With all three Transformers flicks now out there, one thing is clear: the series isn't one that has been unanimously embraced by the critics. But despite how knowledgeable the critics believe themselves to be, it's audiences that ultimately decide if they want to see a film or not. And they saw this franchise in their droves. So much so that this third instalment, somewhat remarkably, is the fourth highest grossing film of all time worldwide. So these big bots have certainly earned their bucks.

Shia LaBeouf, the star of the series, has already he announced that he's calling it a day as far as the franchise is concerned, as is director Michael Bay, who has helmed all three films. Whether that means the series has come to an end is unclear. This latest one however, looks likely to be the last we see of the Autobots and Decepticons battling it out on the big screen for a while. Mercifully, this is altogether better than the last, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Everyone can appreciate the momentous achievement it was to send man to the moon. Some can wallow in their conspiracy theories, swearing blind that it never actually happened. But the truth of the matter is, it did. What is less well-known however is the fact that the 1969 mission was actually in response to NASA detecting a crash on the moon.

The crew of Apollo 11 actually found the crash site and took pictures of the wreck before returning home.

This part of the mission was kept under wraps until the Autobots discovered fuel cells to the crashed vehicle – known as the Ark – whilst on a mission in present-day Chernobyl. Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen) decides to visit the moon to investigate further as the Ark was presumed lost many years ago. It was considered important as it contained technology that could have finished off the Decepticons once and for all.

Exploring the crash site they unearth a comatose Autobot by the name of Sentinel Prime (voiced by Leonard Nimoy). Sentinel Prime was once the leader of the Autobots, so they bring him, as well as five pillars they also find, back to earth.

Meanwhile, despite getting a medal from the President for previous services for his country, Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf) is finding it difficult to get a job of any kind. The situation is compounded by the fact that he has a new girlfriend now, Carly (Rosie Huntington-Whitely), who he's trying to impress.

He finally gets hired by a company, but only in a lowly admin capacity. Whilst there, he is informed by a co-worker that the Decepticons are back and up to their old tricks.

At the same time, Optimus Prime has managed to revive Sentinel Prime. Having Sentinel back is a great relief and can only benefit all concerned. Or so the Autobots thought. However, they are all unaware of a secret that Sentinel is harbouring, one that could have a massive impact on both man and bot kind.

One day I'd just like to transform into a Ford Mondeo for a quieter life.

Although the plot is once again unnecessarily convoluted, the story boils down to a tale of humans and Autobots versus the Decepticons. Again. But as this is all fans of the original Hasbro toys and cartoons really want, it's not a massive problem.

What is problematic however is the amount of time Bay devotes to said story. Weighing in at a hefty two hours and forty-six minutes, don't be surprised if you get the feeling that this bot battle is taking place in real time. Considering how sophisticated the Autobots are, surely one of them has a built in alarm feature? Don't be surprised then if you find yourself suffering from PTTSD – Post Transformers Traumatic Stress Disorder – by the end of it.

On the positive side, Bay has clearly taken criticism on board regarding how robotic the acting has been – from the human actors – in the past. Not only does John Turturro make a welcome return as Simmons, but he's also joined by John Malkovich and Frances McDormand. On top of that, there's yet another wonderfully over-the-top performance from The Hangover's Ken Jeong.

On the downside however, Megan Fox's departure from the series has been filled by Rosie Huntington-Whitely, an English Victoria's Secret model. From that alone you can probably gather that she wasn't hired for her amazing acting abilities. What she does manage to do however is somehow make the robots in the film more lifelike. After this the only role that should ever be offered to her is as a minor, non-speaking Bond girl.

Although the film appears to last at least half of a day, it does manage to entertain throughout. Surprisingly, there's a fair amount of well-needed humour to be found in this instalment. The real star of the show however, has to be the effects.

From the start, all the effects in the film are very special indeed. It's a relentless visual spectacle that virtually numbs the senses by the film's end. But with so many of them, it can bring on a bout of bot-blindness.

There's no disguising the fact that this one is well and truly for the fans. But as they've already proved at the box office, they just can't get enough. So if you're into some robot love, this one's for you.