Look, I know a lot of people dislike this film (to put it mildly), but I frankly enjoyed it. I'll admit, this is the only one outta the five where I walked out, and wasn't all giddy from joy. I don't remember my initial reaction for the first two films, but I recall walking out of DOTM literally bouncing with excitement, and leaving AOE amazed. This one however, I walked out, and I thought...interesting.

It had its faults, I get it. What I don't get, is how everyone ignores what it has to offer, and why I haven't seen any positive reviews for this film.

A lot of people knock the films for know having any really plot or a coherent story. It may be just me, but I think my main issue was how they actually tried to tell a story, but they put too much into the film.

I feel this film would have been better if it was cut into two parts. The first part would be where the actual story was told, and the impending danger of Quintessa being set up throughout the film. And the second part starting off with Nemesis' arrival to Earth, and then having the big fight.

Honestly, the biggest fault for me, was having them name drop Unicron. I would have either cut that out altogether, or have him be mentioned at the end of the film, and have him be center staged for the next film.

Before typing this, I intended to make this a thread where people gave positive reviews for TLK, but then it shaped into a sorta discussion thread.

 

It was originally two seperate films until DiVentura thought it was best to join them in to one.

 

I agree with this a lot. The story was too big for 2 hours and a half, but there is no way they'd release a three hour film. It would have been better had they just left Optimus out of the film and built up suspense to have him arrive at the end as Nemesis Prime. Don't even reveal Optimus becoming evil in the trailers, just leave it as a major shocker at the end of the film. I feel like the movie would have been better if it more of a Cade and the Autobots vs TRF, with Galvatron in hiding yet he somehow reverts back to being Megatron. Rather, the movie would put more focus on the "two species at war" idea, where humanity is at war with all Transformers. Just a simple film dealing with those simple ideas, then have the TLK sequel deal with Quintessa and Optimus finally arriving.

 

I dont recall anyone saying TLK was meant to be a 2 part film

 

Stop making excuses for it.
"Expert film makers" were involved and yet even an amateur could have had better results.
It was a lazy attempt that is evident by the screen format, bad editing, and a storyline that conflicts with all of the preceding movies.
The entire premise except for the introduction of Nemesis Prime is dumb.
I wish I could sue Paramount for now having TLK as a permanent scar in my mind.

 

I had the same opinion about Revenge of the Fallen, truth be told.

 

I liked it well enough, but I understand people's misgivings for it. I think it was fine as is (after further consideration, it ranks in the middle of the live-action movies for me, behind the first and DOTM but before AOE and ROTF), though I would have had some of the Decepticons last a little longer, Nemesis join up with the Decepticons for a while and have him play off of Megatron for a couple of scenes, and maybe had Izabella go with Cade and Bumblebee to Britain. It made for an enjoyable experience, at least for me and my brothers, and I was intrigued by the cliffhanger. I feel one more movie would make for a satisfying conclusion to the continuity.

 

I really enjoyed TLK (it's probably my personal favorite of the series), but I agree that it could have been two movies. Ironically, despite the fact that it's called "The Last Knight", I feel like the knights are my least favorite aspect of the movie. I enjoy some of what they were going for with it, but my favorite stuff in the movie is the storyline with Cade, Izzy, Jimmy, and the Autobots in Chicago, the junkyard, and the abandoned town. I think I said it in another thread, but I would have liked the entire movie to have continued that tone and feel. They still could have kept evil Optimus and Quintessa and all, but it may have just been better to save the Knight storyline for a separate movie, maybe one that takes place entirely in medieval times (I believe this was the original idea.)

 

TLK is a fundamentally broken story. Splitting it up doesn't fix that. I'm not engaged with Cade or the mysteries set up in AoE because he's not a well drawn character like Sam and his relationship with the Autobots is lacking. The story needs an emotional core like Sam and Bumblebee and Cade and Optimus really doesn't match it

 

Wait, Nemesis Prime (in TLK) isn't dumb?

 

Yeah it wasn't going to be a two-parter, just that ideas were taken from two treatments (transformers being around in medieval times an WWII) and put into the film. But the treatments were two separate things and either plot was used in its original form.

 

It also would have been better if the directing, acting, and story were better.

 

I have to agree with your reactions there, @Nemesis Otaku . TLk left me feeling, well, it's okay, but its not great. The others were like "awww yeah!"

Splitting the story sounds like an interesting idea. Have the first movie about the TRF, and have a cliffhanger/end credits which shows Optimus turning evil.
Then the entire second movie can be about that.
But I guess they don't want to have one whole film without Optimus in it...

 

The only ties to the previous film are the returning characters, Cade and Tessa's bond, Optimus leaving Earth to find his creators (which even then is not consistent), and the Ark on the moon.
Nothing else is carried over.

 

Yeah definitely. Have the movie actually focus on Cade and the junkyard crew, while the B-Plot is Megs gathering his crew. The town battle is expanded to be the final battle of the film.

