The third film , '' Dark of the Moon '' , received mixed reviews but was considered an improvement over the second film . Praise was directed on the visuals , editing , music , and the voicework of Peter Cullen and Leonard Nimoy , while the acting and story were criticized . Peter Bradshaw of '' The Guardian '' gave the film a mixed review , saying " It is as if Bay , perhaps influenced by some stinging critiques , has made an aesthetic policy decision . Because this film is not quite as stupid as the others ... But let 's face it , these touches are atypical . After half an hour it turns into the same headbanging , eardrum-brutalising action-fest as the other two films " but notes the impressive effects used in the Battle of Chicago at the climax and that it was inspired by the September 11 attacks . In another mixed review , A. O. Scott of '' The New York Times '' called '' Dark of the Moon '' among Michael Bay 's best films but said " I ca n’t decide if this movie is so spectacularly , breathtakingly dumb as to induce stupidity in anyone who watches , or so brutally brilliant that it disarms all reason . What ’s the difference ? " Scott also criticized the film for continuing the series pattern of " tongue-in-cheek revisionist history " by using the Space Race as the catalyst for the film 's events . Chris Hewitt of '' Empire Online '' gave the film 2 out of 5 stars saying that '' Dark of the Moon '' is better than '' Revenge of the Fallen '' but not by much , praising the last 45 minutes and the best use of 3D since '' Avatar '' but panning the choppy editing , lazy writing , the slow first hour , the level of violence in the robot fights , and the use of the Chernobyl disaster as a plot device being in bad taste . Also criticized were Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson for being reduced to needless supporting characters , Shia LaBeouf 's Sam Witwicky being turned into an unlikable character , and actors John Malkovich , Alan Tudyk , and Ken Jeong for being used as " cheap-seats comedy relief " . Rosie Huntington-Whiteley 's Carly was heavily criticized for being an undeveloped female lead with no purpose in the plot except to be a sex object and damsel with Tom Charity of '' CNN Entertainment '' claiming that she " makes Megan Fox look like Meryl Streep . " Roger Ebert rated the film 1 out of 5 stars , and '' Rolling Stones '' 's Peter Travers called it " a movie bereft of wit , wonder , imagination , and any genuine reason for being . " In his mixed review of the film , Christopher Orr of '' The Atlantic '' said '' Dark of the Moon '' is an improvement over the previous film in almost every way apart from its length , praising the special effects , 3D usage , and intense action . He however criticized the retrograde depiction of the female characters , the September 11th undertones of the Chicago climax , and the uncomfortable level of violence from the Transformers
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Transformers (film series)