The Hype: A Transformers movie without Shia LaBeouf? The fourth film in the mega-successful franchise promised a sure change in direction with Mark Wahlberg appointed as the new lead, leaving us with plenty of hope that Age of Extinction might be a less goofy and more streamlined action extravaganza. The Reality: Incredibly, number four is an even more bloated affair than any of the previous movies: running in at a ridiculously excessive 165 minutes, Age of Extinction takes every bad Michael Bay instinct (absurd product placement, sexism, childish humour and so on) and puts them in a blender, resulting in a sour slurry that only occasionally entertains and exhilarates. The action is still well-crafted and the visuals pop, but little is made of the movie's interesting dinosaur-related premise, and as for the Dinobots themselves? They barely get a look in, only showing up at the tail-end of the movie. Mark Wahlberg is a sure upgrade from LaBeouf's obnoxious protagonist, and Stanley Tucci is hilarious in a supporting role, but for the most part, this is a sequel that just can't live up to its action-packed predecessor Dark of the Moon, even if it avoids being the worst of the series thanks to the universally-loathed Revenge of the Fallen.