Ranking EVERY Transformers Movie | Optimus Prime G1 Speed Art
Hey Jack, I’m back! This time, I’m ranking every theatrically released Transformers movie. After covering the Evolution of Optimus Prime over on my animation channel, I had to watch every single one of these films - and wow… this franchise is all over the place.
From massive blockbusters to three-hour slogs, the Transformers series has done a bit of everything. This list won’t contain the TV movies, since I’m saving those for whenever I cover the TV Optimi. So Autobots, roll out and let’s rank these films from worst to best.
9. Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) ★★
In dead last is Age of Extinction, and wow… what a slog.
This movie is nearly three hours long, and it feels like it. There are so many side plots, so many characters, and somehow the Dinobots - THE thing everyone remembers and they were plastered all over the posters and marketing - don’t even show up until like the two-hour mark.
The new human family dynamic is also… odd, to say the least, and the new Transformers don’t have the same gravitas as the earlier ones. Also, who carries around a laminated card showing they can have a relationship with teenagers? This guy is sus.
The movie is bloated, unfocused, and just exhausting to sit through.
8. Transformers: The Last Knight (2017) ★★½
In eighth place is The Last Knight, which is… somehow a slight improvement over the last one.
Anthony Hopkins is a fun addition and clearly knows exactly what kind of movie he’s in and some of the new Transformers are actually pretty interesting, like the human-sized Cogman and Daytrader - voiced by Steve Buscemi.
But again, you spend a lot of time just waiting around for the movie to get to the point, and it doubles down on all the boring knight stuff from the previous film. You wait almost the entire movie to see Optimus do anything, then when you do see him, he’s hardly in his “Nemesis” form since all it takes is hearing Bumblebee speak to get rid of the evil. The climax has some solid moments, but getting there is half the battle - and not in a good way.
Then it has a cliffhanger scene that will probably never be followed up.
7. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) ★★½
Next up is Revenge of the Fallen, where the franchise really starts leaning into its worst habits.
It’s way more childish than the first, with some very questionable new characters that feel like they were added just for comic relief, and they feel sorta racist. That said, more John Turturro is always a win.
The biggest issue is the pacing; the middle of this movie is a complete slog. Also… is Shia LaBeouf like secretly hot or something? I feel like people don’t question him enough for all these hot girls trying to get with him. I know the one ends up being a robot, but come on. Also, his Dad tells him to put Megan Fox on the back burner when he goes to college, like Dad, Shia will not do better than her…well, until the third movie, maybe.
But to be fair, the final battle does bring some of that classic Transformers spectacle back and beefs up Optimus in a pretty cool way, and Tony Todd is great in the villainous role. What a voice.
6. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) ★★★
Sixth is Dark of the Moon, which is definitely a step up from Revenge of the Fallen.
The action here is cleaner and much easier to follow, and the scale is still impressive. But the movie is pretty bloated, with way too many characters running around at once.
And I gotta say, the lack of Megan Fox is felt.
I could suspend my disbelief at Shia getting one supermodel girlfriend… but getting a second one immediately after?
Science fiction still has to be based in some reality. And of course, McDreamy ends up being evil, but Patrick Dempsey is still great in the role. I also appreciate all of the Star Trek references throughout, and Leonard Nimoy is great in the Sentinel Prime role, even if I don’t love his design, but the scene where he turns on them is pretty awesome.
5. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023) ★★★
In fifth place is Rise of the Beasts. This one’s fun, and it’s cool finally seeing the Beast Machines on the big screen - especially if you grew up with the animated shows, as I did.
That said, I do wish the movie leaned into them more. They feel like side characters in their own debut, and the film overall lacks the epic scale you want from a Transformers movie. I think it’s mostly how it’s shot, like let’s show these machines from a more epic angle every now and then.
Still, it’s a solid entry and not a total misstep, though I doubt that G.I. Joe mashup movie will ever come, at least in the way it’s being set up here.
4. The Transformers: The Movie (1986) ★★★
Right in the middle is the 1986 animated film: The Transformers: The Movie.
The animation is a big step up from the show, and the soundtrack is pure 80s energy, just an absolute vibe. Although I do kind of wish it had a more orchestral score in places to give some scenes a bit more weight and a timeless feel.
But what really stands out is how bold this movie is. It takes risks, makes big changes, and isn’t afraid to shake things up, which is pretty wild considering it’s based on a toy line. It pretty much kills off all your favourite characters and has a lasting impact on the show itself.
It’s not perfect, but it’s memorable and deserves respect for what it tried to do, and the new voice cast is A-tier all the way.
3. Transformers (2007) ★★★½
In third place is the one that started off the Bayverse: 2007’s Transformers.
Yes, the Bay-isms are already here- explosions, slow-mo, questionable humour - but this is still a really cool movie, and quite subdued when compared to the bombastic sequels.
The effects were incredible for the time and still hold up, and there’s a genuine sense of scale that makes the Transformers feel massive and real. The pacing is good, the Transformers aren’t made to be jokes, and the humour doesn’t go too juvenile, except maybe the peeing scene.
But still, this is one of the stronger entries and a great starting point for the live-action franchise.
2. Bumblebee (2018) ★★★½
In second place is Bumblebee, which was a much-needed breath of fresh air.
After years of increasingly bloated entries, this one scales things back and tells a simpler, more character-driven story. It’s light, it’s breezy, and it actually has some heart.
It doesn’t quite hit the heights of the 80s movies it’s clearly inspired by- like E.T. or Gremlins - but it’s a fun nostalgic throwback that really works. The human characters feel real, the 80s nostalgia is fun, and this came out before everyone was sick of 80s nostalgia. Now it makes me want to puke when something is set in the 80s…just joking. I know this film started as a prequel and could be viewed as one, but this is a hard reboot in the end and could be a great starting point to get people into Transformers.
1. Transformers One (2024) ★★★★
But first is Transformers One. Yeah, T1 is taking the top spot.
It’s a great animated film with a classic “friends turned enemies” story at its core. The new voice cast does a fantastic job- especially Chris Hemsworth, whom I was a little sceptical about going in.
The animation is clean, the action is easy to follow, and the story moves at a really nice pace. This is easily one of the most well-crafted Transformers movies we’ve gotten. It takes everything that works about the franchise- big action, iconic characters, high stakes - and builds a strong story around it. It respects the source material, tells a compelling origin story, and doesn’t get lost in a million side plots or overlong runtimes.
It’s focused, it’s emotional, and honestly… it might just be the best Transformers movie we’ve ever gotten.
So that’s my ranking of every Transformers movie! What’s your favourite Transformers film? Let me know in the comments, and if you haven’t already, check out my Evolution of Optimus Prime video over on Tell It Animated. If you’d like to see a video where I rank the live-action looks for Optimus, let me know, and I can get around to that sometime, too!
I’d also like to thank my patrons, and until next time, I’ve been Aaron, and I’ll tell you something later!