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[Nexus Knight]

Also, I have to wait for my hometown theater to get the movie in. As a deep fan of the franchise (the movies being my gateway into the awesomeness that is Transformers) is TLK worth the five dollar ticket? I'll probably go regardless, but I am curious to know.

$5 a ticket? We only get that at some older theaters around the northwest suburbs of Chicago on Tuesdays, and not at the nice theaters with the stadium style seating. We paid $12 each for adult tickets last night (5 adults total in our group) and $9 each for 3 kids ages 5 and up and my 2 year old daughter got in free.

Definitely worth $5 a ticket or more! $5 is a steal to see a brand new blockbuster movie.

And kids under six, I believe, get in free. There is (or was) a theater in Tulsa (a forty five minute drive from me) that had tickets cheaper. Oklahoma is a pretty great place to live. Only sucky part is, it's hard to find current toys at the local Wal-Mart. We were getting Titans Return wave one w/ Combiner Wars wave 3.

[Quantum Surge]

Haven't been on for a while due to college work and stress in my family lately, but I have been able to watch The Last Knight to get some worries off of my head for a while.

I'll be honest and say most reviews seem to go overboard with the bashing with this film. As a movie goer, I can't really agree with them saying that it's the worst film of the year *cough* Fifty Shades Darker *cough*, but as a Transformers fan who grew up with the franchise thanks to Cybertron and the first movie, I can't help but feel that it lacks what I enjoyed from the original trilogy (even ROTF, for some of it's problems, felt like a sequel that fit in with the continuity compared to AOE/TLK); it's like after DOTM, the newer films don't know what to achieve. I don't hate them both, but I feel that if they were made a bit smoother for both fans who saw the older movies and wondered what happened in between 3 and 4 and newcomers who probably haven't seen the previous movies before, then I could like them a bit more; plus, it gets really confusing when some characters return while others don't, not to mention the Dinobots added less to the movie than in AOE.

What I did like though was the medieval theme (though it did make the whole timeline confusing even if there were so many retcons), a corrupt Optimus Prime being under the control of Quintessa, some of the new characters and having them do more than I thought they would, Isabella was pretty refreshing compared to most young actresses, the return of Lennox and Simmons (though it sucks that Epps didn't get to return), seeing actual Megatron and Decepticons compared to Galvatron and his KSI drones (though the Decepticons are kind of like henchmen in comparison to the first movie's Cons IMO), and the action feels a bit more grounded than the previous movie.

So The Last Knight may not be the best movie ever, but it's in no way as terrible as most made it out to be. However, I will probably be sticking with the older movies I already have. It's fine if Paramount and Hasbro wants to continue with the story after The Last Knight, but I kind of wish the Bumblebee prequel could be the final movie so we can go back full circle with Transformers. I don't want to see the characters return on Earth for the third time, though bringing in new characters who have never been on Earth before while being guided by at least one or two of the old characters back as mentors (Hot Rod and Bee for example) could work.

I think taking a break while thinking of a reboot should be a good idea, especially after the franchise is now 10 years old; and should a reboot be in the works, I hope it takes elements from lesser known franchises and that the chatacter designs aren't straight rehashes of the G1 forms (I'v actually thought of a fire turck Optimus, Prowl being a mix of RID and Animated, Red Alert being the medic, and Blitzwing being in the Starscream role as he is under the shadow of Megatron and Starscream).

[MagnusRex]

The whole point of this movie is just to try and explain why the same story being has been told repeatedly in the other movies.

[77Prime84]

When will Hasbro get this?

Hasbro gets it (or at least the Transformers brand team definitely does), or else we wouldn't have Transformers Prime, Transformers Animated, or other examples (though I might argue that some of the greatest Transformers stories of all time are stories where they had outside help such as the G1 cartoons and comics and Beast Wars, though not all of it, which bears some resemblance to how things were initially setup with Paramount). The movies and their stories are out of their hands if I understand everything correctly. I'm assuming that it's similar to Marvel with FOX. Hasbro handed over most of their rights for control of the Transformers films (if I'm wording this incorrectly, someone please advise immediately) over to Paramount and Michael Bay waaaay back in 2001/2002 when these deals were originally made.

