Beyond good. Beyond evil. Beyond your wildest imagination. We now return to the Transformers.

Movie Summary

Popzara Rating

...there you have it, this old-time Transformers fan take on the long-awaited Transformers live-action film. In my opinion it's not only Michael Bay's best movie, but represents a new respect for the genre that has entertained so many fans for a long time. One one hand it's a bit unsettling to think of anything born from the 80s as nostalgic, but I suppose that great storytelling and memorable characters can come from anywhere. The new film is mind-blowing fun on a level that's rarely seen in theaters anymore, easily rolling over everything in its destructive path and firmly establishing new life for the franchise. I've seen the film several times now, and each time the audience were on their feet cheering, drowning out the sound with the type of thunderous applause that will bring tears of joy to some and confuse others. It's no secret what camp I'm with... Release Date: 07/02/08 MPAA Rating : PG-13 Studio: Dreamworks

Written by Nathan Evans

In many ways I'm the most inappropriate person to give my thoughts on the new Transformers live-action motion picture. As a child of the commercialized 80s I'm more than familiar with the Hasbro toy-line that spawned what is arguably the most successful franchise from that strange decade, having been a fully cooperating member of their fan-base on the first go-around. The original animated movie, for all it's silliness and surprising maturity, is the film I've watched and re-watched more than any other...I can recite every line upon request, and have many great memories of recreating it with my childhood friends with and without the accompanying action figures.

But in other ways I'm eminently qualified, having left the majority of my love for the original series (now labeled Generation 1) to the dustbins of childhood memory. As with the Star Wars franchise, my exposure and admiration is derived primarily from the motion pictures themselves, having skipped the subsequent spin-offs, novels, and alternative universes. Those fans who can only be labeled more hard-core than myself have carried the weight that has sustained this franchise far longer than any fad has a right to be carried, most of which I'm absolutely unfamiliar with.

Much like other singularly named creations, the Transformers were never just about their namesake abilities. In the greatest of cinematic traditions, the plurality of the franchise is an important distinction, as it encompasses an entirety of characters, settings, and possibilities that its narrower clones could never hope to emulate. These creations were never defined by their titular ability, which as most fans know became an almost incidental trait once their personalities were established. The stoic Optimus Prime, brave leader of the benevolent Autobots, the whimsical Bumblebee, the insidious Starscream, and evil-incarnate Megatron represented much more than just flexible robot toys that happened to transform into any number of vehicles, ships, and sometimes weapons. This new film captures most of this appropriately, keeping most of the origin story (including the Cybertron plotline) intact, substituting Energon cubes for an All Spark cube. If none of that makes much sense before going into the movie, it probably won't make much sense afterwards...so just grab tightly and try to hold on for the ride!

The death of Optimus Prime in the original animated film certainly holds the greatest (cinematic) emotional resonance for me as a child, his sacrifice hitting home in ways that Shakespeare and a thousand fairy tales never could. A hero my generation not only understood, but cared for deeply. I have to admit that both the build-up and big reveal of the Autobot leader had me covering my face with both shaking hands, hiding the biggest grin of astonishment and utter joy since I can't remember when. Exactly twenty years after the fates of cinematic necessity took him away from me, my Optimus Prime was returned to me. The cheers from the audience heralding his return seemed to confirm I wasn't alone, nor should I be. The archetypical leader was a close childhood friend of mine, an ethical role-model who rose above his commercial origins and became something much larger than I'm sure his creators could have ever imagined. His voice, rattling better sound systems and driving through time and memory, will forever mark the intertwined fate of voice actor Peter Cullen to his most iconic role. It's impossible for me to describe those feelings of elation and glee I felt seeing (and hearing) him back in action, and for this I'm grateful.

Love or hate him, director Michael Bay delivers big-time. He's always had a great eye for action, but now that he's been given proper characters to unleash his destructive bent the fun really shines. It's also easy to see Steven Spielberg's handprints all over the place, particularly in the film's truly emotionally riveting moments. The film's human actors all acquit themselves admirably, with everyone from Tyrese to Josh Duhamel performing entirely right. But it's the performance of Shia LaBeouf that really impresses...he's absolutely perfect here as the clumsy teenager who loves his car, and wants the girl. He's got all the makings of a true star, and should find himself with an interesting career if he keeps delivering like this. Also, the film was very, very funny...a nice surprise in a summer filled with films refusing to lighten things up.

The film's effects are astonishing, blurring the surrealism of cinema in ways few others have before. Perhaps the closest experience I've had was the original Jurassic Park, believing that not only were those dinosaurs real, but they could kill you. With the (sometimes) excessive use of explosions, battles, and inner-city battles it's almost too much for most eyeballs to take. I can't imagine anyone taking all this in the first time through, so there's a few guaranteed repeat-viewings built-in. The character designs, long loathed in online chat rooms, mostly redeem themselves here through some astonishing character mannerisms. I never felt that I was watching mere special effects, and truly believed these creatures on-screen were indeed my childhood memories come to life. Incredible, incredible stuff.

Equally incredible is the film's score, which is two-parts smart and one-part loud. Although it can't touch the auditory thrill of cheese 80's metal or Weird Al goofiness, the symphonic power of every scene matches its visceral thrill. One scene of particular power was the arrival of the Autobots that gave me chills and thrills to no end. The rest is appropriately heroic, scary evil stuff that just really works. The film's several songs seem appropriate, with certain scenes tied to a reasonably good Linkin Park track (What I've Done). It might not be Stan Bush, but it's certainly got the right touch.

That's not to say the film is perfect, or even close to it. Megatron, while deliciously evil and the most charismatic of the Decepticons, was still a missed opportunity. Unlike his rival Optimus Prime, his new design isn't that reflective of his origins, nor did his voice (still excellent, but unrecognizably done by Hugo Weaving) contain that sarcastic snarl that Frank Welker gave the role. To hear and see both these icons on-screen again may have blew my circuits, so maybe it was for the best. Starscream also receives similar mistreatment, but still manages to be the same sadistic killer he always was (still never good for Megatron, apparently).

So there you have it, this old-time Transformers fan take on the long-awaited Transformers live-action film. In my opinion it's not only Michael Bay's best movie, but represents a new respect for the genre that has entertained so many fans for a long time. One one hand it's a bit unsettling to think of anything born from the 80s as nostalgic, but I suppose that great storytelling and memorable characters can come from anywhere. The new film is mind-blowing fun on a level that's rarely seen in theaters anymore, easily rolling over everything in its destructive path and firmly establishing new life for the franchise. I've seen the film several times now, and each time the audience were on their feet cheering, drowning out the sound with the type of thunderous applause that will bring tears of joy to some and confuse others. It's no secret what camp I'm with.

These mere toys, products of consumption and commercial concerns were indeed mirrors of the very target audience they were designed for - children. And like children, capable of both astonishment and wonder, endowed with personalities and individuality all their own and craving attention. The Transformers toy-line was always smarter than most gave it credit for, and that intelligence managed to spill over to its various off-shoots. With the re-launch of the franchise, perhaps this time a larger audience will finally realize what fans have known since the very beginning, that there truly is more than meets the eye.