094/when-is- transformers-the- last-knight- due- out-uk- release-date- cast-and- trailer-all- you-need- to-know/

Planets literally collide as Bay plays all of his director trump cards in the space of 150 minutes. Swords,
rockets, and of course robots clash with almost clockwork regularity, so much so that it has to be said that coherence is largely sacrificed for conflict. But there are no tricks or illusions here – relentless action and impressive special effects are what Transformers fans love, and they have certainly been provided with those elements. If you are one of these fans, then take your obsession one step further by trying out the Transformers video slot game – you won’t be disappointed!

Storyline

As already mentioned, commitment to sound storytelling is not one of the cornerstones of Michael
Bay’s directing. In fact, at times during The Last Knight, it comes across as though Bay has pressed a
‘randomise’ button to determine his plot. Bizarre references to King Arthur and Merlin are as arbitrary
as they are vital to the film’s outcome, with the sword of Excalibur playing a prominent part in what can
only be described as ‘the classic ancient artefact movie plot formula’.

And that’s not all. Bay pushes the film supersonically to the other end of the spectrum by adding Hitler
and the Nazis to the mix. During production, he draped the one-time residence of Sir Winston Churchill, Blenheim Palace, in swastikas, angering a number of war veterans and leaving the rest of us in pure bemusement.

Source:Blenheim Palace draped in swastikas http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3804595/How- dare-Director- Michael- Bay-accosted- decking-Sir- Winston-Churchill- s-birthplace- 50ft-SWASTIKAS- film-new- Transformers-movie.html

The inclusion of ‘the watch that killed Hitler’, which (we should have guessed) is a Transformer,
provoked a similarly confused reaction. Oh, and there’s the small matter of William Shakespeare
knowing that Transformers exist, being a member of the secret Order of the Witwiccans and all. Add to
this poisonous mixture a passing Star Wars reference, Anthony Hopkins essentially re-enacting
Westworld, crude humour, and over-the- top violence, and you have Michael Bay’s last Transformers
hurrah.

Shared Universe and the Human Element

Okay, maybe that last paragraph was a little harsh, but you get the idea. Michael Bay did what he does
best with The Last Knight – action, sci-fi, and more action – with little regard for the logical flow and
deep nuances that one would normally associate with the plot of a good movie. But, nevertheless, there
is a handful of positives that can be drawn from the film’s premise, and they are largely down to the
contribution of screenwriter Akiva Goldsman.

Source: http://collider.com/transformers-the- last-knight- new-clip/#poster

His input, in conjunction with writers Robert Kirkman and Steven DeKnight, was to solidify the notion of
a Transformers ‘shared universe’, with his overarching vision geared towards making each Transformers film fit into the wider series narrative as well as being able to work as a standalone movie. Throughout, he has also tried his utmost to maintain the human element, which was so important in the early instalments of the franchise. This preserves some form of character relatability and improves the
general coherence of the entire series – aspects that, if maintained going forward, can only bode well
for the on-screen future of Transformers.