Transformers was definitely a movie that had a lot riding on it and not just in the area of monetary gain. Like many movies based on cultural property, Transformers needed to plow its way through a generation of dedicated fans as well as appeal to those who had never seen or even heard of a Transformer. On a personal note, I was one of those dedicated fans having played with the toys when I was a kid, watched the TV show religiously, waited in line to see the first full length feature film and still have copies of all the comic books in plastic sleeves. While the film was far from disappointing, there were a few shortcomings that leave Transformers in the realm of nearly perfect.

Transformers opens with the voice of Optimus Prime explaining the existence of “The Cube”, an object that has the power to create life. As with most objects of power, some want to use it for good while others wish to use it to enslave and destroy. It is suggested that Optimus sent “The Cube” or “Allspark” from Cybertron to prevent Megatron from capturing it. Fans of the Beast Wars series will recognize the “Allspark” theme while fans of Generation One take note that this is not to be confused with the Matrix of Leadership which resides in Prime’s chest. The “Allspark” crash landed on Earth many years ago with Megatron in hot pursuit. Bumblebee follows him and there is the hint that he and Megatron or possibly other Decepticons already on Earth engaged in a battle in which his vocal processes where damaged. At the center of the Autobot/Decepticon battle is Sam Witwicky, a young, bumbling teenager who, in an attempt to collect money for a new car, is hocking his famous grandfather’s items on E-bay. Little does he know that one item in particular has the key to the location of the “Allspark”. The race is on with the Decepticons trying to capture Sam while Bumblebee attempts to get to him first with Autobot reinforcements on the way. Carnage ensues and the audience holds on to their popcorn buckets!

Only a handful of people had complete faith in Michael Bay’s abilities to direct this film. Yes, Pearl Harbor may have “sucked” as a drama, but the man can direct explosions and pulse pounding chases. Unfortunately, when it comes to directing the actors, he falls completely short. There were many times when it seemed that Shia LaBeouf (Sam “Spike” Witwicky) and relative newcomer Megan Fox (Mikaela Banes) were guiding themselves through the script. Let’s face it, Bay’s “best” films, (Bad Boys, The Rock, and Armageddon) all feature actors who could probably do just fine with absolutely no help from the director’s chair (Smith, Connery, Cage and Willis). The only truly terrible acting came from John Turturro as Simmons, the “evil” head of the secret government agency known as Sector 7. Turturro usually delivers and the only explanation for his over-the-top, silly, incompetent treatment of Simmons had to come from Bay’s need to portray a government agent in that same, overdone stereotypical way. Opposite Turturro, is seasoned actor John Voight who, in a refreshing twist, plays Defense Secretary John Keller as a strong, intelligent government official trying to get down to the bottom of a vicious attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar. Minor players such as Bernie Mack, Josh Duhamel, Rachael Taylor, Kevin Dunn and Anthony Anderson all perform admirably.Julie White as Judy Whitwicky steals the show with her comedic rendering of Sam’s mother.

While some of the acting could have been better, Bay’s meal ticket was in the Transformers themselves and how they looked on the big screen. It is an experience beyond explanation; you are just going to have to see the film for yourself to understand how brilliant the CGI is. Gen One fans may also shed a tear upon hearing Prime’s famous lines such as “Autobots, transform and roll out!” or “At the end of this day... one shall stand, one shall fall.”

With talk of at least two more sequels, let us hope that Spielberg stays in the reigns as producer. There were quite a few plot devices and scenes that had the classic Spielberg mark including the comical way in which the Autobots have to deal with Sam’s parents, the heart felt relationship between Sam and Bumblebee and the awkwardness of teenage sexuality Sam and Mikaela face.

Considering that Bay was never a fan of the Transformers and was known to get the names wrong during production, it is surprising that there was only one complete mistake in the naming of the automatons. The M1 Abrams tank is referred to as “Devastator” in the movie. Devastator is actually the robot formed when the Constructicons (Scrapper, Bonecrusher, Scavenger, Mix Master, Long Haul and Hook) combine together. According to writer Robert Orci and team members from Hasbro, the tank should be named “Brawl” and subsequent toys based on the movie correct this mistake. Brawl along with his fellow Combaticons, (Onslaught, Blast Off, Vortex and Swindle) form the giant Bruticus.

Another name and character change that worked in the film was Barricade. Originally a race car in Gen One, writers Orci and Kurtzman thought it would be more interesting to make Barricade into a police car creating a ‘perverted justice” angle. Barricade is also the only non GM car in the film (S281 Saleen).

Director: Michael Bay

Writers: Robert Orci
Alex Kurtzman

Rated: PG-13 for violence, some sexual humor


Trivia: Orci and Kurtzman are currently writing the script for Star Trek XI.

NOTE BENE: No release date for Blu-ray.