Transformers: Dark of the Moon is the third film in the live-action film series. It was released in 3D and IMAX at 9PM on June 28, 2011[1] and in wide release on June 29, 2011[2] in the United States, and between June 29 and July 1 for other markets.
The film is set three years after the events of Revenge of the Fallen. The Autobots continue to work for NEST, but no longer in secret, and for the goal of keeping peace between humans by taking out volatile overseas political targets. But after discovering a strange artifact during a mission in Chernobyl, it becomes apparent to Optimus Prime that the United States government has been less than forthright with them.
In the distant past, during the later days of the Cybertronian civil war, Sentinel Prime attempted to leave the planet with groundbreaking technology on board the Ark. However, his ship was shot down by the Decepticons and, after being sent hurling through space for a while, eventually crashed on the Earth's moon in 1961. The crash is noticed by the humans on Earth, leading to the Space Race under President John F. Kennedy. Landing on the Moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin use several minutes of radio silence to investigate the spaceship and discover that Mankind is not alone in space.
In the present day, the Autobots are still part of NEST, cooperating with the US Armed Forces. They have also begun to help humanity in its local conflicts, as Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Que, and Dino destroy an illegal Iranian nuclear facility. On a mission to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, a NEST team led by Lt. Col. Lennox, Optimus Prime and Ratchet discovers an unknown alien fuel cell which had led to the Chernobyl disaster. While trying to secure the cell, they are attacked by the Decepticon Shockwave and his "pet", the Driller, who are eventually forced to retreat by Optimus Prime. Meanwhile, Laserbeak kills Alexi Voskhod, who had called NEST to Chernobyl and was secretly working for him. After securing the fuel cell and identifying it as part of the Ark, Optimus Prime is angry at the humans for not following through with their agreement of sharing all known information relating to Cybertron and its inhabitants. Despite this, he eventually informs his allies and Charlotte Mearing, the Director of National Intelligence, about the space bridge technology the Ark contains. Together with Ratchet, Optimus travels to the Moon, where they find Sentinel Prime inside the ship. Retrieving him along with four pillars of the space bridge and the accompanying control pillar, they return to Earth, where Optimus uses the Matrix of Leadership to reactivate Sentinel Prime. In Africa, Decepticon leader Megatron (still recovering from wounds suffered in Egypt) meets with his lieutenants Starscream and Soundwave. Upon learning that the Autobots have recovered Sentinel and the pillars, Megatron orders Soundwave and Laserbeak to terminate their "loose ends".
Meanwhile, Sam Witwicky, the Autobots' human friend, is suffering from everyday problems. Even though President Barack Obama has awarded him a medal for saving the Earth twice, Sam has trouble finding a job. Together with his new girlfriend Carly Spencer, whom he had met in the White House (after his former girlfriend Mikaela had left him), he also gives the stranded Autobots Wheelie and Brains a home. After a long search, he finally finds a position as a mail carrier at a telecommunication company named Accuretta Systems. From his colleague, Jerry Wang, he learns about a conspiracy by humans who collaborate with the Decepticons. Before Jerry can tell Sam more, however, he is killed by Laserbeak.
Locked out of participating in the investigation by Mearing, Sam turns to Seymour Simmons for help. Simmons, who has become a millionaire as a writer, and his aide, Dutch, help Sam find out that the Soviets have taken photos of Decepticons removing hundreds of space bridge pillars out of the Ark even before Apollo 11 had landed on the Moon. Sam and Simmons conclude that the Decepticons had left Sentinel Prime behind on purpose, knowing that only he would be able to activate the space bridge, and only Optimus Prime could reactivate him. Sam is able to warn the Autobots in time so they can protect Sentinel from a Decepticon attack and escort him back to the NEST headquarters. Upon arriving there, however, Sentinel Prime betrays them, revealing that he made a deal with Megatron to ensure Cybertron's survival. After killing Ironhide and most of the NEST soldiers, Sentinel claims the remaining pillars and escapes. The other Autobots track him down to Washington, D.C., but before Optimus can stop him, Sentinel activates a space bridge to the Moon. The portal allows dozens of Decepticon troops which had remained hidden under the Moon's surface to reach Earth, forcing the Autobots to retreat.
In the meantime, Sam is worried about Carly and searches for her. He finds her with her employer, Dylan Gould, who reveals to Sam that he not only arranged for Sam to get a job with Accuretta, but is also a collaborator with the Decepticons. At their request, his father had used his influence to ensure that NASA would not conduct any more missions to the Moon. When Sam and Carly attempt to flee, they discover Carly's car is a disguise for Soundwave, who takes her captive. Dylan instructs Sam to ask Optimus Prime about the Autobots' strategy, otherwise Carly will die. To ensure that Sam will not try to warn the Autobots, he attaches a Decepticon disguised as a watch on Sam's wrist, and it taps into his nervous system.
