Michael Bay’s style may have become a cliché when working on the live-action Transformers movies. Still, there’s no denying they were quintessential blockbusters, and the animated film remains a fan favorite. The best Transformers movies put us right in the middle of the conflict between the Autobots and Decepticons, and make a relatively simple idea. These vehicles transform into robots, a thrill ride.
Best Transformers movies as of 2025
While the animated Transformers movies are great, the live-action Transformers films have received a ton of criticism for being lackluster and vapid. We can’t disagree with some of those assessments, but we also like to have fun. That’s really what the franchise is about; it was invented to sell toys after all. So, the best Transformers movies are the ones that bring back those childhood (and adulthood for some of us) memories of playing with really cool transformable robots.
Bumblebee (2018)
Arguably the best Transformers movie, this 1987-set prequel gave us a soft reboot for the franchise after a series of misfires between 2009 and 2017. Directed by Travis Knight and written by Christina Hodson, Bumblebee follows an Autobot warrior known as B-127. After the fall of Cybertron, B-127 escapes to Earth and hides out in a junkyard. If you’re new to the Transformers universe, here’s a quick primer: Cybertron is a high-tech planet created from the body of a robotic god named Primus. It’s inhabited by Cybertronians, who are sentient machines fueled by Energon and built with transformation cogs that allow them to shift.
Damaged and on the run, our lead shape-shifting Autobot takes refuge in a California junkyard in the form of a crusty old yellow Volkswagen Beetle. That’s where he meets Charlie, a teenager still grieving the loss of her father. When her uncle gives her the car for her 18th birthday, Charlie begins fixing it up until, crunch-crunch-crunch, it transforms. As their bond grows, a new threat emerges: the Decepticons have infiltrated Earth.
This one feels noticeably different from the Michael Bay-directed entries. While there’s still plenty of action, Bumblebee is more about unlikely friendship and the quiet, redeeming kindness of humanity, which can even be found in unlikely places — like a junkyard. Hailee Steinfeld delivers a standout performance as Charlie. Instead of globe-trotting chaos and explosion scenes driving the narrative, the film opts for a more focused plot that’s full of 80s retro nostalgia. Bumblebee raked in $468 million at the box office and holds an impressive 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Transformers One (2024)
A 2024 animated film directed by Josh Cooley (who directed Toy Story 4), from a screenplay written by Eric Pearson, Andrew Barrer, and Gabriel Ferrari, Transformers One provides the backstory between Optimus Prime, initially known as Orion Pax (voiced by Chris Hemsworth), and Megatron, formerly identified as D-16 (voiced by Bryan Tyree Henry). Once, these sworn enemies were friends, and the movie takes us on a journey of how this friendship began to fracture. I’m a sucker for friend-to-foe sagas (maybe because I’ve had a few friendships blow up lately, and I’m interested to see how this happens for everyone else, fictional or not).
Transformers One is a franchise best thanks to great storytelling, animation, and a very satisfying backstory. The first half has a bit of that Marvel-movie feel in terms of the dialogue and banter, which definitely adds to the entertainment value. We also get to see our other favorite, Bumblebee. This time, we get to know him a bit more as a junkyard sorter who’s a little overzealous. And while we already know he’s one of the good guys from earlier entries, this film gives us just enough of a different perspective to wonder if maybe, under slightly different circumstances, he could’ve ended up on Megatron’s side. If you want to read more about Transformers One, you can check out this review.
Transformers (2007)
Okay, we’ll give the best-of list one Michael Bay Transformers movie. This one is pure mid-00’s nostalgia. Transformers gave us the first installment in Paramount’s live-action series, with Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky, an average high schooler, and Megan Fox as Mikaela Banes, Sam’s gorgeous crush who ends up joining him on the adventure of a lifetime.
The movie starts us off with some foundational backstory, since the franchise reboot brought in a lot of new fans who had never even heard of Transformers. We find out that a civil war on Cybertron has torn the planet apart, with the Autobots and the Decepticons both seeking the AllSpark. This powerful object, the source of Cybertronian life, is lost somewhere on Earth and holds potential for creation or destruction. While the Autobots want to use it to heal their world following a devastating war, the Decepticons plan to harness its energy to conquer the universe.
Sam’s path crosses with the Autobots after he buys a used Camaro that turns out to be Bumblebee (voiced by Mark Ryan), a scout sent to protect him. Soon, more Autobots arrive on Earth, including Optimus Prime, who is voiced by Peter Cullen (Cullen also voiced the character in the 1980s series and the original animated movie.) They team up with Sam and Mikaela to stop Megatron and the Decepticons from getting their hands on the AllSpark and destroying humanity. Although this movie isn’t taking home any major awards, it’s one of those films you can turn on and rewatch whenever.
The Transformers: The Movie (1986)
Sometimes, the original really is the best, and in this case, we’ve to hand it to this animated classic, directed by Nelson Shin and written by Ron Friedman. Honestly, it’s hands-down the best Transformers movie out there. Created as a bridge between Seasons 2 and 3 of the 1980s TV series, The Transformers: The Movie takes us to the year 2005, where the evil Decepticons have taken control of Cybertron. The Autobots are prepping a counteroffensive to take back the planet, but a brutal surprise attack leads to devastating losses. (Spoiler: RIP Optimus Prime. Ugh.) What follows is a high-stakes mission as the surviving Autobots face not only the Decepticons but also Unicron (voiced by screen legend Orson Welles), the devourer of words.
Unlike most kids’ movies, this one actually took some real risks. It killed off its heroic leader without hesitation, tackled dark themes like war, loss, and even execution. It’s pretty violent for a kids’ film by today’s standards. Beyond storytelling basics, The Transformers soundtrack is a standout, and the animation is especially impressive considering it came from a studio primarily focused on TV. If you want to feel like a kid again, this is the one to watch.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)
The most recent live-action Transformers movie, Rise of the Beasts, is a solid franchise reboot set in 1994. It expands the Transformers universe by introducing the Maximals, Predacons, and Terrorcons — robotic factions inspired by animals alongside the classic Autobots and Decepticons. For example, we get Optimus Primal, a primate-inspired bot. I have to shake my head at the stroke of creative genius there. The story follows ex-military electronics expert Noah Diaz, played by a solid Anthony Ramos, who grounds the film in a much-needed way. Diaz gets caught in the middle of a battle when ancient Transformers factions awaken in Brooklyn.
Directed by Steven Caple Jr., Rise of the Beasts is one of those movies that gets away with pretty much everything. It’s not excellent or even terrific — but it’s a fun time. The action sequences deliver, the characters are likable enough, and I can’t help but enjoy animals more than cars as the shift vessels. The film received mixed reviews and was considered a box-office disappointment, earning $441.7 million worldwide against a budget of nearly $200 million.
How we chose the best Transformers movie
We narrowed down the list to the best Transformers movies simply by removing the bad ones. But apparently Michael Bay is coming back for the next one, so he’s got a chance to redeem himself.
