Ranking the Live Action Transformers Movies
It’s been a while since I’ve made one of these. Recently I was re-watching some Transformers movies, so new list time!
We have all kinds of lists in our LISTractions section. Get it? Distractions…Listractions? Ok, let’s do this.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Maybe your own list?
#7: Age of Extinction (2014)
The final three movies on this list kind of stick together in my head. They are very similar and not good. Age of Extinction was the first Mark Wahlberg-led Transformers movie. I like him more than most, he’s usually in fun movies. Even this one to a point, I said it’s not good, but these all have some fun in them.
This is the one where the U.S government teams up with “Decepticons”. And then the government got deceived, cause it’s right in the name! There’s also a part about his daughter dating an older guy, and it’s cool because of some law. Who the hell thought of that? Creepy AF.
#6: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
This one is interesting because it was the first sequel to the original. The original which was a damn good movie, or at the least a very fun movie. Thing went off the rails quickly with this franchise I noticed while making this list.
RotF did explain the first Decepticon, “The Fallen”. Just in a super weird, confusing way, which continued in the story. This movie has a Transformer that activated a space bridge to teleport….
Why didn’t they just fly over with a flying Transformer?! Teleportation? Where the hell did that come from? And I’m pretty sure nobody else can do anything close to that in the rest of the movies.
#5: Dark of the Moon (2011)
The last of the Meh-Transfomers-Trifecta. Also the 3rd installment of the franchise, each directed by Michael Bay. I’ve yet to mention I’m a big Saw Witwicky fan. I find Shia LaBeouf hit or miss, he was very good for these films though.
He “got it” and had fun. Similar to Megan Fox and John Turturro, who seemingly had a f-n blast making these movies. DotM is the first without Fox, so it loses some points for that. They brought in Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who was gorgeous but not as good as Fox. Or “didn’t get it”, like she did.
One little thing that really annoyed me about this one was Sam needing a job. He saved the world multiple times by now, it’s just silly. The government should have hired him or something.
#4: Rise of the Beasts (2023)
This one is REALLY tough to rank. The beasts were cool, but not in it enough to have their names in the title. A lot of fans complain about the human characters in these movies and that’s my big on here. The lead actor Anthony Ramos took it way too seriously IMO. Exact opposite of the others (Shia, Mark, Megan, John, etc) who made the movies more fun, by having fun.
Ramos acted like he was in a real life war, and I didn’t buy it. Or just didn’t like it, whichever works. Which is a problem going forward, because he’s set up to be THE or a lead in the sequel.
The movie ends with Ramos being invited to the G.I Joes. Setting up that possibly awesome crossover. So extra points for that and the beasts. They were very cool and different, just didn’t get the time needed.
#3: The Last Knight (2017)
This is a personal favorite of mine, it’s SO ridiculous, but has fun with it. And that’s really what these movies are about for the actors. This one has Anthony Hopkins! The man is a legend, totally understood the job and nailed it.
Wahlberg’s Cade Yeager, I can’t not laugh typing that name. He was given a talisman by a dying Transformer and became “The Last Knight". Seemed more like a right place, right time thing, than deserving. But I don’t write those movies. I can barely write a list.
Optimus Prime went to the ruins of Cybertron and met Quintessa, the creator of the Transformers. He was brainwashed, King Arthur and Merlin are in the movie. WAY too much going on here, but mostly fun.
#2: Bumblebee (2018)
This is SO hard for me as a fan of John Cena. He became a good enough actor over the years, but he was awful in this. He took it way too seriously, it almost ruins the movie. Luckily he’s countered by the fantastic Hailee Steinfeld.
She does maybe the best job out of any actor/actress in these films. I actually cared about her and Bumblebee. While Cena was doing his best to ruin any fun, they kept it going.
Bumblee is the first Transformers movie, not directed by Michael Bay. Travis Knight took over and he should definitely stick around. It had a different feeling, tone, most of all, it was a simple story for fans to follow.
Optimus and others show up late, which was a cool addition. Not sure it was necessary, I liked the smaller story they had going. But obviously they had to leave some stuff open for a sequel, cause that’s what movies do now.
#1: Transformers (2007)
This one is really easy, it’s the best movie of the series by far. It was new, fresh, pretty sure how the world was introduced to Megan Fox. She had great chemistry with Shia, it had the high school bully thing happening, wacky parents, etc.
Lonely boy meets a Transformer, gets the smoking hot girl and saves the world. Sure it’s not that simple, but it’s a lot more simple than the follow-ups. John Turturro was great and got better going forward, unlike most every other human character/actor.
I should mention Josh Duhamel is in most of these. He’s super basic, if you remove him, not many would notice I’m sure. Good actor, just not in these movies, IMO. And that’s a lot of words about the Transformers, I’m out!