Transformers: Age of Extinction

The longest and most wearisome Transformers sequel yet sees muscular Mark Wahlberg take over as the human lead playing second fiddle to the usual array of battling robots. Wahlberg's engineer becomes embroiled in a power struggle between shady CIA operative Kelsey Grammer and tech billionaire Stanley Tucci when he comes across Autobot leader Optimus Prime (in hiding since the climactic destruction of Chicago in Transformers: Dark of the Moon). The incredible action sequences are hugely impressive (in Monument Valley, Hong Kong and on board a spaceship's massive metallic maze), while the Dinobots are given an explosive introduction, but empty spectacle is all there is to this audio-visual assault on the senses. Wahlberg is certainly a more convincing action hero than Shia LaBeouf from the earlier episodes, but this instalment is still the cinematic equivalent of being repeatedly hit over the head with a food mixer.