Dark of the Moon
The 1960s space race gets a Cybertronian explanation; the battle for Chicago.
IMDb rating as of November 2026; see the link for the current value.
Facts
- Year
- 2011
- Type
- Live action
- Director
- Michael Bay
- Composer
- Steve Jablonsky
- Studio
- Paramount
Plot
Main event: The battle for Chicago and the plan to bring Cybertron to Earth.
The film reimagines the 1960s space race: a Cybertronian ship crashed on the far side of the Moon, and astronauts secretly went to investigate it. On board are Sentinel Prime — Optimus's former mentor — and the pillars of a space bridge. Once revived, Sentinel betrays the Autobots and joins the Decepticons in a plan to move ruined Cybertron into Earth's orbit and enslave humanity. Chicago becomes the battlefield where Optimus stops both Sentinel and Megatron.
Archive review
What works
- The final battle in Chicago is one of the series' most ambitious action sequences.
- An intriguing idea about a secret history of spaceflight and a ship on the Moon.
- Sentinel Prime is a villain with understandable motives.
What doesn't
- The first half is slow and crowded with side characters.
- Optimus's brutality in the finale feels out of character to many fans.
Who should watch: For fans of epic finales and anyone completing the first trilogy.
Verdict — 6/10. Stronger than the second film thanks to its idea and finale, though the road there is too long.
This is the Archive editorial opinion, not audience reviews.
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