If AOE came out after the first movie, do you guys think reviews would be better than what it is now?
Well, if they made the appropriate plot adjustments, sure. I think the dark tone and the abrupt changing of the cast would've surprised a lot more people.
It would've made more sense, at least. Most people would hate Transformers for the dozens of lives lost at Mission City, and hunting them down would be a natural response. It might show Barricade and Ironhide along with Bumblebee and Crosshairs and Drift, and everyone would recieve new modes. Of course, humanity wouldn't be able to make very many drones with only a few dead Transformers to work off of...
Honestly... if RotF could be REMOVED altogether... it'd fix A TON of problems with the overall plot for all films.
Let's not forget that Starscream would still be alive, too. Assuming no changes were made to the first movie.