Starring:
Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh
Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Rachael Taylor, Anthony Anderson, Jon Voight,
John Turturro, Michael O'Neill, Kevin Dunn, Peter Cullen, Julie
White, Amaury Nolasco, Mark Ryan, Zack Ward
Directed
by: Michael Bay
Written
by: Tom DeSanto, Alex
Kurtzman, Roberto Orci
I
confess that I really never watched the “More than meets the Eye”
Transformers that much during their hey day in the 80’s; even
remember watching a couple of the Beast Wars episodes and never got
into it. In fact, my ex-wife who introduced them to me, seemed more
excited about them. I did see the 1986 animated feature and have
recently bought the 20th anniversary edition on dvd.
Their popularity began waning a bit into the nineties with spin offs
like Beast Machines and new storylines including Transformers:
Generation 2, receding from television and into Marvel Comics. There
were limited series as well as one shots from Marvel and Dreamwave
Productions for those who still held admiration for the giant
robots.
Now
Paramount and Dreamworks, paired with action director Michael Bay,
showcasing some of the most dazzling special f/x in recent years,
have brought back these human like machines with dynamic vengeance.
Transformers has returned. And despite one minor gaffe which I’ll
discuss later, has reignited this franchise for a new generation.
Those who have never seen or even heard of Transformers won’t have
to worry too much. Bay’s collaborating scribes Robert Orci and Alex
Kurtzman offer a simple introduction on how the planet Cybertron,
the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons came to be. This
includes a powerful device called the All-Spark which has the power
to create life- and control earth’s machines.
When this treasure is lost in the vastness of space, both sides
go looking for it. Naturally, it finds our planet for refuge and
suddenly the earth is besieged by an advanced civilization with
the ability to “transform” into anything from a huge CH-54 Jolly
Green Giant to an ordinary cell phone. While the Autobots, led
by Optimus Prime employ a peaceful search, Megatron’s Decepticon
bunch reaks havoc in various places around the world.
Enter
our unlikely hero Shia LeBouf as Sam Witwicky, an unpopular
teenager with the usual unpopular problems; uncool, hanging out
with uncool schoolmates and in love with the Mikaela Banes
(Megan Fox) the hottest girl in school whose present boyfriend
is unsurprisingly, a jock.
Sam’s scrapes are joyfully sidetracked when his father buys him
his first (used) car. Bernie Mac is the charismatic salesman,
putting Sam into an old yellow Camaro sporting black stripes.
Now, he can impress Mikaela. He has no idea that what he’s
driving is Autobot Bumblebee. Sam and Mikaela see him transform
before their eyes, plunging them into non-stop adventure the
rest of the movie.
I really wish Orci’s and Kurtzman’s dialogue had been a bit
less cheesy. Guess Bay figured that all the explosive action
would compensate. Which it does actually. Seems quite
disappointing though with a cast that includes Jon Voight, that
some of the best lines come from Ms. Fox who, for all intensive
purposes, just has to look good without uttering a word.
Shia LeBouf, who’ll be playing Indy Jr. in the next Indiana
Jones film, elevates a relatively weak script with a little
comic flair. His Sam serves as a vital connection to the
Transformers in ways he’s just finding out, managing to bring
Mikaela along for the ride.
I had not seen Megan Fox since the 2004 Lindsay Lohan starrer,
Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen. Quite frankly I completely
forgot about her until Transformers ads on tv and in magazines(
notably, Maxim) started popping up everywhere. She certainly
lives up to her last name and Bay spares no frame in showcasing
her juicy curves. Her Mikaela Barnes seems to have a good handle
on things considering what she goes through.
Except for Optimus Prime, the Transformers look is
considerably different from their cartoon counterparts.
Especially Megatron and Starscream. I’m sure some die hard fans
may be disheartened that the Decepticon leader can alternate and
not just transform into weapon.
This makes for some of the finest innovative special f/x
ever created, the primary f/x house being Indusrial Light &
Magic whose animators were instructed by Bay to watch martial
arts films so they could effectively portray the Transformers
movements.
