7 Reasons To See ‘Transformers: Age Of Extinction’

The “Age of Extinction” is nearly upon us.

Michael Bay’s fourth “Transformers” film hits theaters this weekend, bringing with it all of the ferocity of a badly injured Autobot with his back against the wall. (Something we definitely see on more than one occasion in “Age of Extinction,” by the way.)

If you’ve seen the previous “Transformers” movies, chances are you already know whether or not you’ll be checking out the latest installment on the big-screen. In case you’re on the fence, here are seven reasons to push you over on why you should check out “Transformers: Age of Extinction.”

tf4

1. It’s Almost Three Hours of Pure Bayhem
If it’s Bay’s unique method of madness you’re looking for, it’s Bay’s unique method of madness you’re going to get. The film clocks in at around two hours and 45 minutes, an astonishing runtime that’s likely to turn off some moviegoers, and excite others. Moviegoers itching to see nonstop explosions and slow-motion action are definitely getting their money’s worth when they pay to see a three-hour “Transformers.”

2. There’s Nonstop Robot on Robot Action
There’s very little filler in “Age of Extinction,” with a handful of scenes focusing on fleshing out the human heroes played by Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz and Jack Reynor. They’re important to the story, but the show belongs to Optimus Prime, his allies and their enemies. The movie features no fewer than three absolutely massive action set pieces, and that’s not counting the smaller skirmishes in between. The robot-on-robot combat is some of the most plentiful we’ve seen in any “Transformers” movie to date.

tf2

3. The New Autobots Rule
Without spoiling too much, the Autobots we see in “Age of Extinction” are unfamiliar ones, for the most part. Prime and Bumblebee are of course in the mix, but they’re surrounded by new allies with unique personalities. Drift, voiced by Ken Watanabe, is a samurai-inspired helicopter who uses his chopper blades as swords in robot form, leading to some very cool action. John Goodman voices Hound, who chomps on cigars and has a beard made out of gears; he’s an overweight, trigger-happy hunk of joy. And then there are the Dinobots who make their debut, but the less said about them, the better; it’s best to witness them on their own.

4. The Robot Villains Are Even Cooler
Galvatron, a mechanical menace with a dark secret, is one of the more interesting “Transformers” villains we’ve seen thus far, due to the shape-shifting “transformium” that constitutes his makeup. But he pales in comparison to the film’s true standout villain: Lockout, a bounty hunter who tracks down Autobots and ruthlessly murders them in an attempt to find Optimus Prime. Whether he’s using a face-mounted sniper rifle or his bare hands, Lockout is easily one of the deadliest and least predictable “Transformers” bad guys we’ve ever seen.

tf3

5. The Comedy Works
No more potty humor. No more giant balls swinging around on Devastator. The comedy in “Age of Extinction” comes from the characters and situations more often than not. Credit goes to casting on this one. TJ Miller, one of the standouts on HBO’s “Silicon Valley,” has a very funny turn as a surfer slacker who helps Wahlberg’s character with his inventions. Tom Lennon plays the White House Chief of Staff in a few small but very solid scenes. Stanley Tucci steals the show, beginning the film as something of a menace, before becoming one of the sillier characters in the mix.

6. Kids Will Lose Their Minds
The “Transformers” movies aren’t built to be deep, introspective reflections on the state of mankind — although there are some attempts to do just that here in “Age of Extinction.” Those messages will be completely lost on the kids who come to see “Age of Extinction” for the massive battles and for Optimus Prime kicking all kinds of tailpipe. Even if “Age of Extinction” isn’t for an adult crowd, it’s guaranteed to wow the young viewers who check it out.

tf1