Action beats I’ve thought of include: Daytrader deciding to help by burying Mohawk in his junk from his backpack; Onslaught being a fat bastard and trying to eat the baby Dinobots, only to get ripped to shreds by Grimlock and Scorn; and Berserker being their secret weapon. Megs, Nitro Zeus, Mohawk, Barricade, and Onslaught’s head survive the film.

Then Transformers 6 is the other half of TLK. More or less.

 

For me dropping the history stuff would be the best thing cause most of that stuff is set up. Also some of it is just too hokey to take seriously so I'm gonna dismiss some of things that were in Burton's castle. That includes the King Arthur stuff since it feels irrelevant to how the knights were set up in AOE.

 

I wish TLK should be more focused on Megatron's return and Optimus' absence. It could be a good teaser for upcoming Bumblebee movie, and tease about Unicron, Quintessa, and knights stuff for TF6. Nemesis Prime could come as the main baddie too

 

...not if he was the main villain and played a bigger role. Instead we got a diluted rendition and a ridiculous resolution.

 

For me not. It left me feeling, that it's just not Transformers Movie, but knock-off. AOE gave so much! Heroism, mysteries, dramatic relation with humans, balance between humans and TFs! And everything was dropped. Terrible action, terrible dialogs, poor Mark Wahlberg acting, very little attention to TFs, only TF1 has less. Totally destroyed continuity in the moment, when we so needed filling the gaps. Nemesis Prime wasn't needed at all and was very cheap and predictable plot trick. The main villains should be Galvatron and mysterious Creators. The atmosphere should keep that AOE's spirit of tight family and hostile world outside (small cozy planet and hostile space outside). We should get totally different Movie! Nothing can fix TLK.

 

What should had been done in my opinion:
- Cut the knights out of the movie; make the Dinobots the "knights" who stole the staff, that way there is a reason for Lockdown to have them in his ship, and they would had gotten more screen time.

Part I:
Opening scene is Galvatron lurking through Lockdowns ship, where he finds his gladiator sword (much like Prime). Upon touching it, this telepathically connects him to Quintessa, who regenerates his armor to Megatrons gladiator days and marks him. Quintessa sends her combaticons to earth, to help Megatron accomplish his one mission: lure the remaining autobots out if hiding, and eliminate them so that nothing interrupts her coming. KSI has been shut down after AOE due to their bots malfunctioning. Cade and the Autobot crew set out to clean the Autobot name so that they can work together with humans again. The 'cons under Megatrons command, begin destroying cities all while wearing the autobot logo, making things difficult. At the end of part I, during the final battle, Grimlock recognizes the mark Megatron has, all while Quintessa recognizes Grimlock through Megatron. [Lockdown never got to inform Quintessa of the Dinobots being captured, because he saw this as a bargain that could lead him to bigger rewards]. Megatron manages to overpower Grimlock and take the staff, leaving Grimlock to explain to the Autobot crew what the staff is, and what is coming. Ending scene would consist of Quintessa awakening Optimus Prime as Nemesis. Grimlock and the Dinobots were her knights after all, and with Megatron and a Prime by her side, nothing can stop her.

PT II
Cybertron is Coming. Megatron is no where to be found. The government does not trust the Autobot name due to the events of part I, and Unicron (earth) is awakening. Barricade find the autobots, and pleads that they help him free Megatron from quintessa: this isnt the leader he followed for years, but a mere puppet without direction anymore. The autobots refuse to help, especially Bee, until Barricade shows proof of Nemesis Prime asking Bee if he can defeat a Prime alone. The autobots corner Megatron and free him from Quintessas control by destroying his sword (idk sounds better than beating him to reason, plus, lets say that this is how Grimlock and the rest of the dinobots brokefree too). Megatron and Barricade join forces with the bots, in order to defeat the bigger evil and restore Cybertron through Quintessas staff (while Megatron was under her control, he learned that with the staff, she created the Allspark and the matrix). The big scene of this would be the infernicons and Nemesis Prime fighting against the new 'bot team (leading with Megatron and Bee, primarily fighting Prime; with Bee constantly stopping Megatron from killing Prime, but also trying to break Prime free without gettinf killed himself). Prime's sword is destroyed, and like Megatron, he breaks free. Megatron and Prime fly off to Cybertron to deal with Quintessa before Cybertron collapses with earth. Upon killing quintessa, they learn that there is no stopping Cybertron and the only way to save Earth is by completely destroying Cybertron with the staff. Optimus Prime chooses to save Earth, while Megatron chooses to save Cybertron. Once they realize this, the two have one last duel in the same place where they first clashed in cybertron. Optimus Prime wins, but spares Megatrons Life, who choses to die with and on cybertron. Optimus destroys cybertron, and returns back to earth to fix and pay for his actions as Nemesis. Prime names Bee the Prime, and Barricade takes on the name of Prowl, as an autobot.

The end.