Trailer Review: Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) – Trailer 2

A new trailer for Transformers: Age of Extinction is online and it features plenty of action. Few plot details are shown but it is clear the human race is under threat yet again from hostile robots called Decepticons. Before the evil robots invade, Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), his daughter Tessa (Nicola Peltz) and her boyfriend Shane (Jack Reynor) team up with Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. Prime explains that the US government is hunting Autobots and Decepticons because people are afraid of them. Prime begins to wonder how many of his Autobot comrades will die protecting mankind which is hostile towards them. This dilemma is similar to the situation Charles Xavier’s X-Men have to deal with.

Moments of reflection and introspection are brief though as the new trailer quickly segues into big action set pieces. Some new robots are shown including one of the Dinobots which is a giant robot T-Rex. In the cartoon the Dinobots also had the ability to transform into humanoid robots. It is unclear if they can also do that in this movie but time will tell. Some new Decepticons were also shown including Galvatron and there is even a bearded cigar smoking Autobot. Can robots grow beards and smoke cigars? Most of the new Transformers will be familiar to film fans who watched the animated movie as kids.

The trailer shows off some nice action scenes and plenty of robot punch ups.  Sometimes the action can be a bit too chaotic though when random hunks of metal start jumping around on-screen. Everything occasionally becomes a blur of CGI effects which detracts from the set-pieces. The inclusion of a new cast including Wahlberg is a good thing though. Hopefully, the cast which also includes Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer and Sophia Myles can inject some new life into the series.

The one element that seems to be missing from the movie thus far is a good plot. Michael Bay’s Transformers movies have never been strong on plot which is a shame. Each new movie conforms to the same basic idea where the Decepticons invade Earth and the US government fears the Autobots. This plot works as an excuse to show robots smashing each other to pieces. Unfortunately, it also gives some viewers a feeling of deja vu as each movie feels just like the previous one.

Transformers: Age of Extinction will be released on July 10 in the UK, after a June 27 debut in the US.