But I assure you, Hasbro (or at least the brand team) gets it! Promise!!!

That IS reassuring, and thanks for the clarification. I was unaware of how the 'chain of command' worked! Interesting!

[SlyTF1]

I'll be honest and say most reviews seem to go overboard with the bashing with this film.

It's always been like that. Most of the hate these movies get is spawned from clickbait BS.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

The Hollywood Reporter has published a new interview, this time with Jerrod Carmichael, who plays Jimmy in Transformers: The Last Knight. During the interview, Jerrod talks about how The Last Knight was a big learning experience, as he actually had to change a joke he had created because it would not translate well in other languages. He also talks about how money is a factor in bringing actors together, but how having the fun they did on set was also a good way to bring them together. He also refers to Sir Anthony Hopkins as "C-Hop" and Hopkins actually responds to it. Check out the full interview by following the link above, and catch a few snippets below.

118-degree heat in Arizona sounds like a pretty rough first day.

But it was nice because sometimes you feel so sterile in these sound stages, just standing around and holding green tea. We were sweating and running and it felt like a real experience. And Michael Bay is such a hands-on director — he’s sprinkling dirt on people’s faces and handling the smoke machine and the camera and the lights.

.....

Was there anything that you weren’t expecting about blockbuster filmmaking?

Running was a surprise. It was a great deal of running — and I mean long-distance running. Because there are helicopters capturing [the scene]. We are outside of Stonehenge and Mike’s on a bullhorn like "I need you run from over here to over there." And that’s just take one so he goes "Okay, do it again!" It’s truthfully the most I ever worked out before in my life.

.....

Has seeing Michael Bay at work inspired you to try filmmaking yourself?

Filmmaking is unique in that you craft everything around it — the lighting, the dialogue, the scenery, the perspective — and I’m infatuated with that now and it’s where a lot of my attention has been as of late. I think that now more than ever you have to be cautious of doing something because you can versus doing something because you can contribute to it. I am still figuring out exactly how I can contribute, as a director. But I want to make sure that in doing it it’s not just because I could, because that is not a good enough reason. You owe audiences more than that.

[william-james88]

Also, is it just me or did Optimus get the most cringeworthy lines in the entire movie?

His lines were pretty cringeworthy. But I found Nitro Zeus had some cringeworthy ones too (sleeping with your wife, wtf?!) as well as Mark Wahlberg and some of the young boys.

[TheDen]

Sooo... what's up all. New to the forum. Longtime reader, just never joined. Lifelong TF fan. Decade-long lover of the TF movies, while at the same time pulling my hair out about them for many of the very reasons often discussed.

So... Megatron. Was essentially a chemistry experiment in AoE. Basically a brain in the jar, somehow used to power a remote control robot named Galvatron. Wasn't killed in that movie. Shows up in this movie as Megatron... again.

Did I miss an explanation offered up in TLK about how the hell that lil transition happened, or were we just supposed to write that significant part of the story for ourselves as we watched? Just making sure I didn't miss something, or if this was yet another unconnected dot in the TF series.

[william-james88]

Did I miss an explanation offered up in TLK about how the hell that lil transition happened, or were we just supposed to write that significant part of the story for ourselves as we watched? Just making sure I didn't miss something, or if this was yet another unconnected dot in the TF series.

It is yet another unconnected dot in the TF series. But thanks for joining the site, feel free to discuss the parts you did like about the film (or disliked)

[JazZeke]

So, remember when Bay got some deserved flak for redecoing Winston Churchill's home in Nazi regalia and he said "wait til you see the movie to reserve judgement, Churchill is actually a big hero in the movie"?

Yeah, it was exactly as tasteless as the fandom thought it would be and Churchill barely even got a namedrop.

[SlyTF1]

Sooo... what's up all. New to the forum. Longtime reader, just never joined. Lifelong TF fan. Decade-long lover of the TF movies, while at the same time pulling my hair out about them for many of the very reasons often discussed.

So... Megatron. Was essentially a chemistry experiment in AoE. Basically a brain in the jar, somehow used to power a remote control robot named Galvatron. Wasn't killed in that movie. Shows up in this movie as Megatron... again.

