Transformers: Dark of the Moon

The Autobots continue to work for NEST, now no longer in secret. But after discovering a strange artifact during a mission in Chernobyl, it becomes apparent to Optimus Prime that the United States government has been less than forthright with them.

Critics largely dismissed the film as a loud, hollow spectacle — panning its script, its characters, and most of its performances — while audiences rewarded it enthusiastically, creating one of the wider gaps between critical and popular reception in the franchise. Where critics found anything to like, it was almost always the 3D photography and visual effects, though even those defenders noted the filmmaking ambition outpaced the storytelling. A handful of outlets argued it was at least an improvement on the second film, but that was a low bar most critics didn't find worth celebrating.