Review: Transformers: The Last Knight (12A))

The battle between the last vestiges of mankind and the Transformers reaches a shattering conclusion in the fifth and final picture in the bombastic franchise, directed by Michael Bay. Following events in Transformers: Age Of Extinction, The Last Knight opens after Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen) has temporarily abandoned Earth in search of the Autobots' creators.

LAST KNIGHT: Scene from Transformers: The Last Knight: Mark Wahlberg as Cade Yeager. Picture : PA Photo/2017 Paramount Pictures/Hasbro.

It transpires that there is a long history of collaboration between humans and robots stretching back to the rule of King Arthur (Liam Garrigan). Esteemed historian and astronomer Sir Edmund Burton (Sir Anthony Hopkins) knows about a dark secret buried in time and he issues a rallying cry to save Earth from destruction.

Spirited Oxford university professor Viviane Wembly (Laura Haddock) answers the call along with inventor Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), US military Colonel William Lennox (Josh Duhamel), orphaned street urchin Isabella (Isabela Moner) and her daredevil pals. They must understand why the Transformers keep returning to the third rock from the sun and learn painful lessons from the past that could tip the war in favour of humanity. However, salvation comes at a price and some of the resistance will have to sacrifice their lives for the greater good.

On general release