Alistair McLennan

For someone who has become one of the most successful directors in the world by making action movies, Michael Bay has no idea how to mount a satisfying and engaging action set piece. This movie is mostly action set pieces, replete with awkward to terrible editing, shaky cam, gross out gags and toilet humour. And lots of women in lingerie and/or very tight dresses. Characterisation is mostly handled in voice over, or in flashbacks. Ryan Reynolds' Tony Stark-esque character changes from self-centred jackass to selfless hero within about a minute in one scene. It's...impressively shallow. Still, there are some really nice locations, some of the stunts are good in isolation, there's some nice photography, some of the cast are likeable...that's all I've got for positives. It's a pretty bad film, that is going to massively succeed, because Michael Bay.