Did I miss an explanation offered up in TLK about how the hell that lil transition happened, or were we just supposed to write that significant part of the story for ourselves as we watched? Just making sure I didn't miss something, or if this was yet another unconnected dot in the TF series.

They said Megatron had been gone for a while in between AOE and TLK. And in the movie, he has that red Quintessa mark on his face. I'm assuming she got in contact with him and gave him his identity back.

[TheDen]

Which, in essence, confirms they left it to you to fill in the plot holes yourself.

[SlyTF1]

So, remember when Bay got some deserved flak for redecoing Winston Churchill's home in Nazi regalia and he said "wait til you see the movie to reserve judgement, Churchill is actually a big hero in the movie"?

Yeah, it was exactly as tasteless as the fandom thought it would be and Churchill barely even got a namedrop.

There's nothing wrong with what he did at all.

[JazZeke]

So, remember when Bay got some deserved flak for redecoing Winston Churchill's home in Nazi regalia and he said "wait til you see the movie to reserve judgement, Churchill is actually a big hero in the movie"?

Yeah, it was exactly as tasteless as the fandom thought it would be and Churchill barely even got a namedrop.

There's nothing wrong with what he did at all.

So you don't think there's anything wrong with decorating the home of one of Britain's most respected leaders with the iconography of his hated enemies, an iconography representative and hatred and genocide?

Think very carefully before you answer.

[Rodimus Prime]

Just a reminder to you guys that opinions will be different as everyone has his/her own perspective. Even though you may not agree, be respectful toward each other.

[Stuartmaximus]

Actually since watching the movie.....i didn't think it was as bad as some were making it out to be

YES! it wasn't any better nor worse than the previous ones

YES! some action scenes did feel very cluttered

YES! some characters in it appeared in some parts of the film & disappeared for great chunks of the movie before briefly returning! or other characters (that you wanted!) didn't have enough screentime

YES! there were some TF's that we never saw their transformations....or transformed at allCogman's Headmaster gimmick was never shown(thank heavens for the toys...or at least the DLX or Voy Class fig) in the film...prob cut?...& if so! it'll no doubt turn up in the deleted scenes on the Blu Ray, we never saw Onslaught's alt mode! even though we saw pics of it in the run up to the movie! in fact...he was barely in the movie & he got offed!

& YES! the whole UNICRON thing! which is obvious by now...been inspired by TF Prime & is obviously a set up for a future movie(TF 6?) & prob more about that character!(although a bit pissed off that they release a PRIMUS repaint! but NO....UNICRON repainted figure? at least for this movieline! even though we got a recent Platinum Edition one....but...maybe they're holding off on a movieline repainted figure for Transformers 6? or whatever?

[SlyTF1]

So, remember when Bay got some deserved flak for redecoing Winston Churchill's home in Nazi regalia and he said "wait til you see the movie to reserve judgement, Churchill is actually a big hero in the movie"?

Yeah, it was exactly as tasteless as the fandom thought it would be and Churchill barely even got a namedrop.

There's nothing wrong with what he did at all.

So you don't think there's anything wrong with decorating the home of one of Britain's most respected leaders with the iconography of his hated enemies, an iconography representative and hatred and genocide?

Nope.

It depends entirely on the context.

[JazZeke]

So, remember when Bay got some deserved flak for redecoing Winston Churchill's home in Nazi regalia and he said "wait til you see the movie to reserve judgement, Churchill is actually a big hero in the movie"?

Yeah, it was exactly as tasteless as the fandom thought it would be and Churchill barely even got a namedrop.

There's nothing wrong with what he did at all.

So you don't think there's anything wrong with decorating the home of one of Britain's most respected leaders with the iconography of his hated enemies, an iconography representative and hatred and genocide?

Nope.

It depends entirely on the context.

And the context is: There were plenty other old mansions Bay could have used. Why, specifically, did he choose to drape Nazi iconography all over the home of a man whose greatest achievement was contributing to their defeat?

[Sigma Magnus]

...somewhat off topic, I know, but I'll be seeing the movie tonight. I'll share my thoughts (as well as those of my parents) afterward in the spoiler thread!

