Transformers: Age of Extinction

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UK Release Date: June 27th 2014

A mechanic and his family join the Autobots as they are targeted by a bounty hunter from another world.

Director: Michael Bay (Transformers, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Transformers: Dark of the Moon)

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Nicola Peltz

There's more to Michael Bay than just explosions and major destruction. The previous Transformers movie, Dark of the Moon, lacked character. Age of Extinction has brought it back with its completely new cast.

Shia LaBeouf definitely bought an awkward character to life (he's the only human character that held plenty of interest) in the first film. Little should be said about Megan Fox's acting. Bringing in acting veterans Mark Wahlberg and Stanley Tucci this time round has helped push the humans in front of the almighty robots. Even the Dinobots can't save the day as by the time they arrive it's too little too late.

Cade Yeager (Wahlberg) and his daughter Nicola (Peltz) have a lot to lose. They're struggling to keep up the payments to their home. Stumbling across Optimus Prime (voiced by the legendary Peter Cullen) is about the best thing that could have happened to them (in some ways). Getting caught up with the Autobot's problems is their buy-out clause. Risking their lives for a cause they aren't too sure about is far better and more entertaining than seeing them lose their house. I say near death because we all know Michael Bay's films are predictable. Who's likely to kill off a main character in a film aimed at kids?

Age of Extinction will take up a huge part of your day. This gargantuan film clocks up nearly three hours of time, and it feels even longer than that. The story is mediocre. It's quite rudimentary and mundane when we've already seen plenty of robot fights in the previous outings. If anything the humans are far more captivating than what's rendered by CGI, but at the same time it is hard to knock how glorious and slick everything is.

AOE is an epic blockbuster that will keep the youngsters entertained. It succeeds. That's all it sets out to do.