Transformers
9 July 2007, early morning
I watched Transformers over the weekend. It confirmed what I already knew in my heart: that there can be only one true Transformers movie, and that film was made in 1986. Michael Bay’s take on Transformers isn’t total crap, which I guess counts for something. The movie stays more or less true to the original source, in that there are giant transforming robots from outer space who have taken their fight to earth. I wasn’t too bothered by the fact there were no Energon Cubes or that Starscream didn’t sound like Cobra Commander — (RIP); I was willing to look past all that if the film was good — but it wasn’t. Transformers looks and feels like every other Michael Bay film: there are lots of great special effects and wicked explosions, but beyond that there is very little whatsoever to the film. Unlike the cartoons and movies, you don’t really develop any sort of affinity for the robots featured. The Decepitcons have almost no lines, and the Autobots seem to exist solely for comic relief. I suppose Bay is relying on the fact people coming to see the film already like the robots, which is easier than developing their characters through the film. There are characters introduced for no conceivable reason, other than for eye candy or comic relief. (For example, what was the point of having a team of high school hackers working for the NSA. You could remove them, and any interaction with them from the film, and it would all still make perfect sense.) The plot is also really boring for the most part. I don’t want to go on and on about how bad it was, so just trust me when I say it’s not good. The only redeeming thing about the film is how slick the transformers look. ILM did an amazing job bringing the Transformers to life. I’d like to think Michael Bay had nothing to do with that, but who knows. So yeah, Transformers wasn’t so good.
Oh wait, there was also a really hot chick in the movie, so that was also good.
The good thing about the movie was they stole lines from the original transformers movie. Which voice actors from the cartoon were also in the movie? Optimus sounded like the original but not sure about the others.
by Krishna on July 9 2007, 9:58 am #
The voice of Prime is done by Peter Cullen, who was the guy who did it originally. Everyone else is different. In the cartoons, Peter Cullen did Ironhide’s voice as well, but this isn’t the case in the movies. The voice actors for Starscream and Jazz both passed away in the 90s. Frank Welker, who is some sort of voice acting god apparently, wasn’t picked to reprise his role as Megatron. Bay thought his voice wasn’t a good fit for the new character design. He also was the voice of Frenzy, who was featured in the film also voiced by someone else.
by ramanan on July 9 2007, 10:37 am #
Wow Ramanan, you sure have an encyclopedic knowledge of the Transformers!
by Mahi on July 9 2007, 1:53 pm #
No I’ve just been reading up on it recently. The Internet is awesome. Plus there is lots of extra junk on the 20th anniversary DVD.
by ramanan on July 9 2007, 2:12 pm #
the first part seemed to be a speilberg movie, like a boy and his robot, the second part was all michael bay. I don’t get the Megan Fox mystique, have you seen her face? Or do people not look at that anymore. The random blonde hacker girl was by far more attractive than Megan Fox.
by mu on July 10 2007, 8:25 pm #
by “a really hot chick” you do mean rachael taylor right?! do agree that “super hot computer nerd” is not exactly realistic but this par for summer movies. suspend the reality and just enjoy the ride!
by Sunny on July 12 2007, 10:03 am #
No I am a fan of the skanky mechanic chick. The computer nerd was pretty too, but I found her character so annoying.
by ramanan on July 12 2007, 10:08 am #
it wasn’t so much her character her mates. i mean she happens to know the “best hacker” in the world and he happens to conveniently live around DC? i mean come on?! nothing would have been amiss if these jokers were not there in the first place.
by Sunny on July 13 2007, 12:26 pm #
I’m sure there are plenty of better hackers in the world, it’s just that the bestest and “funniest” in D.C. was right around the corner from the NSA.
Frank Welker usually does animal voices, like Nibbler on Futurama, but he was also Freddy on the original Scooby Doo.
Megan Fox has one of those faces where she’s smoking from some angle, but something looks a bit off from a lot of others.
by Dave on July 13 2007, 7:40 pm #