The Best Transformers Movie According To Rotten Tomatoes (And It's Not Even Close)
It might be a big shape-shifting, sharp-edge protruding, pyrotechnic extravaganza of a franchise, but when it comes to the Transformers movies, they really aren't ones that perform well with critics. Since 2007, the live-action iteration of everyone's favorite robots in disguise has sparked more than $5 billion at the box office. Getting there may be considered a toll for some, though, given that there have been more lows than highs since Michael Bay's "Transformers" kicked the series off. Incredibly, it's the one with the least amount of Rock 'em Sock 'em robots that clears the rest by a mile. It was also the first entry that Bay didn't direct
According to Rotten Tomatoes, Travis Knight's "Bumblebee" has the franchise's highest review score with a 90% rating that puts it leagues ahead of what came before. The 2018 installment is a prequel to Bay's original film, following the titular Autobot bonding with an 18-year-old girl whose first car has way more character than she expected. The site's critical consensus reads, "'Bumblebee' proves it's possible to bring fun and a sense of wonder back to a bloated blockbuster franchise — and sets up its own slate of sequels in the bargain." Unfortunately, just about every other entry in the franchise shifts the Transformers back to being robots of a truly rotten calibre.
Bumblebee is miles ahead of the other Transformers movies
Following Bee's brilliant solo outing that had fans losing it over their first real glimpse at a live-action Cybertron, it's nothing but a nosedive for the rest of the films that make up the entire Transformers timeline. The runner-up to the beloved spin-off is "Transformers," which earned a 57%. 2023's "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" sneaks behind it with a disappointing 52%; financially, the film didn't do great either, as the Transformers franchise took a box office dip with "Rise of the Beasts" earning the lowest total of $438 million worldwide.
From there, the critics sharpened their knives to an even greater length. The franchise's third film, 2011's "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," earned a 35%. Its predecessor, 2009's "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," received a dreadful 20%. After that, there's 2014's "Transformers: Age of Extinction" with 18%, and 2017's "Transformers: The Last Knight" earning an embarrassing 16%.
But fear not, Transformers fans, as a film is on the way that could finally break the curse of enraged critics. The "Transformers One" trailer debuted Chris Hemsworth's Optimus Prime in an animated origin story, and it doesn't look half bad. We can only cross our cogs, gears, and whatever else makes up our robotic heroes that they get something right this time and the only low number "Transformers One" sees is in its title.