Script dialogue was certainly not Transformers shining
aspect, but Michael Bay, undeniably has a hit movie that will
resonate worldwide, giving moviegoers a thrill packed journey
direct from Cybertron.
This is the first movie review I’ve
written immediately after seeing a movie in a while. This
is the first movie review I’ve written immediately after
seeing a movie in a while not because I hated it and had to
swiftly tell the world about how much it sucked big, clogged
colon ass (Blood Diamond).
But, color me surprised, Transformers
was the best summer movie I’ve seen in, possibly, years. I
liked the third Pirates installment just fine, certainly
better than the mess that was part two, and Spider-Man three
was good if muddled, but this, this was the Barnum and
Bailey spectacle that a summer blockbuster should be. I
guess I’m getting old because it doesn’t seem that
long ago to me the 4th of July meant the movie of
the summer. Independence Day, MIB… until MIBII killed it
and we haven’t had a good one since. There have been good
summer flicks, mind you, but nothing where the spectacle had
so much story and the story had so much worthy spectacle.
Let’s start with this: Transformers
hurts just a little. I mean, it is honestly a killer work
out for you eyes and brain. I won’t be surprised when the
reports start coming out that kids are getting epileptic
seizures from this thing. And yet, I can follow it. One of
the few errors in the movie is the first action sequence,
but we see that the director and producers learn swiftly
from this and never show so much so fast again. The first
battle is kind of a blur and you can’t get too involved. It
was probably just too damn expensive to reshoot. After
that, you follow, you’re frazzled, but you follow.
And, what I totally didn’t expect, was
to give a damn about the characters. To honestly care. A
lot of this must be attributed to the actors, particularly
Shia LeBouf, America’s current It Boy. We can only hope he
manages to stave off inevitable cocaine and alcohol abuse
and survive through what could be an immensely profitably
and noteworthy career. I discovered this kid in Holes,
which I loved. My wife knew him from Even Steven’s, some
Disney sit-com of some kind. I like him. And now he’s,
deservedly, everywhere. And John Turturro is in this, in
case you didn’t know, and, as always, he is awesome… because
he’s John-f—king-Turturo.
Spielberg clearly managed to reign
Michael “I sometimes forget the story in-between explosions”
Bay and accentuated all the director’s best qualities while
still making room for a real story that we can care about
beyond the spectacle.
But, lord, what mighty, beautiful
spectacle. At 2 hours 23 minutes, I wouldn’t cut a minute,
something I’ve never before said about either a
Michael Bay or Steven Spielberg enterprise (except maybe
Munich). It all works and never, ever forgets to be
fun. This is what a popcorn movie should be. Yes, there is
something big at stake. Yes, you can sit at the edge of
your seat. But no, they haven’t forgotten to make us laugh,
have cool characters and not be ridiculously serious on a
fireworks night. This is what spectacle always should be.
I grew up with the Transformers but
they never obsessed me as they did my friend Jason (who also
blew a load over the movie). I went to this intrigued but
not excited.
Now, I am excited. Like, like-a-child
excited. Transformers is the summer fun equivalent of the
great epic. Pay attention Hollywood, oh, and you too, Mr.
Bay. You’ve just learned something. Amazing what having
Mr. Spielberg around can do.
WE OPERATE
THIS SITE OUT OF OUR LOVE FOR
MOVIES, ALWAYS INTENDING ONLY
ENJOYMENT OF THIS GREAT SHOWCASE
OF THE THOUGHTS AND CREATIVITY
OF HUMAN KIND.
NOTICE: All sounds, pictures,
and whatever else there is
contained on this site retain
their original copyright as
owned by their respective movie
production companies and are
represented here in order to
inspire desire to purchase DVD,
CD, Books, Posters, in other
words, the aftermarket of the
film.. All said files are for
educational, research,
criticism, etc. Digital Quill
Publishing, FalconRun, Inc.,
HugeReviews.com or any of our
employees holds no liability
from misuse of these sound
files."