Meanwhile, Sentinel Prime has given Mankind an ultimatum to exile the Autobots from Earth, since he is only trying to save Cybertron, or so he claims. The US government promptly passes a bill to this effect. Before the Autobots leave Earth aboard their spaceship, the Xantium, Sam asks Optimus about his plan. Optimus replies that there is no plan, and Mankind is on its own now. With all Autobots on board, the Xantium takes off, but is promptly intercepted by Starscream, who had waited in Earth's orbit. With the Xantium destroyed, the Decepticons believe the Autobots to be dead and let Sam go.
With the Autobots out of the way, the Decepticons conquer Chicago, kill most of its population and set up the control pillar for the space bridge inside the city, placing the other pillars around the world. Dylan informs Carly that the Decepticons do not intend to return to Cybertron; instead, they want to transport Cybertron into Earth's orbit, because Earth not only has the necessary resources, but also six billion slaves to rebuild the Transformers' home planet.
Sam decides to go to Chicago, where Dylan has taken Carly. Former NEST soldier Robert Epps, who now works for NASA, accompanies him, together with other former NEST members. Upon arrival in Chicago, they are promptly attacked by the Decepticons, but are rescued by Optimus Prime and the other Autobots. Having never intended to leave Earth, they had hidden themselves inside a modified rocket booster that was jettisoned before Starscream destroyed the Xantium.
The Autobots and the humans soldiers make their way to the skyscraper where Dylan is located in order to destroy the space bridge's control pillar. Sam and Bumblebee rescue Carly, killing Laserbeak in the process, during which they find a damaged UAV and alert the military to the Decepticons plans. Due to another attack by a team of Decepticons led by Shockwave, the team is separated once more. While the Autobots battle the Decepticons, Epps and his team try to destroy the pillar from another skyscraper. However, they are attacked by Shockwave and the Driller, who brings the skyscraper crashing down. Optimus Prime comes to their aid and destroys the Driller, but is shot by Shockwave and becomes trapped in crane cables.
In the meantime, Lennox and the rest of NEST have managed to make their way into the city using wingsuits, and with Lennox's help, Sam destroys Starscream using weapons provided to him by the Autobot scientist Que. Meanwhile, the Decepticons have captured several Autobots, but Dylan convinces them not to keep prisoners and kill them all. Barricade executes Que, and Soundwave moves to kill Bumblebee next, but the Autobots Wheelie and Brains have managed to make one of the Decepticons' ships crash, thereby distracting Soundwave long enough for Bumblebee and the other Autobots to get free. Bumblebee overpowers and kills Soundwave. NEST soldiers and US Marines snipe the Decepticons. Autobots and Tanks roll in and ambush the Decepticons. Optimus Prime returns and massacres a large group of Decepticons. He then kills Shockwave and uses the Decepticon's arm cannon to topple over the space bridge's control pillar, deactivating the bridge.
Optimus Prime then confronts Sentinel Prime and the two engage in a ferocious battle of Student vs Master. Carly stumbles across Megatron outside the main battle zone. Having previously witnessed a violent argument between Sentinel Prime and Megatron, she appeals to his pride and makes him realize that he will never be able to rule over Cybertron as long as Sentinel is alive. Meanwhile, after a long fight, Sentinel gains the upper hand over Optimus and severs his right arm. However, before he can execute his former pupil, an infuriated Megatron attacks Sentinel and severely damages him, declaring that Earth is his planet to rule. Megatron realized how far he had fallen in power within the past few years, and has decided to once again take his rightful place at the top of the command chain. Meanwhile, Dylan manages to reactivate the toppled pillar, but is attacked by Sam, who hurls him against the pillar, killing him. Subsequently, Bumblebee destroys the pillar for good, thus destroying the space bridge and, presumably, Cybertron with it. Seeing this, Megatron half-heartedly offers Optimus Prime a truce on the condition that he will remain in charge of the Decepticons, mockingly saying that they would be nothing without each other. Realizing that the offer is less than sincere, Optimus refuses and attacks Megatron, decapitating him with an axe. The weakened Sentinel Prime tries to excuse his actions, but Optimus, claiming Sentinel "betrayed himself," executes the treacherous Prime with Megatron's shotgun.
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