Michael Bay Hates THIS Transformers Movie?!

Michael Bay himself acknowledged that “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” was less than stellar, even going as far as saying it was poor quality. The Writers Guild of America strike from 2007 to 2008 aimed to secure higher royalties for DVD sales and payment for new media content. This strike lasted a total of 14 weeks and affected numerous high-profile projects. For instance, Daniel Craig discussed how the script for “Quantum of Solace” was significantly impacted by the strike, as the cast had to work with an incomplete script that required significant revisions.

Movies affected by the strike also include “Terminator Salvation” and “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” which were criticized as being more like a collection of scenes rather than a cohesive story. While the Transformers movie series isn’t known for its strong narrative, even by the modest standards of the franchise, “Revenge of the Fallen” was heavily criticized for its poor humor, weak plot, and excessive focus on loud action over other elements; the film has a score of 19% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Why Michael Bay Says Revenge Of The Fallen Wasn’t Good

Bay and Shia LaBeouf were honest about Fallen’s many issues

Michael Bay’s films have often received mixed reviews from critics, but there’s no denying that he’s one of the most unique action directors over the past three decades. However, it’s hard to argue against the fact that “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” might be his least successful film. This movie showcases all his questionable tendencies such as excessive humor, fast-paced action sequences, an abundance of supporting characters, and so on. Sitting through it can feel exhausting. Interestingly, Bay was candid about “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” back in 2011. In an interview with Empire magazine (as reported by The Hollywood Reporter), he explained why the sequel didn’t resonate as well as the original.

The primary issue with [Transformers 2] is that it delved into a mystical realm, and upon reflection, it was simply not good. With the writers’ strike looming, it was challenging to create a film with a coherent story in such a short span of time. I had been preparing another movie for months, yet I only had 14 pages of a vague concept. Making a film under such circumstances is pure nonsense…

Instead of waiting for the writers’ strike to end before starting the sequel, Michael Bay hastily moved forward with the production of “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” following the original’s massive success. Due to this hasty approach, the script development felt disorganized and chaotic, which might explain why the final product seems messy and unfocused.

Shia LaBeouf, famed actor from the Transformers series, wasn’t very pleased with the second movie, Revenge of the Fallen, either. He admitted, “When I watched the sequel, I didn’t find it impressive. It had some incredible stunts, but the emotional core was missing.” The fact that Michael Bay and LaBeouf were willing to express their dissatisfaction with the film soon after its release shows just how poorly received the Transformers sequel was. Creating a high-quality movie is challenging even under perfect circumstances, but working without a strong script and against tight deadlines almost guarantees a less than satisfactory outcome.

Dark Of The Moon Got Transformers Back On Track

The third Transformers was a big improvement on Revenge of the Fallen

Despite a 35% Rotten Tomatoes rating suggesting otherwise, Bay and LaBeouf delivered on their pledge that Transformers: Dark of the Moon would improve. While it retained some of the same problems as its predecessor, such as an overly long runtime and awkward humor, it seemed less haphazardly put together. It’s worth mentioning that even though Revenge of the Fallen was met with criticism upon release, it managed to gross over $836 million worldwide (according to The Numbers)).

The second movie might have earned significantly more if not for the negative buzz that arose after its debut. As demonstrated by Transformers: Dark of the Moon earning an impressive $1.1 billion in theaters back in 2011,

Although the third film isn’t exceptionally artful, it was far more entertaining and gave the action room to unfold. Additionally, it was marketed as the concluding chapter of a trilogy, prompting those who had followed Shia LaBeouf’s character’s story to see how it would culminate.

Bay’s Transformers Were Mostly Critical Flops But The Franchise Is Turning It Around

The RT meter for the Transformers saga is a wild ride

It’s true that Sam made his final appearance (for now) in Dark of the Moon, and the series shifted focus afterward. The franchise has undergone several soft resets, but the earnings from 2024’s Transformers One hint at audiences potentially losing interest in the franchise. Interestingly, despite being considered one of the series’ low points, Revenge of the Fallen isn’t the most critically panned film; Michael Bay’s fourth and fifth movies, Age of Extinction and The Last Knight, received lower ratings with 18% and 16% respectively.

The Transformers Live Action Movie Franchise	Release Year	Rotten Tomatoes Rating
Transformers	2007	57%
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen	2009	19%
Transformers: Dark of the Moon	2011	35%
Transformers: Age of Extinction	2014	18%
Transformers: The Last Knight	2017	16%
Bumblebee	2018	91%
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts	2023	51%

Interestingly, as more positive reviews the Transformers movies receive, the lower their box office earnings seem to drop. For instance, Transformers One garnered almost universal acclaim with an 89% rating, yet failed to entice a large number of people to the cinema. Despite this, it’s uncertain what the next Transformers film will bring, but given its profitability, the studio appears unwilling to completely abandon the franchise.

2025-06-02 16:38