I got exactly what I expected from Transformers. Blatent GM advertising? Check. Crazy cool computer graphics and eardrum numbing explosions? Check. Cheap humor targeted towards minorities, the elderly, the short, the fat? Check. Cheezy “more than meets the eye” references? Double check. I did not expect anti-government ribs with Dubya taunts and top secret Bumblebee (yellow/black Camaro autobot) torture. First we torture the Silver Surfer, now the Transformers. It’s no wonder when the autobots played off like the Three Stooges (the scene on Sam’s [Shia LaBeouf] lawn was maddening) with their fearless leader Optimus Prime portrayed as annoyingly impatient and crude, maybe even a little voyeuristic at the end. I know his booming voice (supplied by original OP voice actor Peter Cullen whose seasoned dossier recently includes Eeyore) saying “Sam, put it in my chest.. put it in my chest Sam” was supposed to be poignant, but only induced chuckles.
I also did not expect for Shia LeBeouf to be performing stand-up comedy rounds the entire movie. It actually refreshingly offset all the chaos and the severity of Josh Duhamel’s Air Force Captain Lennox, Defense Secretary Jon Voight and Jennifer Connelly-esque Megan Fox. John Turturro popped in for an extremely unnerving role as a cocky secret agent for a beyond classified government operation who should definitely rethink their too-obvious logo. Were his moments of humiliation supposed to be funny? Don’t ask me, I sure wasn’t laughing.
Do expect Transformers to be a typical Michael Bay production, with head-scratching dialogue that goes on and on, awesome action, thinned storyline, and heroic sequences that defy all intelligence. But at least with Transformers, Bay created a reason for U.S. troops to be in the Middle East.
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so you liked it?
Greg posted on July 18th, 2007
I agree with you that the movie was a bit cheesy, but thats how the comics were too. I think they did a good job, however I don’t think I’d see it more than once. I still can’t believe they’ve worked so long on it, it’s been a hype for several years.
Tudor posted on July 18th, 2007
Stupid Michael Bay. This movie ruined my childhood memories! ( Don’t tell anyone I didn’t even remember the transformers before seeing this). You pretty much hit on all the things I disliked. Silly waste of time commercial of a film.
Keller posted on July 19th, 2007
hah…i’m going to take a wild stab and guess you didn’t grow up playing with transformers. did chris watch it too? where’s his review?
i need to get my butt to the theaters sometime before every movie i’ve been meaning to see goes to dvd.
wallace posted on July 19th, 2007
keller, did this movie really ruin your childhood memories? i mean even the most hardcore transformers fans said the movie was great, i surely hope you weren’t expecting boxy robots. if anyone knew how ridiculous the original cartoons were, the cheesiness of this movie is nothing comparable to the original series. why do people look so much into this movie…? because its directed by michael bay who has a legion of hater fans..? in its own right i think its a great summer movie, i mean the plot was thin and there were some loops but did it totally leave you discombobulated? everyone knows that even if they were or weren’t transformers fans they’re going to see the movie for the action anyway. and you cant deny that the specialfx were some of the most amazing in recent years.
this guy says it all; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY9H8_nEPBA transformers is ILLOGICAL, therefore why look into it so much?
trey posted on July 19th, 2007
You know, I didn’t like Transformers that much either. I thought on the whole it was a bit annoying, too long, and the action sequences excessive. In fact, I would liken the whole experience to Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla.
I used to watch the Transformers when I was a kid, but all I remembered were Optimus, Hot Rod, Megatron, and Starscream. Because of the film I actually reacquainted myself with some of the other robots, but I still can’t remember any particulars of the series. The thing is, as a kid, you move on pretty quickly. Transformers were replaced with He-Man and Thundercats, and in turn Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. There’s not too much loyalty there.
But back to the film. I don’t care for michael bay, but I’ve been known to enjoy a couple of his films. Still, I find his racist stereotypes troublesome, and his inability to realize a scene without putting a camera on a gimble, rollers, crane, etc. a bit annoying. The teens were annoying. The action was annoying. The military guys were annoying. It was loud, flashy, stupid, and not much else. And what was with the strange pro-military but anti-government vibe?
The robots themselves were impressive, but I disliked their faces. Too much going on. Sometimes I couldn’t tell what I was looking at. And what was with the lips? It makes no sense to mechanize that if you don’t have to. Oh well.
Transformers was the film equivalent of a reality tv brain drain. I was glad to exit the theater when it ended.
Chris Nelson posted on July 20th, 2007
I grew up with the Transformers cartoon and the animated movie but I thought there was something missing with the live action version. I was skeptical of a live action rendition and I was worried when I saw the preliminary sketches of the Decepticons. I’m not saying they have to look exactly like they did in the cartoons, but what was going on with their new heads? Overall, it didn’t make sense and didn’t have the feel of the original at all.
Vic posted on July 20th, 2007
Of course it ruined my childhood memories because I had none. I caught Transformers as Beast Wars in junior high. Optimus Primal was so stupid I quit watching. And Boxy Robots are sexy.
“transformers is ILLOGICAL, therefore why look into it so much?”
I wasn’t looking in to it. I said it was terrible and not worth looking into.
The best special effect in recent years was Peter Jackson making himself look skinny. That, my friend, was amazing.
Keller posted on July 20th, 2007
Transformers was great. I liked the robots and the hot chicks and the explosions. What else did you need? I think that if more movies were like the Transformers the world would be a better place. Michael Bay, you are my meta god. I bow to you.
Alex Cagle posted on July 23rd, 2007
– from Sara M –
All these people are saying it is nonsensical like the cartoons but it was anything but. It is nonsensical for many other reasons, most of which are not desirable. Disappointing.
Posting for Sara M posted on July 23rd, 2007
Shia LeBouf is a great actor. He keeps getting better and better!
Diane posted on July 25th, 2007
Diane, Did you like Disturbia or Holes betteR?
Keller posted on July 26th, 2007
This movie was full of propaganda,Whit a racist undertone toward African Americans and Mexicans
thunder cat posted on October 26th, 2007