--- title: "Transformers: Dark of the Moon: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/transformers-dark-of-the-moon/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/transformers-dark-of-the-moon" critics_score: 47 critics_reviews: 22 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011): what the critics said Critics' score 47 from 22 reviews: 4 positive, 7 mixed, 11 negative. Most critics are unimpressed, and the reviews lean negative by roughly two to one. Where praise exists, it goes almost entirely to the action: the Chicago battle and the collapsing skyscraper are named again and again as the film’s best stretches, and several reviews find the 3D clearer and more spacious than in the previous film. A few grant that it is an improvement on its predecessor, if a marginal one. The reservations are the same from review to review: too long, thin human characters, misjudged comedy, and a final hour that becomes hard to follow. The spread is wide. Vulture, writing years later, calls it a thrilling and wildly ambitious spectacle; Eye for Film finds it thuddingly boring. The Guardian likes the counterfactual Apollo 11 opening but calls the climax chaotic and dull. Few critics dispute that the destruction is well staged; the question is whether anything else survives it. ## Vulture — David Edelstein Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 25 July 2018. Edelstein finds the film a thrilling, wildly ambitious spectacle despite its excesses. He especially praises the action sequences, singling out the Chicago battle and a highway chase for their visual inventiveness. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2011/06/movie_review_transformers_dark.html) ## Little White Lies — Adam Woodward Rating 3/4/3. 28 June 2011. Woodward finds the film an overlong, shallow spectacle that delivers excessive action at the expense of story. He praises Bay’s commitment to extravagant action excess, while criticizing the pacing and thin human characters. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/transformers-dark-of-the-moon) ## Radio Times — Alan Jones Rating 4/5. Jones finds the screenplay ragged, the humour misjudged and the film overlong, but praises its spectacular action. He singles out Michael Bay for raising the action bar with the film’s spectacle. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-ditty1/transformers-dark-of-the-moon/) ## Los Angeles Times — Betsy Sharkey Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 29 June 2011. Sharkey finds this a leaner, more watchable entry, praising Bay’s effective use of 3-D and the detailed visual effects. She complains that the spectacular action, especially the final battle, goes on far too long. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2011-jun-29-la-et-transformers-20110629-story.html) ## Screen Daily — Tim Grierson Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 28 June 2011. The page identifies this as a review of the 2011 film. The review text is inaccessible, so its verdict and specific praise or complaint cannot be determined. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/transformers-dark-of-the-moon/5029225.article) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 29 June 2011. The article text is inaccessible, so the critic’s verdict cannot be established. No specific praise or complaint can be verified. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/29/movies/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-theyre-at-it-again-movie-review.html) ## Slant Magazine — Jaime N. Christley Rating 2.5/4. 28 June 2011. Christley offers a conflicted verdict, finding Bay’s eccentric excess both entertaining and troubling. He praises the collapsing office-tower sequence and the film’s distinctive visual personality, while criticizing its stereotypes and rushed editing. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/transformers-dark-of-the-moon/) ## Variety — Justin Chang Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 28 June 2011. Chang finds the film more coherent and visually controlled than its predecessor, but still an overlong spectacle with little human or dramatic interest. He particularly praises the clearer, more spacious 3D action, while faulting the story’s reliance on clunky human motives and relentless mayhem. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2011/film/reviews/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-1117945553/) ## Evening Standard — The Standard Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2012. The review finds the film overlong, repetitive and confusing, though it gives audiences much of the spectacle they want. It praises the chaotic CGI combat scenes as terrifically done. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-review-7425579.html) ## Time Out — Tom Huddleston Rating 2/5. 27 June 2011. The critic describes the third installment as tiresome. The review’s opening complaint singles out how quickly the film establishes that tone. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-1) ## Empire — Chris Hewitt Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 20 March 2009. Hewitt finds the film only marginally better than its predecessor, with weak writing and characters undermining it. He praises the climactic Chicago action sequence as spectacular and especially effective in 3D. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/transformers-dark-moon-review/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 2011. Bradshaw finds the film loud, exhausting and overlong, though slightly less foolish than its predecessors. He praises the opening’s counterfactual Apollo 11 sequence but says the climactic action is chaotic and dull. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/jun/30/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-review) ## Sight and Sound — Kim Newman Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 1 September 2011. Newman finds the film disappointing, despite its state-of-the-art effects and occasional bursts of spectacle. He singles out the burrowing mechanical worm and the tilting-skyscraper action as effective, but says the human comedy and robot carnage drag. [Read the review](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/reviews/releases/transformers-dark-of-the-moon.php) ## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 3 July 2011. Lane finds the film briefly entertaining at first, but says it soon collapses into disconnected drivel. He faults Bay for abandoning sequence and consequence, making the Chicago invasion feel incoherent. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/07/11/fired) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Kirk Honeycutt Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 27 June 2011. The critic finds the film exhausting and emotionally hollow, with destruction overwhelming human drama. He singles out the elaborate Chicago battle as a showcase for spectacle that ultimately leaves the movie feeling lost. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/transformers-dark-moon-film-review-206080/) ## Den of Geek — Ryan Lambie Rating 3/5. 27 June 2011. Lambie finds the film tedious and overlong in its first half, but says the action-packed second half makes the wait worthwhile. He praises the impressive integration of live-action and CGI and the effective 3D in a standout set piece. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-review/) ## The Playlist Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 28 June 2011. The headline suggests a mixed verdict, with the film’s action praised despite an asinine story. It singles out roughly 40 minutes of great action as the film’s strength. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/review-transformers-dark-of-the-moon-rewards-with-40-min-of-great-action-after-an-asinine-story-20110628/) ## HeyUGuys — Jon Lyus Rating 2/5. 29 November 2011. Lyus finds the film technically impressive but largely sterile and emotionally empty. He singles out the collapsing-building sequence for praise, while criticizing the childish comedy and repetitive action. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-dvd-review/) ## Paste — Jonathan Hickman Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 2 July 2011. The critic finds the film incoherent and exhausting, calling it bigger but no better than its predecessor. He singles out the overwhelming special effects and spectacle as crowding out the story and leaving the destruction emotionally meaningless. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/transformers-1) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 28 June 2011. The critic finds the film joyless and impotent despite a few entertaining performances. They single out the overacting of the veteran actors for praise, while criticizing the chaotic visuals and weak performances elsewhere. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/transformers-dark-moon-cant-get-it-28632/) ## Digital Spy — Simon Reynolds Fi1m's normalised score 15/100 (inferred from the text). 26 June 2011. The critic finds the film an incoherent, overlong and disappointing spectacle. He praises the striking opening montage and effective use of 3D, but faults the storytelling and comedy. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a326788/transformers-dark-of-the-moon/) ## Eye for Film — Anton Bitel Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 1 July 2011. Bitel finds the film exhausting and thuddingly boring despite its enormous scale. He singles out the relentless, overwhelming action and the film’s inability to make its spectacle engaging. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-film-review-by-anton-bitel) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/transformers-dark-of-the-moon.md