For the heck of it here is the review I have written for IMDB:
When I say “Transformers,” what comes to mind? Do pleasant memories of years gone by dance through your head of the epic battles between Megatron and Optimus Prime? Do you have memories of an excitement that drowned out all other thoughts after getting the original Optimus Prime’s toy or Megatron in his controversial gun form? Or perhaps you have memories of a TV show that was horribly cheesy with some of the most cliché and poorly written dialog around that was created solely for the purpose of selling toys, with perhaps fonder memories for Beast Wars or other additions to the Transformers saga? Whatever your view of Transformers may be, you MUST see the new movie!
After Transformers was announced for the big screen, the Transformers fan base became a buzz about what it would be like. Would it trounce their childhoods like so many other movies have? Or would it be a carbon copy of the original series right down to the story and Boxformer design? Well, I am happy to announce that it was neither of those. Michael Bay has pulled off something truly special in this new film; he managed to imagine Transformers for a new generation while maintaining many of the elements that hardcore fans will eat up. Make no mistake about this, this is not your old G1 Transformers, but at the same time, it manages to pay homage to it in many ways that will make you smile.
Before I get into the meat of this review, let me state that I was cautiously optimistic about the film and was unsure about the new Transformer designs. Now that I have experienced the movie, I cannot imagine anything else that would have worked better. Even if there was an alternative, it would not have been the classic designs, which would have looked out of place and overly cheesy in this film.
Now onto perhaps the most important question, how are the CGI effects used to make these new Transformer models come to life? To put it as clearly as possible, they are gorgeous. Taking into account that Transformers, when compared to other action focused blockbusters such as Spider-man 3 and Pirates of the Caribbean, it had roughly half the budget, which makes Michael Bay’s use of the CGI even more stunning. The CGI makes the Transformers come to life in this movie, complete with moving parts made even more amazing by the almost seamless interaction between themselves and humans. At times, you can really believe that the Transformers are really interacting with human beings. Perhaps one of the most stunning features of the CGI is the believable transformation sequences, which gets rid of the goofy inconsistency from the original film in which the Transformers could change into something that is drastically smaller than their robot forms. Now you can almost see how the Transformers change into a vehicle and back to their robot form piece by piece. The only unfortunate part of the visuals is that at times it appears that budget constraints were hidden through shaky and limited camera views of the Transformers. Luckily, for the most part, you don’t notice this, and at times it even creates an exciting scene.
What would these Transformers be without actors, including a competent voice cast? To put it clearly, it would be one drab movie. Thankfully, Transformers manages to have a great cast of both human actors and a brilliant voice cast. The main character, Sam (played by Shia Labeouf), is a surprisingly interesting character that we actually have fun getting to know. Labeouf really adds to the magic of this movie by his interaction, not only with other human characters but also with the Transformers that he interacts with in a believable and engaging way. The other human characters all put on solid performances but were not interesting enough to be memorable in any way.
Onto the Autobots and Decepticons. All I can say about them is that I was very impressed, but yet disappointed at the same time. Peter Cullen does an amazing job as Optimus, and the emotion you get from his voice work is top notch and I cannot imagine anyone doing it any better. The other Autobots had great voice castings, but sadly, they were underutilized and did not say much (though when they did it was usually good!). On the Decepticon side, Megatron and Frenzy did most of the speaking (Frenzy spoke in another language), with little dialogue coming from everyone else. For those that were worried about Megatron’s voice, don’t be, because the voice fits perfectly with his new, almost frightening look and it plays well off of Peter Cullen. It is just too bad that he did not have more lines.
Enough with the behind the scenes things like CGI and talent, what was the movie like? This movie is a thrill ride from beginning to end, and I can almost guarantee that there will be a moment where you will go “Whoa” (hopefully in a more dramatic voice than Neo in the Matrix). Michael Bay has crafted some of the most spectacular action scenes of all time, and shows that he has the artistic talent it takes when it comes to action, with some action sequences never before seen on the big screen. In fact, there is so much going on that you will miss some of it and you will probably have to go see the movie again. The robot battles are epic for the most part (despite a disappointing Megatron vs. Optimus final battle), and your adrenaline will be pumping, to say the least. To help provide some much needed change of pace, the movie has its share of humor, some of which is low brow, but at the same time it provides a fun laugh. What makes the movie so good is that it never takes itself too seriously. It manages to suck you into things with the visuals. One of the most frightening visual sequences involves Megatron chasing Shia Lebeouf’s character, which is one of the most exciting I have seen in years.
Believe it or not, through the flashes there are actually solid characters that you actually care about. As was stated before, Shia Labeouf does an amazing job of making us care about him. In addition to him, we can’t help but root and relate to Optimus Prime. What is most shocking is how our hearts go out to a Bumblebee that never talks. We are brought to this character through a combination of songs he plays and through his mannerisms, and it is amazing how much complexity was put into this character. There is one point during the film where you can’t help but feel a bit disheartened by what happens to him. For all the flack Bay has gotten, this movie manages to have some heart and substance through his characters.
Now, how does this movie help bring in the hardcore fans of Transformers? Well, through many ways, a lot of which only hardcore fans will get the references to. Many of the lines are stripped right from the G1 Transformers and will bring smiles to the faces of fans everywhere. With that said, it does change the storyline a bit. Instead of crash landing on earth thousands of years ago, the Transformers arrive on earth during present day (well, except for Megatron, whom is a homage to the old show) and are searching for the Allspark, which gives life to machines. Megatron wants this Allspark to rule the galaxy, while Optimus wants it to help restore life to Cybertron. Granted, this story won’t win any academy awards, but it works, and it manages to stay true to the ideas behind the original show.
What symbolism does Bay manage to convey in this film? In all seriousness, I think you have to really look hard to find anything, but for the fun of it, let me give it a shot. The main theme is that we can work together regardless of our differences, whether it is the Transformers being different sizes, or the variety of ethnic groups and the human race as a whole joining together with the Transformers as one to face off against the Megatron’s minions. In fact, you could say this film symbolizes that if we come together as one, we can destroy evil, even when we are outnumbered (the Decepticons outnumbered the Autobots by 3). This is a consistent theme throughout the movie, and even the final battle required teamwork from everybody.
Frenzy represented how someone small and that is regarded as “weak” can do many great things, and that we should never doubt someone based on physical appearance. Bay expertly crafts this character to symbolize this ideal, even making him be the primary conduit, setting the stage for the final battle. Even the character of Sam shows this characteristic, when the most unexpected character can help save the world is a teenager. This theme is masterfully woven into the fabric of Transformers, making this movie a lake full of substance.
Ok, perhaps that was a bit of sarcasm, but this movie is one of the best action movies around and it is truly a great movie within the genre. This is due to a combination of characters, expertly shot action sequences, CGI, humorous dialog, and a rollercoaster ride when it comes to emotions. Hardcore fans of Transformers will find enough familiarities with the movie that they should appreciate it, while new fans will find an experience like no other one out there. This is a cartoon to movie adaptation done right, and Michael Bay should be applauded for accomplishing this. Transformers was not easy to adapt without getting into the realm of B movie territory, or on the flip side, making it into something that definitely is not Transformers. He managed to find a fine balance between these two sides of the fence and created a thrill ride that sucks the audience in and won’t let go. I have no doubt the cheers I heard at the end of this film is not limited to my area. But that is true that for most who see this movie and are looking for a movie that is well made and above all else, fun. So make plans to see this film and ROLL OUT to your local movie theater right away!
8.5-The primary negatives being the underdeveloped characters, like the Transformers and sometimes erradic camera shots.
Topic: Transformers (Read 35024 times)
