If you have seen any of the previous films in this franchise, then it goes without saying that you should know the formula that this franchise adheres to by now. Once again, there is a mysterious object that the Autobots and Decepticons are fighting over that threatens to wipe out humanity. Leaving the human characters caught in the middle of Extra Terrestrial Robotic warfare.

Over the course of three separate installments, this franchise hasn't so much evolved; rather it has recycled the same narrative trajectory at nauseam. It should come of no surprise that not much has changed with the fourth instalment. Age of Extinction retreads familiar ground and adheres to its formulaic DNA-structure to good and bad effect.
 

As is always the case with anything directed by Michael Bay, the man demonstrates yet again that he is very capable of blowing stuff up in a convincing manner. Age of Extinction fills it expected quota with some extremely well-crafted, if not overly long setpieces. But even then, that feels like a backhanded compliment. Yeah, we know that Michael Bay can blow stuff up but so what? What else can he do?

As is always the case with anything directed by Michael Bay, the man demonstrates yet again that he is very capable of blowing stuff up in a convincing manner. Age of Extinction fills it expected quota with some extremely well-crafted, if not overly long setpieces. But even then, that feels like a backhanded compliment. Yeah, we know that Michael Bay can blow stuff up but so what? What else can he do? There's barely enough story in Ehren Krueger's screenplay to pad out the first two acts, let alone the way too bloated 165 minute run time. By the time the film hits the second act, the narrative just gives up trying to do anything of interest and devolves into an onslaught of flashy setpieces strung together by dull expository dialog.

All of Michael Bay's worst traits rear their ugly head once again. From the racial stereotyping of the Samurai Autobot (voiced by Ken Watanabe) to the ugly moments of blatant in-your-face product placement. At one point, the film stops dead in its tracks to become a commercial for Budd Lite Beer.  Although, to Bay's credit, these moments are slightly less obnoxious than what they have been in the past.

It isn't all bad though. Despite given little to do, Mark Wahlberg is a welcome change as a "down on his luck" country Dad. When we first meet him, he is six months behind on his mortgage repayments and facing foreclosure. Despite the criticism leveled at him by his 17 year old Daughter, he remains the eternal optimist. Hoping to stumble on that one invention that will change his fortunes.

His daughter, on the other hand, is mostly there to fill the shoes of the damsel in distress. Oh, and there is also that small issue of her 20 year old boyfriend, who provides the expected comic relief as tensions flair between him and the overprotective dad. Stanley Tucci also shows up and helps to breathe further life into the film as the head executive of a major robotics company. But still, Ehren Krueger's overly inflated screenplay provides little for the human characters to work with as they struggle to pass the finish line with little momentum.