[william-james88]

...somewhat off topic, I know, but I'll be seeing the movie tonight. I'll share my thoughts (as well as those of my parents) afterward in the spoiler thread!

Good, now while you watch it, if you dont mind, please check how the talisman is actually linked to the mcguffin and what it does. And then report back. Because I am pretty sure the talisman has nothing to do with the actual main plot of the movie but it would be fun to have someone back me up on it with the movie fresh in their minds.

[JazZeke]

...somewhat off topic, I know, but I'll be seeing the movie tonight. I'll share my thoughts (as well as those of my parents) afterward in the spoiler thread!

Good, now while you watch it, if you dont mind, please check how the talisman is actually linked to the mcguffin and what it does. And then report back. Because I am pretty sure the talisman has nothing to do with the actual main plot of the movie but it would be fun to have someone back me up on it with the movie fresh in their minds.

I have a theory they're setting up Cade to become the Rom: Spaceknight of the "Hasbro Cinematic Batnipple Universe."

[Va'al]

Given the reaction to Transformers: The Last Knight's robotic star Cogman, here's some news on the voice behind the bot: Jim Carter! Also known for his role in Downton Abbey, Carter was interviewed by YouTube channel HeyUGuys at the London premiere (images here and footage on Chicago here), and talks about his experience on set with Michael Bay and Anthony Hopkins. Check out the video below, and join the conversation in the Energon Pub!

[Sigma Magnus]

...somewhat off topic, I know, but I'll be seeing the movie tonight. I'll share my thoughts (as well as those of my parents) afterward in the spoiler thread!

Good, now while you watch it, if you dont mind, please check how the talisman is actually linked to the mcguffin and what it does. And then report back. Because I am pretty sure the talisman has nothing to do with the actual main plot of the movie but it would be fun to have someone back me up on it with the movie fresh in their minds.

In the car on the way home. They needed the Talisman to open the Knight's ship, to get to Merlin's tomb and the Staff.

[Va'al]

The weekend is practically over for most of the globe now, and after the initial reports from the international box office, we have some more news on the performance of Transformers: The Last Knight outside of the US! According to a number of sources, including Wall Street Journal and Deadline, the international opening was extremely strong, making up to $196.2 million for the opening weekend!

The domestic $69 million comes with a positive counterpoint, as TLK is dominating at number 1 over competitor releases (see here) - as opposed to, say Australia, where it opened against Cars 3 and Despicable Me 3 from the previous week, all three movies opening and competing for the younger audiences (and the kid alive in most TF fans, one assumes) as they coincide with school holidays.

The Last Knight is currently the highest opening instalment for the franchise in China, and the 4th best ever for a movie in general; the bigger hits were then seen in Korea, Russia, UK and Germany. The trend noticed so far is pretty much in line with Age of Extinction worldwide, with some expected Sunday dips in screen attendance and tickets, but a stronger opening. Read more about it here and below - and if you've seen the movie and want to talk spoilers, head here to join the discussion!

Launching in 41 offshore markets, Paramount’s Transformers: The Last Knight opened to $196.2M at the international box office. That’s a big number and is towards the higher end of the pre-weekend range. But it’s also a swing from where we saw this coming in yesterday — partially the result of an unexpected 31% drop in China from Saturday to Sunday. The debut FSS cume there is $123.4M (63% of the full offshore bow). Factoring in domestic, the global total on The Last Knight is $265.3M.

[...]

But after China debuted bigger than some had expected, it began to look like T5 was moving across the $200M mark abroad to defy expectations. Then that market proved to be the wild card we often term it. Although the film lost no Middle Kingdom screens between Saturday and Sunday, the drop was bigger than we’ve recently seen — and daily growth was also soft in other hubs contrary to typical patterns on a movie that was teed up for overseas, and China in particular. China currently reps 63% of the full overseas total — with just 25% of Middle Kingdom receipts flowing back to the studio. The film cost a reported $217M before P&A.

[Rodimus Prime]

Good to see it do well in its opening weekend, we'll see how it does on its 2nd weekend. I thought it was better than AoE and it was also shorter, so hopefully it will also break a billion dollars.